Letter 371: We are sending Dianios back to you — a man who brought credit both to us, whom he followed here, and to you...

To Alcimus. (358) We are sending back to you Dianius, who belongs both to us and to those whom he has here followed, having brought distinction both upon you Bithynians, from whom he sprang, and upon us. And you, I know, on seeing the man will come to the memory of those times than which I myself saw none more pleasant, either before or since, and you will be ignorant of nothing of what has been done by me here. For he was not present at some things and absent from others, nor again did he come to know only as much as it is likely a man dwelling in the same city would know, but as much as a man dwelling in the same house. So that this man knows no more of my affairs than my mother does. Hearing, then, about my discourses you will perhaps not be grieved; but my body, obtaining only a very small peace, is for the most part at war, and many a time indeed I have been among those who pray to depart from this life. I myself, then, have come to such a height of good fortune—for one must speak of it with auspicious words—but as for Dianius, who longs for freedom, help him by every device. For you have it in your power, by doing good, to accomplish as much in the province as you do in your own household; and your power comes not from possessing much, but from your having been unwilling to acquire what lay within reach. How, then, being free, does he long for freedom? He considers serving on the council a fine thing for a rich man, but for a poor man a servitude. And he has just so much property as compels him to do nothing degrading, yet does not permit him to undertake public expenditures. He fears, therefore, lest, on returning home, the council should seek out the foreign property [he has acquired abroad]. As for this not coming to pass, it will be a care to Aristaenetus, and let it be a care to you also. If, then, he obtains immunity, we shall praise you; but if he does not obtain it, take thought how you will send him back to us.

Ἀλκίμῳ. (358) Ἀποπέμπομεν ὑμῖν Διάνιον ἡμῖν τε. οἷς ἠκολούθησε τῇδε, δόξαν περιθέντα καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς Βιθυνοῖς, ἐξ ὧν ἔφυ. σὺ δὲ οἶδα ὅτι τὸν ἄνδρα ἰδὼν χρόνων τε ἐκείνων εἰς μνή- μην ἥξεις ὧν οὔτε πρότερον οὔθ’ ὕστερον ἡδίους εἶδον ἐγώ, 15 καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθά μοι πεπραγμένων ἀγνοήσεις οὐδέν. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς μὲν παρεγένετο, τῶν δὲ ἀπελείφθη, οὐδ’ αὖ τοσαῦτα ἔγνω, ὅσα εἰκὸς τὸν τὴν αὐτὴν οἰκοῦντα πόλιν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα εἰκὸς τὸν τὴν αὐτὴν οἰκοῦντα οἰκίαν. ὥστ’ οὐ πλείω τῶν ἐμῶν ἡ μήτηρ οἶδεν οὗτος. τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τοὺς λόγους ἀκούων ἴσως οὐκ ἀνιάσῃ, τὸ σῶμα δέ μοι μικρᾶς πάνυ τυχὸν εἰρήνης τὰ πολλὰ πολεμεῖται, καὶ πολλάκις γε ἐγενόμην ἐκεί τῶν εὐχομένων ἀπελθεῖν. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν εἰς τοῦτο εὐδαιμονίας ἥκω, δεῖ γὰρ εὐφήμως εἰπεῖν, Διανίῳ δὲ ἐλευθερίας ἐπιθυ- μοῦντι βοήθησον πάσῃ τέχνη. δύνασαι γὰρ εὖ ποιῶν ὅσονπερ ἐν τῇ σαυτοῦ, τοσοῦτον ἐν τῷ ἔθνει, ἡ δὲ σὴ δύναμις οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ τοῦ παρὸν κτήσασθαι μὴ βουληθῆναι. πῶς οὖν ἐλεύθερος ὢν ἐλευθερίας ἐπιθυμεῖ; τὸ βουλεύειν πλουσίῳ μὲν ἡγεῖται καλόν, πένητι δὲ δουλείαν. ἔστι δὲ αὐτῷ τοσαῦτα, ὅσα αὐτὸν ταπεινὸν μὲν οὐδὲν ἀναγ- κάζει ποιεῖν, χορηγεῖν δὲ οὐκ ἐᾷ. φοβεῖται οὖν μὴ ζητήσῃ 15 τὴν ξένην οἴκαδε ἐπανήκων. 6, τοῦ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο γενέσθαι μελήσει μὲν Ἀρισταινέτῳ, μελέτω δὲ καὶ σοί. τυχόντος μὲν οὖν ἀδείας ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς ἐπαινεσόμεθα, μὴ τυχόντα δὲ ὅπως ἡμῖν ἀποστελεῖτε, φροντίζετε.