Letter 15

From: Libanius, rhetorician in Antioch To: Priscianus Date: ~359 AD Context: A long, impassioned letter about the state of Antioch, education, and Libanius's struggles with political enemies -- one of the most revealing letters in the collection. You know better than most what it means to run a school in times like these. The city is full of people who resent learning and those who teach it, and the few friends we have are either too busy or too frightened to help. I do not say this to complain -- or at least, not only to complain -- but so that you understand why my letters have been fewer than either of us would like. The young men continue to come, and some of them are genuinely talented. But talent without protection is a fragile thing, and I spend as much time defending my students from the authorities as I do teaching them. The prefect is no friend to us, and his subordinates take their cue from him. When a young man arrives from abroad to study rhetoric, he is treated as a nuisance rather than an asset to the city. Still, I persist. What else can I do? Rhetoric is what I know, and Antioch -- for all its faults -- is where I belong. The gods placed me here, and here I will stay, teaching whoever comes and writing to whoever will read. I am sending you a copy of my latest oration, which the city heard with some interest. Whether it will reach you intact is another matter -- the roads are not what they were, and letters have a way of disappearing between here and there.

**To Anatolius** (357 or 358/59) I read aloud to my friends that long letter of yours — for you commanded it, and there was no disobeying so great a power. The reading provoked as much laughter as you intended, and you intended a great deal. But when I finished, one of the listeners asked me whether I was your friend or your enemy. When I said that I was very fond of the excellent Anatolius, he replied: "Then you are doing the work of an enemy by displaying this letter — you should have destroyed it." And he proceeded to give the letter a name. Would you like to know what it was? No, I shall not repeat what pained me even to hear. So let us set that aside and examine the charges. You must bear the consequences if you prove to be a slanderer, and I shall bear them if I am shown to be worthless. You said that Spectatus, a man great in his deeds, had been made small by my words. Yet the man himself took pleasure in my praises. If he was in his right mind, then your claim is false; but if he knew nothing of literary matters, then go ahead — say that I am altogether worthless. Consider, though, how you contradict yourself: the very man you accused me of diminishing through my words, you also said I elevate trivial things by the force of my rhetoric. I advise you to wage war on the counsels of the barbarians, not on yourself. Now, if you are jealous of those whom I have honored, you do well — for the desire for praise is no sign of a bad nature, since rivalry is often a great spur to the practice of virtue. But when you fault me for honoring certain people with words, and instead of bringing your praise into the open you resort to indirection — that is a devious act, not a noble one. You reproach me for praising many; I reproach you for finding fault with everyone. There is, then, a lack of discrimination in both of us, but mine at least carries a certain generosity of spirit. Or rather, there is no one I have praised by attributing to him qualities he does not possess — like the fable that decks the jackdaw in borrowed feathers. But hear the