Letter 616

To Valerius, the leading citizen [protueon, the foremost magistrate of a city]. Whenever you look upon the one who is hostile to you, and call to mind all the grievous things you have suffered and have heard, forget them all; and if you do remember them, reckon them to the account of the devil. But gather up also whatever useful thing such a man may ever have said or done; and if you dwell upon this remembrance, you will very swiftly find rest, being freed both from harshness and from savagery.

Ὅταν βλέπῃς τὸν ἐχθραίνοντά σου, καὶ εἰς νοῦν λάβῃς ὅσα μέν πέπονθας, καὶ ἤκουσας λυπηρά, πάντα ἐπιλανθάνου· ἂν δὲ καὶ ἀναμνησθῇς, τῷ διαβόλῳ ταῦτα λογίζου. Σύλλεγε δὲ καὶ εἴ τι χρήσιμον εἶπε πώποτε ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄνθρωπος, ἢ πεποίηκε· καὶ ἐὰν ἐν τῇ τούτῃ μνήμῃ ἐνδιατρίβῃς, ἀναπαυσθήσῃ τάχιστα, ἀπηλλαγμένος τῆς τε τραχύτητος, καὶ τῆς θηριωδίας.