§46ὥστε πῶς ἄν τις τοῖς τοιούτοις ἢ παραινῶν ἢ διδάσκων ἢ χρήσιμόν τι λέγων ἀρέσειεν;
Therefore, how could anyone please such people, either by advising, or teaching, or saying something useful?
οἳ πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις φθονοῦσι μὲν τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσιν, ἁπλοῦς δʼ ἡγοῦνται τοὺς νοῦν οὐκ ἔχοντας, οὕτω δὲ τὰς ἀληθείας τῶν πραγμάτων φεύγουσιν, ὥστʼ οὐδὲ τὰ σφέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἴσασιν, ἀλλὰ λυποῦνται μὲν περὶ τῶν ἰδίων λογιζόμενοι, χαίρουσι δὲ περὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων διαλεγόμενοι, βούλοιντο δʼ ἂν τῷ σώματι κακοπαθῆσαι μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ ψυχῇ πονῆσαι καὶ σκέψασθαι περί τινος τῶν ἀναγκαίων.
For in addition to what has been said, they envy those who are wise, but consider those who have no sense to be simple; and they flee from the truth of things to such an extent that they do not even know their own affairs, but grieve when reflecting on their private concerns, yet rejoice when talking about those of others, and would rather suffer physically than exert their souls and reflect on any of the necessary matters.
§47εὕροι δʼ ἄν τις αὐτοὺς ἐν μὲν ταῖς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνουσίαις ἢ λοιδοροῦντας ἢ λοιδορουμένους, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἐρημίαις οὐ βουλευομένους ἀλλʼ εὐχομένους.
One would find them, in their social gatherings with one another, either abusing or being abused, and in their solitude, not deliberating but praying.
λέγω δʼ οὐ καθʼ ἁπάντων, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τῶν ἐνόχων τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὄντων.
I do not say this of everyone, but of those who are guilty of the things mentioned.
§48ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὖν φανερόν, ὅτι δεῖ τοὺς βουλομένους ἢ ποιεῖν ἢ γράφειν τι κεχαρισμένον τοῖς πολλοῖς μὴ τοὺς ὠφελιμωτάτους τῶν λόγων ζητεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μυθωδεστάτους·
This, at least, is clear: those who wish to produce or write something pleasing to the crowd must not seek the most useful of discourses, but the most fabulous.
ἀκούοντες μὲν γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων χαίρουσι, θεωροῦντες δὲ τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὰς ἁμίλλας.
For people rejoice when listening to such things, and when watching contests and rivalries.
διὸ καὶ τὴν Ὁμήρου ποίησιν καὶ τοὺς πρώτους εὑρόντας τραγῳδίαν ἄξιον θαυμάζειν, ὅτι κατιδόντες τὴν φύσιν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰδέαις ταύταις κατεχρήσαντο πρὸς τὴν ποίησιν.
Therefore, both the poetry of Homer and those who first invented tragedy deserve admiration, because they, having perceived the nature of men, made full use of both these forms in their poetry.
§49ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τοὺς πολέμους τοὺς τῶν ἡμιθέων ἐμυθολόγησεν, οἱ δὲ τοὺς μύθους εἰς ἀγῶνας καὶ πράξεις κατέστησαν, ὥστε μὴ μόνον ἀκουστοὺς ἡμῖν ἀλλὰ καὶ θεατοὺς γενέσθαι.
For the former made myths of the contests and wars of the demigods, while the latter cast myths into contests and actions, so that they became not only audible to us but also visible.
τοιούτων οὖν παραδειγμάτων ὑπαρχόντων, δέδεικται τοῖς ἐπιθυμοῦσι τοὺς ἀκροωμένους ψυχαγωγεῖν, ὅτι τοῦ μὲν νουθετεῖν καὶ συμβουλεύειν βουλεύειν ἀφεκτέον, τὰ δὲ τοιαῦτα λεκτέον οἷς ὁρῶσι τοὺς ὄχλους μάλιστα χαίροντας.
Since such examples exist, it has been demonstrated to those who desire to charm their listeners that they must abstain from admonishing and advising, and must say such things as they see the crowds enjoying most.