rule I follow in my praises. If a man is superior to the temptation of money but a slave to pleasures, the former will earn my praise while the latter will be passed over in silence. Indeed, if I were praising a piece of land, I would do the same. Suppose I had to praise Cythera — Cythera being an island off the Peloponnese — in composing my speech I would describe how it is rich in pasture and wine, blessed with fine harbors, perhaps crowned with forests; but I would not praise its wheat production, for that would be a lie. Nor could anyone who eulogizes Attica make such a claim either. Yet nothing prevents one from praising what may justly be praised. I admire Achilles because he routed the Trojans; I admire Palamedes for his wisdom. But the man who insists on faulting each because both qualities were not found in both is being unjust. Come now — if I were composing a speech about you, and you had persuaded me to do so by your entreaties, do you think the praises would come to the subject from every direction? You perhaps think so, but the reality is otherwise. I would have spoken of your diligence, your sleepless labor, your toils, your sound judgment, your foresight for the future, your just spirit, your quickness, the power of your tongue, and much else besides. But handsome and tall I would not have called you — for your body does not possess these qualities. And on the matter of money, I would have said that you stand very far from theft, but I would not have insisted that you take no reward for your service. For you possess the emperor's gifts, and the tenure of your office has made your houses into cities — wronging no one, yet receiving all the same. You would be a far better man if you took from no one at all, since the glory that poverty confers is more splendid than the pillars an emperor bestows. And indeed, that attack of yours on Severus was harsh and far from gentle — denouncing him because he sought a government post when he ought to have been pursuing philosophy. For if he had laid claim to philosophy while betraying its outward form, and was a mere huckster under the name of philosophy, then he would rightly be hated. But if he considers philosophy too great for himself and merely seeks some refuge — where is his offense in not being a philosopher? Or do you yourself do more wrong by holding office than by not pursuing philosophy? Since you press hard in mocking me for having mentioned an honorific title in writing to you, know that you have entirely missed the point. Here is how it was. For me, my literary work is distinction enough — on account of which I have never considered myself inferior to any of you, whose brilliance is an oath upon the lips of flatterers. As for my livelihood, the modest income from my teaching suffices for one whose needs are small. What, then, was the meaning of what I wrote? Isocrates advises that one should test one's friends before necessity arrives, so that there is no loss in the event of misfortune, and he says one should pretend to be in need even when one is not. Something of that sort was my own intention: I made my request without really wanting anything. And so you did not give, and I laughed — suffering no loss, I discovered your character. Not that you are lazy in all things — far from it. Toward your family, if anyone is, you are generous, and not one of your kinsmen remains a private citizen. Yet with others you honor virtue, and if an unworthy man holds office, you cry out louder than men under the surgeon's knife. But your family is so dear to you that