Letter 772: The Phoenicians enjoy the blessings, while I dream of Phoenician blessings: councilors honored, populace cheerful,...

To Gaianus. (362) The Phoenicians enjoy the blessings, while I dream of Phoenician blessings: councilors honored, populace cheerful, merchants not wronged, farmers not despised, orators flowing as never before, consorting with Demosthenes and knowing that justice resides with a man brimming with Demosthenes. Seeing these things — or seeming to see them — I appear more radiant, and to those who ask what makes me so happy, I answer: "The Phoenicians are prospering." "And what is that to a non-Phoenician?" they say. "Everything," I reply. "The pleasure of doing good is no less than the pleasure of receiving it. And in a way, what they now enjoy comes from me too — for what belongs to the governor belongs to me as well." Whenever I say this, I raise up against you accusers from every quarter — people who did not want others to be happy instead of themselves. Then I try to defend myself, but shouting and uproar drown me out, and I nearly leave with a beating. And this pain was born from joy. For those along the Orontes, having been saved by you when you served at their side, now reflect on what you would have been like driving the chariot yourself — and the pleasure they felt then is equaled by the despondency they now live with. Such are the troubles you have planted among us, you who are sweeter than honey in voice — and I would add, in character. Nothing in the world will uproot them, so long as there is water and trees.

Γαϊανῷ. (362) Φοίνικες μὲν ἀπολαύουσι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐγὼ δὲ ὀνειρο- πολῶ τὰ Φοινίκων ἀγαθά, βουλευτὰς τιμωμένους, δήμους εὐ- θυμουμένους, ἐμπόρους οὐκ ἀδικουμένους, γεωργοὺς οὐ καταφρονουμένους, ῥήτορας ῥέοντας ὡς οὔπω πρότερον κοὶ τῷ Δημοσθένει συγγινομένους εἰδότας ὅτι παρ’ ἀνδρὶ γέ- μοντι τοῦ Δημοσθένους αἱ δίκαι. ταῦτα ὁρᾶ καἰ τὰ τοιαῦτα δοκῶν ὁρῶμαι φαιδρότερος καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐρωτῶν τὰς, ὅτῳ γέγηθα, Φοίνικες εὖ πράττουσιν ἀποκρί- νομαι. καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν οὐ Θοίνικα; φασί. μάλι- στά γε φημί. τοῦ μὲν γὰρ εὖ πάσχειν τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν οὐ χεῖρον εὶς ἡδο νήν. ἔστι δὲ τρόπον τινὰ ἐκείνοις, ἃ νῦν ἔχουδι, καὶ παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ· τὰ γὰρ τοῦ ἄρχοντος καὶ ἐμά. ταῦθ’ ὅταν εἴπω, πολλοὺς ἀνίστημί σοι πολλαχόθεν τοὺς κατηγόρους, οἳ οὐκ ἄλλους ἀνθ’ ἑαυτῶν εὐδαιμονεῖν ἤθελον. εἶτα ἀπολογεῖσθαι μὲν ἐπιχειρῶ, κραυγὴ δὲ καὶ θό- ρυβος ἀντικρούει καὶ κινδυνεύω πληγὰς λαμβάνων ἀπιέναι. καὶ ταύτην τὴν λύπην ἔτεκεν εὐφροσύνη. σωθέντες γὰρ ὑπὸ σοῦ παρεδρεύοντος οἱ περὶ τὸν Ὀρόντην ἐνθυμούμενοι, τίς ἂν ἦσθα τὸ ἅρμα αὐτὸς ἐλαύνων, ὅσην τότε ἥδοντο ἡδο- νήν, τοσαύτῃ νῦν ἀθυμίᾳ συζῶσι. 5 τοιαῦτά σοι πράγματα πεφύτευται παρ’ ἡμῖν, ὦ μέλιτος γλυκίων τὴν αὐδήν, προσ- θείην δ’ ἂν καὶ τρόπον, ἃ οὐδὲν ἐκκόψει τῶν πάντων, ἴως ἂν ὕδωρ ᾖ καὶ δένδρα.