Letter 666: What an injury you have done me, dear Menander — and right after delighting me!

To Menander. (361) What an injury you have done me, dear Menander — and right after delighting me! You came riding past on a fine, tall, smooth-gaited horse and gave me the impression you were merely exercising and would turn back shortly. But in fact you were setting out on a journey, and you did not even dare to greet me in the manner of those departing — instead you used the greeting of those who are staying, and rode on. When I spotted a pair of mules following in haste, I said to the companion beside me, "Surely those are Menander's?" He asked one of the servants running past, and the boy confirmed it. That is how I learned I had been wronged by dear Menander. I have now called Menander "dear" twice, so that his offense may appear all the greater — if a man so dear can inflict such pain. You did not hesitate to come to my house and climb my rough staircase, yet you begrudged a friend two words of farewell. Where was your heart in all this?

Μενάνδρῳ. (361) Οἱόν με ἠδίκηκας, ὦ καλὲ Μένανδρε, καὶ ταῦτα μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν εὐφράνας· φερόμενος ἐφ’ ἵππου καλοῦ τε καὶ μεγάλου καὶ ὑγροσκελοῦς δόξαν μέν μοι παρέης, ὡς ἐπὶ θεραπείᾳ τὸ σῶμα κινήσας ὑποστρέψεις αὐτίκα, σὺ δὲ ἄρα ἔκδημον ὁδὸν ἐποιοῦ καὶ οὐκέτ’ ἐτόλμησας τῷ τῶι διαλυο- μένων ἀσπάσασθαι νόμῳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ τῶν μενόντων χρησάμενος ἤλαυνες. ὡς δ’ Λόον ἐγὼ ζεῦγος ὀρικὸν ἑπόμενον σπουδῇ, πρὸς τὸ ἑταῖρον, ὅς μοι παρῆν, ἆρ’ ἔφην τοῦτο Μενάν- δρου; καὶ ὃς ἤρετο παῖδα τῶν παραθεόντων κἀκεῖνος κατα- μήνυσεν. εἶθ᾿ οὕτως ἔγνων ἠδικημένος ὑπὸ τοῦ καλοῦ Με ἄνδρου. καλὸν δὲ δὶς ἤδη κέκληκα τὸν Μένανδρον, ὅπως φαίνηται μειζόνως ἠδικηκώς, εἰ καλὸς ὢν ἔπειτα τοιαῦτα λυπεῖ. ἀλλ᾿ ἐλθεῖν μὲν οἴκαδε ὡς ἐμὲ καὶ διὰ κλίμακος ἀναβῆναι τραχείας οὐκ ὤκνησας, δυοῖν δὲ ῥημάτων ἐφθόνη- σας ἀνδρὶ φίλῳ. ποῦ ταῦτα τῆς σῆς ψυχῆς;