every relative must hold office and no scrutiny is to be applied. This is your excuse for neglecting your friends. And if anyone levels one charge against you, you set this other quality against the reproach. Do you think that I too know how to shoot arrows, or am I fit only to be a target? Or rather — if you have wounded me, you have been wounded in return; and if your letter was written in jest, then neither is this one written in earnest. It is only fair that if you were pleased by this letter, you should feel grateful to the man who brought it; and if you were stung, you should seek your redress from the bearer. For though I had resolved to keep my peace, Januarius compelled me by every possible entreaty — a man in all respects worthy of respect in this city, who has grieved no one he did not know, who has bestowed favors in which justice had its share, who guarded ably the post to which he was assigned, who aided those in urgent need who deserved it, who speaks little but acts decisively, who disdains the greater part of the profits that come his way, who is connected to men of higher station yet content with what he has, and who preserved his fairness in a role that does not easily tolerate decency. But I fear you will find fault with the man — simply because he has done me every service.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (357 vel 358/59) Ἀνέγνων τοῖς φίλοις τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν μακρὰν ἐκεί- νην, ἐκέλευσας γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀπειθεῖν τοσαύτῃ δυνάμει ἡ μὲν οὖν ἀνάγνωσις ἐκίνει γέλωτα τοσοῦτον ὅσον ἐβού- λου, πολλοῦ δὲ ἄρ’ ἐπεθύμεις, ὡς δὲ διεπαυσάμην, τῶν τις ἀκροατῶν ἤρετό με, πότερόν σοι φίλος ὢν ἢ δυσμενὴς τυγχάνω. φήσαντος δέ μου καὶ μάλα φιλεῖν Ἀνατόλιον τὸν καλὸν εὖ τοίνυν, ἔφη, τὰ δυσμενοῦς ποιῶν δεικνὺς ἐπιστολήν, ἀφανίζειν ἔδει. καὶ ἐτίθετο δὴ τοῖς γράμ- μασιν ὄνομα. βούλει μαθεῖν ὅ τι; ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐρῶ γε τοῦτο ὃ καὶ ἀκούων ἠχθόμην. ἀφέντες οὑν ἐκεῖνο ἐξετάζωμεν τὰς αἰτίας, καὶ σύ τε φέρειν, ἂν φανῆς συκοφάντης, ἐγώ τε οἴσω, κακὸς εἰ δειχθείην. Ἔφης Σπεκτότον μέγαν ὄντα τοῖς ἔργοις μικρὸν γεγενῆ- σθαι τοῖς παρ’ ἐμοῦ λόγοις, αὐτὸς δέ γε ἐκεῖνος ἥδετο τοῖς παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐπαίνοις· εἰ μὲν οὖν εὖ φρονῶν, ψεῦδος τὸ σόν εἰ δὲ οὐδὲν εἰδὼς τῶν περὶ λόγους, τόλμησον εἰπεῖν καὶ πάντα ἐγὼ φαῦλος. οὑτωσὶ δὲ σκόπει, ὅπως σαυτῷ δόξης ὁμολο- γεῖν, ὃς ὂν ᾐτιάσω τὰ μεγάλα μικρὰ ποιεῖν, τοῦτον ἔφης τῇ ῥώμῃ τῶν λόγων αἴρειν τὰ φαῦλα. παραινῶ δή σοι τοῖς μὲν τῶν βαρβάρων βουλεύμασι πολεμεῖν σαυτῷ δὲ μὴ. ζηλο- τυπῶν μὲν οὖν τοὺς ὑφ’ ἡμῶν κοσμουμένους εὖ ποιεῖς, οὐ γὰρ κακῆς φύσεως σημεῖον ἐπαίνων ἐπιθυμεῖν, μέγα γὰρ εἰς ἄσκησιν ἀρετῆς πολλάκις ζηλοτυπία μεμφόμενος δὲ τό τινας τετιμῆσθαι λόγοις ἀντὶ τοῦ φανεροῦν τὴν εὐφημίαν ποικίλον, ἀλλ’ οὐ γενναῖον ἔργον ποιεῖς. καὶ προφέρεις δὴ ἐμοὶ τὸ πολλοὺς ἐπαινεῖν, ἐγὼ δὲ σοὶ τὸ πάντας ψέγειν. οὐκοῦν ἀκρι- σία μὲν ἐν ἀμφοῖν, ἔχει δέ τινα τοὐμὸν φιλανθρωπίαν. μᾶλ- λον δέ, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅντινα ἐπῄνεσα τὰ οὐκ ὄντα προστιθείς, ὥσπερ ὁ μῦθος ἀλλότρια τῷ κολοιῷ πτερά. ἀλλ’ ᾧ χρῶμαι νόμῳ περὶ τοὺς ἐπαίνους, ἄκουσον. ἂν ᾖ τις κρείττων μὲν χρημάτων ἥττων δὲ ἡδονῶν, ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἐπαίνου τεύξεται, τοῦτο δὲ ἐν σιγῇ κείσεται. καὶ γὰρ εἰ γῆν ἐπῄνουν, οὕτως ἂν ἐποίουν οἷον εἴ μ’ ἐχρῆν ἐπαινεῖν τὰ Κύθηρα, τὰ δὲ Κύ- θηρα νῆσός ἐστιν ἐπικειμένη τῇ Πελοποννήσῳ, τὸν οὗν λό- γον ἐργαζόμενος διελθὼν ἂν ὡς εὔβοτος καὶ πολύοινος εὐλί μένος τέ ἐστιν ἢ καὶ ὕλῃ κομῶσα, τὴν