§50ταῦτα δὲ διῆλθον ἡγούμενος σὲ δεῖν, τὸν οὐχ ἕνα τῶν πολλῶν ἀλλὰ πολλῶν βασιλεύοντα, μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἔχειν τοῖς ἄλλοις, μηδὲ τὰ σπουδαῖα τῶν πραγμάτων μηδὲ τοὺς εὖ φρονοῦντας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταῖς ἡδοναῖς κρίνειν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῶν πράξεων τῶν χρησίμων αὐτοὺς δοκιμάζειν, §51ἄλλως τʼ ἐπειδὴ περὶ μὲν τῶν γυμνασίων τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀμφισβητοῦσιν οἱ περὶ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ὄντες, καί φασιν οἱ μὲν διὰ τῶν ἐριστικῶν λόγων οἱ δὲ διὰ τῶν πολιτικῶν οἱ δὲ διʼ ἄλλων τινῶν φρονιμωτέρους ἔσεσθαι τοὺς αὐτοῖς πλησιάζοντας, ἐκεῖνο δὲ πάντες ὁμολογοῦσιν, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν καλῶς πεπαιδευμένον ἐξ ἑκάστου τούτων φαίνεσθαι βουλεύεσθαι δυνάμενον.
I have gone through these things because I think that you, who are not one of the many but rule over many, ought not to have the same opinion as others, nor judge serious matters or wise men by pleasures, but test them in useful actions, especially since those who occupy themselves with philosophy dispute about the training of the soul, some saying that those who associate with them will become wiser through disputatious arguments, others through political speeches, and others through some other means; but this at least everyone agrees upon, that the well-educated man must appear to be able to deliberate well as a result of each of these.
§52χρὴ τοίνυν ἀφέμενον τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων ἐπὶ τοῦ συνομολογουμένου λαμβάνειν αὐτῶν τὸν ἔλεγχον, καὶ μάλιστα μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν θεωρεῖν συμβουλεύοντας, εἰ δὲ μή, καὶ καθʼ ὅλων τῶν πραγμάτων λέγοντας.
Therefore, putting aside disputed matters, you must test them on what is agreed upon, and above all observe them when advising in crucial moments, or if not, when speaking on affairs in general.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν μηδὲν γιγνώσκοντας τῶν δεόντων ἀποδοκίμαζε (δῆλον γὰρ ὡς ὁ μηδὲν ὢν αὐτὸς χρήσιμος οὐδʼ ἄν ἄλλον φρόνιμον ποιήσειεν), §53τοὺς δὲ νοῦν ἔχοντας καὶ δυναμένους ὁρᾶν πλέον τι τῶν ἄλλων περὶ πολλοῦ ποιοῦ καὶ θεράπευε, γιγνώσκων ὅτι σύμβουλος ἀγαθὸς χρησιμώτατον καὶ τυραννικώτατον ἁπάντων τῶν κτημάτων ἐστίν.
And reject those who know nothing of what is necessary (for it is clear that one who is himself of no use would not make another wise either); but those who have sense and are able to see more than others, hold in high esteem and cultivate, knowing that a good advisor is the most useful and most befitting of a ruler of all possessions.
ἡγοῦ δὲ τούτους μεγίστην σοι ποιεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν, οἵ τινες ἂν τὴν διάνοιαν τὴν σὴν πλεῖστʼ ὠφελῆσαι δυνηθῶσιν.
And consider that those who are able to benefit your intellect the most are making your kingdom the greatest.
§54ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἅ τε γιγνώσκω παρῄνεκα, καὶ τιμῶ σε τούτοις οἷς τυγχάνω δυνάμενος· βούλου δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, ὅπερ εἶπον ἀρχόμενος, μὴ τὰς εἰθισμένας ἄγειν σοι δωρεάς, ἃς ὑμεῖς πολὺ πλείονος ἀγοράζετε παρὰ τῶν διδόντων ἢ παρὰ τῶν πωλούντων, ἀλλὰ τοιαύτας, αἷς κἂν σφόδρα χρῇ καὶ μηδεμίαν ἡμέραν διαλείπῃς, οὐ κατατρίψεις, ἀλλὰ μείζους καὶ πλείονος ἀξίας ποιήσεις.
Now, for my part, I have advised what I know, and I honor you with these things which I happen to be capable of; and do you also wish, as I said at the beginning, that others should not bring you the customary gifts—which you buy at a much higher price from those who give them than from those who sell them—but rather such gifts which, even if you use them intensely and do not let a day pass, you will not wear out, but will make greater and of more value.