Letter 476: You write such things to a second Tantalus — for I too thirst for your springs, and the springs are near, yet you...

To Demetrius. (356) It is to a second Tantalus that you send such messages, since for me too there is a longing for your springs, and the springs are near, yet you do not let me drink of them, though you yourself think fit to receive from what is ours. And you would do well to give of what is your own; for you will be sending to one who loves you, you who are willing to receive. As for that man, who you say read aloud a book of yours that you had given him, if he did this with goodwill, it is nothing to wonder at; for he was keeping to what he had decided long ago. For long ago, instead of subjecting us to scrutiny, he praised us, though he is formidable at speaking but better at judging. Yet nonetheless, whenever he lays hold of anything of mine, at once that noble judge becomes a white measuring-line [i.e. an indiscriminate rule that approves everything alike]. But from where this affliction comes upon him, I will teach you. Aristaenetus, a man of Bithynia, was his fellow-student at Athens, and the two of them acquired a friendship equal to those that are celebrated among you. And indeed, whatever pleases the one of them has the vote of both; for this one follows that one, and that one this one. Since, then, it occurred to Aristaenetus to consider me no mean fellow, it was no longer possible for Acacius not to consider me clever, so that all the support he gave my speech—with the pitch of his voice and the gesture of his hand and the rest, things which have often made even what is not fine seem fine—was part of his compact with that man. But if there had been no compulsion, you would certainly have seen him laughing me to scorn. But as for him, whether justly or not, may he never cease praising me; but as for you, in casting down this shameless fellow and teaching him that one must not kick against the bridle [i.e. resist authority], you do well; yet in bringing the Megarians to a level with those among you, you do not do well; for the Megarians at least did not summon the scapegoat to themselves, whereas the affairs of those among you you know.

Δημητρίῳ. (356) Πρὸς ἕτερον Τάνταλον τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπιστέλλεις, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτῷ μοι πόθος μὲν τῶν σῶν πηγῶν, πλησίον δὲ αἱ πηγαί, πιεῖν δὲ οὐ δίδως, καίτοι τῶν ἡμετέρων αὐτὸς ἀξιοῖς λαμβά- νεῖν. καὶ διδοίης ἂν εἰκότως τῶν σαυτοῦ· φιλοῦντι γὰρ πέμ- ψεις, ὃς ἐθέλεις λαμβάνειν. ὁ δ’ ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ὃν φὴς ἀνα- γνῶναι βιβλίον σου δεδωκότος, εἰ μετ’ εὐνοίας τοῦτο ἔδρα θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν· ἃ γὰρ ἔγνω πάλαι, ταῦτα ἐτήρει. πάλαι γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἀντὶ τοῦ βασανίζειν ἐπῄνει καίτοι δεινὸς μὲν ὢν εἰπεῖν, ἀμείνων δὲ δοκιμάζειν. ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἐπειδὰν ἅψηταί του τῶν ἐμῶν, εὐθὺς ὁ γενναῖος κριτὴς λευκὴ στάθμη γίωεται. τοῦτο δὲ ὁπόθεν αὐτῷ τὸ πάθος, ἐγώ σε διδάξω. Ἀρισταίνετος, ἀνὴρ Βιθυνός, Ἀθήνησιν αὐτῷ συμφοιτᾷ καὶ φιλίαν ἐκτησάσθην ταῖς ὑμετέραις ὑμνουμέναις ἴσην. καὶ δὴ καὶ ὅ τι ἂν τὸν ἕτε- ρον ἀρέσῃ, τὴν ἀμφοῖν ἔχει ψῆφον. ἕπεται γὰρ τούτῳ μὲν ἐκεῖνος, ἐκείνῳ δὲ οὗτος. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπῆλθεν Ἀρισταινέτῳ νομίσαι με μὴ φαῦλον, οὐκέτ’ ἐνῆν Ἀκακίῳ μὴ νομίζειν με δεξιόν, ὥσθ’ ὅσα συνηγωνίζετο τῷ λόγῳ καἰ τόνῳ φωνῆς καὶ χειρὸς σχήματι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἃ καὶ τὰ μὴ καλὰ πολλάκις ἐποίησε δόξαι καλά, τῶν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἦν συνθηκῶν. εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐπῆν ἀνάγκη, πάντως ἂν εἶδες κατγελῶντα. ἀλλ’ οὗτος μέν, εἴτε δίκαιον εἴτε μή, μή με ἐπαινῶν παύσαιτο· σὺ δὲ τὸν μὲν ἀναιδῆ τοῦτον καθελὼν καὶ διδάξας ὡς ἄρα οὐ χρὴ πρὸς χαλινοὺς ἀντιτείνειν, εὖ ποιεῖς· τοὺς μέντοι Μεγαρεῖς εἰς ἴσον ἄγων τοῖς παρ’ ὑμῖν οὐ καλῶς ποιεῖς· οἱ μέν γε οὐκ ἐκάλουν ὡς αὑτοὺς τὸν φαρμακόν, τὰ δὲ τῶν παρ’ ὑμῖν οἶσθα.