εἰς πυροὺς φορὰν οὐκ ἂν ἐπῄνουν, ἐψευδόμην γὰρ ἄν, οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅστις ἐγκωμιάζει τὴν Ἀττικήν, καὶ τοῦτ’ ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοι, κωλύει δὲ οὐδὲν ἐξ ὧν ἔξεστιν ἐπαινεῖν. θαυμάζω τὸν Ἀχιλλέα, διότι τοὺς Τρῶας ἤλαυνε, θαυμάζω τὸν Παλαμήδην ἀπὸ τῆς σοφίας. ὁ δὲ ὅτι μὴ παρ’ ἑκατέρῳ ταῦτ’ ἦν ἀμφότερα ψέγειν ἀξιῶν ἀδι- κεῖ. φέρε, εἰ σοὶ λόγον ἐποίουν καί με τοῦτ’ ἔπεισας δεη- θείς, ἀρ᾿ ἂν οἴει τῷ δημιουργῷ πανταχόθεν προσελθεῖν τοὺς ἐπαίνους σὺ μὲν ἴσως οἴει, τὸ πρᾶγμα δὲ οὐ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλ’ εἶπον μὲν ἂν ἐπιμέλειαν, ἀγρυπνίαν, πόνους, ψῆφον ὀρθήν, πρόνοιαν <τοῦ> μέλλοντος, φρόνημα δίκαιον, ὀξύτητα, γλώττης ἰσχύν, πολλὰ δ’ ἕτερα, καλὸν δὲ καὶ μέγαν οὐκ ἄν εἶπον· οὐ γὰρ ἔνι σοι ταῦτ’ ἐν τῷ σώματι μεμνη- μένος δὲ χρημάτων κλοπῆς μὲν ἄν σε πλεῖστον ἔφην ἀφεστά- ναι, μισθὸν δὲ μὴ ἔχειν τῆς ἀρετῆς οὐκ ἂν ἰσχυρισάμην, ἔχεις γὰρ τὰ βασιλέως δῶρα καί σοι τῆς ἀρχῆς ὁ χρόνος τὰς οἰκίας πεποίηκε πόλεις ἀδικοῦντι μὲν οὐδένα, λαμβάνοντι δέ. πολὺ δ’ ἂν ἦσθα βελτίων μηδαμόθεν λαμβάνων, ὡς λαμπρότερον γε κιόνων οὓς δίδωσι βασιλεὺς τὸ χρῆμα τῆς δόξης ἣν ἡ πενία φέρει. καὶ μὴν κἀκεῖνό γέ σου τραχὺ καὶ οὐχ ἠμὶ ρον τὸ κακίζειν Σευηρον, ὅτι δὴ ζώνης ἐδεήθη δέον φιλοσο- φεῖν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ φιλοσοφίας ἁπτόμενος ἀπεφέρετο τοῦ σχή- ματος καὶ ἦν ἐν προσηγορίᾳ φιλοσοφίας κάπηλος, εἰκότως ἂν ἐμισεῖτο· εἰ δὲ τὸ μὲν ἡγεῖται μεῖζον αὑτοῦ, ζητεῖ δέ τινα καταφυγήν. ποῦ πλημμελεῖ μὴ φιλοσοφῶν; ἢ καὶ σὺ μᾶλλον ἄρχων ἢ φιλοσοφῶν ἀδικεῖς; ἐπεὶ δὲ πολὺς ἔγκεισαι κω- μῳδῶν ἡμᾶς, ὅτι πρὸς σὲ ἐμνήσθημεν ἀξιώματος, ἴσθι τὸ πᾶν ἀγνοήσας. ἔσχε δὲ ὡδί. ἐμοὶ σχῆμα μὲν ἀρκοῦν οἱ λόγοι, δι’ οὓς οὐδεπώποτε ταπεινότερον ἐμαυτὸν ἡγησάμην ὑμῶν, ὧν ἡ λαμπρότης ὅρκος τοῖς κόλαξι· πρὸς δὲ τὸν βίον ἀφορ- μαὶ τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν τῶν λόγων μικρὰ μικρῶν δεομένῳ. τίς οὖν ἦν ὁ νοῦς ὧν ἐπέστελλον; Ἰσοκράτης παραινεῖ πεῖραν ποιεῖσθαι τῶν φίλων οὔπω παρούσης ἀνάγκης ὥστε ἀτυχή- σαντι μὴ εἶναι βλάβην καί φησι δεῖν μὴ δεόμενον προσποιεῖ- σθαι τὸ δεῖσθαι. τοιοῦτον ἦν τι καὶ τὸ παρ’ ἐμοῦ· μὴ χρῄζων ἐπήγγελλον. τοιγαροῦν σὺ μὲν οὐκ ἐδίδους, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐγέλων καὶ ζημιούμενος οὐδὲν εὕρισκόν σου τὸν τρόπον. οὐ μὴν πάντα γε εἰ ῥᾴθυμος, ἀλλ’ εἰς τὸ γένος, εἶπερ τις, ἕτοι- μος, καὶ τῶν σῶν οἰκείων ἰδιώτης οὐδείς. εἶτ’ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων τιμᾷς τὴν ἀρετὴν, κἂν ὁ ταύτης ἄμοιρος ἄρχῃ, κέκραγας μᾶλλον ἢ οἱ τεμνόμενοι’ τὸ γένος δὲ οὕτω σοι φίλ- τατον ὥστε ἄρχειν δεῖ πάντα οἰκεῖον καὶ ἀπεῖναι βάσανον. τοῦτό σοι παραίτησις ὧν περὶ τοὺς φίλους ἀμελεῖς. κἂν ἐκεῖνό τις κατηγορῇ, τοῦτ’ ἀντιτιθεὶς <τὸ> μέμψεως, σοι δοκῶ καὶ αὐτὸς εἰδέναι τοξεύειν ἡ πάσχειν ἐπιτήδειος εἶναι μόνον; μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ μὶν ἔτρωσας, καὶ τέτρωσαι· εἰ δὲ παίζοντος ἐκεῖνα ἦν, οὐδὲ ταύτα σπουδάζοντος. δίκαιον δέ, εἴτε ἡσθείης τοῖς γράμμασι, τῷ φέροντι τὴν χάριν ἔχειν, εἴτε δηχθείης, παρὰ τοῦ φέροντος τὴν δίκην λαβεῖν. ἐγνω- κότα γάρ με ἡσυχάζειν πάσαις ἀνάγκαις Ἰανουάριος ἐνήγα- γεν, ἀνὴρ πανταχόθεν αἰδέσιμος τῇ πόλει λυπήσας μὲν οὐδὲν οὐδένα ὧν οὐκ ἴδει, δοὺς δὲ χάριτας ἐν αἷς ἡ τοῦ δικαίου μερίς, φρουρήσας μὲν ἱκανῶς ἐφ’ ᾧπερ ἐτέτακτο, τῶν δὲ ἐπει- γομένων οἶς ἄξιον συλλαβών, ὀλίγα λαλῶν, πρᾶξαι δεινός, τῶν γιγνομένων καρπῶι ὑπερορῶν τὸ πλέον, προσήκων μὲν μείζοσι, στέργων δὲ τὰ παρόντα, τὴν ἐπιείκειαν ἐν πράγματι τηρήσας οὐκ ἀνεχομένῳ χρηστότητος. ’ν δέδοικα μὴ μέμψῃ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ὅτι μοι πάντα ὑπούργησεν.