Letter 151

To Pylaemenes. Tell me: do you still stand firm in philosophy — the Pylaemenes I left behind, the newly initiated soul, the divine offspring? I fear the time that has passed since that rebirth. I fear even more the company you keep in the meantime. The world has a way of extinguishing the philosophical spark. Guard it. Feed it. Do not let it go out.

Letter 151: A Salute [1] To Pylaemenes To me, do you stand firm in philosophy, that Pylaemenes whom I left behind, the soul newly initiated, the offspring divine? I fear the time which has passed since that birth; I fear still more the intercourse of the market-place, the absorption in many situations and affairs; and that these may soil that most holy temple, your divine intellect, one of the few I deem entirely worthy to receive God. [2] I know that one of my dearest wishes was to be able to celebrate with you the mysteries of philosophy, but since patriotism is stronger in your heart, I pray that wherever in the world you may be, you will cultivate philosophy as much as possible. So I embrace your dear head. I embrace it again and again, whether I am silent or speaking, whether I write or do not write.