§13.363Κρατίνῳ τῷ Τιμοθέου μὲν ἀδελφῷ, ἐμῷ δʼ ἑταίρῳ, θώρακα δωρησώμεθα ὁπλιτικὸν τῶν μαλακῶν τῶν πεζῶν, καὶ ταῖς κέβητος θυγατράσι χιτώνια τρία ἑπταπήχη, μὴ τῶν πολυτελῶν τῶν Ἀμοργίνων, ἀλλὰ τῶν Σικελικῶν τῶν λινῶν.
To Cratinus, the brother of Timotheus and my companion, let us give a hoplite breastplate of the soft, infantry type, and to the daughters of Cebes three tunics of seven cubits length, not of the expensive Amorgian kind, but of the Sicilian linen kind.
ἐπιεικῶς δὲ γιγνώσκεις τοὔνομα κέβητος· γεγραμμένος γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς Σωκρατείοις λόγοις μετὰ Σιμμίου Σωκράτει διαλεγόμενος ἐν τῷ περὶ ψυχῆς λόγῳ, ἀνὴρ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν οἰκεῖός τε καὶ εὔνους.
You know the name of Cebes well enough; for he is written about in the Socratic dialogues, conversing with Socrates along with Simmias in the dialogue concerning the soul, a man who is close and well-disposed to us all.
περὶ δὲ δὴ τοῦ συμβόλου τοῦ περὶ τὰς ἐπιστολάς, ὅσας τε ἂν ἐπιστέλλω σπουδῇ καὶ ὅσας ἂν μή, οἶμαι μέν σε μεμνῆσθαι, ὅμως δʼ ἐννόει καὶ πάνυ πρόσεχε τὸν νοῦν· πολλοὶ γὰρ οἱ κελεύοντες γράφειν, οὓς οὐ ῥᾴδιον φανερῶς διωθεῖσθαι.
Now, concerning the token for the letters, which ones I write in earnest and which ones I do not, I think you remember, but nevertheless bear it in mind and pay close attention; for there are many who ask me to write, whom it is not easy to refuse openly.
τῆς μὲν γὰρ σπουδαίας ἐπιστολῆς θεὸς ἄρχει, θεοὶ δὲ τῆς ἧττον. οἱ πρέσβεις καὶ ἐδέοντο ἐπιστέλλειν σοι, καὶ εἰκός· πάνυ γὰρ προθύμως σὲ πανταχοῦ καὶ ἐμὲ ἐγκωμιάζουσιν, καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα Φίλαγρος, ὃς τότε τὴν χεῖρα ἠσθένει.
For the earnest letter begins with "God," and the less earnest with "gods." The ambassadors also requested me to write to you, and with good reason; for they praise you and me very enthusiastically everywhere, and not least Philagrus, who at that time had a weak hand.
καὶ φιλαίδης παρὰ βασιλέως ἥκων τοῦ μεγάλου ἔλεγεν περὶ σοῦ· εἰ δὲ μὴ πάνυ μακρᾶς ἐπιστολῆς ἦν, ἔγραψα ἂν ἃ ἔλεγεν, νῦν δὲ Λεπτίνου πυνθάνου.
And Philaides, having come from the Great King, spoke about you; and if it were not a matter of a very long letter, I would have written what he said, but for now learn it from Leptines.
ἂν τὸν θώρακα ἢ ἄλλο τι ὧν ἐπιστέλλω πέμπῃς, ἂν μὲν αὐτός τῳ βούλῃ, εἰ δὲ μή, Τηρίλλῳ δός·
If you send the breastplate or anything else of the things I commission you to send, if you yourself wish to give it to someone, do so; otherwise, give it to Terillus.
ἔστι δὲ τῶν ἀεὶ πλεόντων, ἡμέτερος ἐπιτήδειος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα καὶ περὶ φιλοσοφίαν χαρίεις.
He is one of those who are always sailing, a friend of ours, and cultivated in other respects and especially in philosophy.
Τείσωνος δʼ ἔστιν κηδεστής, ὃς τότε ὅθʼ ἡμεῖς ἀπεπλέομεν ἐπολιανόμει.
He is the brother-in-law of Teison, who was serving as city-administrator at the time when we sailed away.
ἔρρωσο καὶ φιλοσόφει καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους προτρέπου τοὺς νεωτέρους, καὶ τοὺς συσφαιριστὰς ἀσπάζου ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, καὶ πρόσταττε τοῖς τε ἄλλοις καὶ Ἀριστοκρίτῳ, ἐάν τις παρʼ ἐμοῦ λόγος ἢ ἐπιστολὴ ἴῃ παρὰ σέ, ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ὅπως ὡς τάχιστα σὺ αἴσθῃ, καὶ ὑπομιμνῄσκειν σε ἵνα ἐπιμελῇ τῶν ἐπισταλέντων.
Farewell, and practice philosophy, and exhort the other younger men; and greet the ball-players on my behalf. And charge both the others and Aristocritus, if any message or letter from me comes to you, to see to it that you perceive it as quickly as possible, and to remind you to take care of what was commissioned.
καὶ νῦν Λεπτίνῃ τῆς ἀποδόσεως τοῦ ἀργυρίου μὴ ἀμελήσῃς, ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα ἀπόδος, ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πρὸς τοῦτον ὁρῶντες προθυμότεροι ὦσιν ἡμῖν ὑπηρετεῖν.
And now do not neglect the repayment of the money to Leptines, but repay it as quickly as possible, so that others, looking to him, may be more eager to serve us.
Ἰατροκλῆς, ὁ μετὰ Μυρωνίδου τότε ἐλεύθερος ἀφεθεὶς ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ, πλεῖ νῦν μετὰ τῶν πεμπομένων παρʼ ἐμοῦ· ἔμμισθον οὖν που αὐτὸν κατάστησον ὡς ὄντα σοι εὔνουν, καὶ ἄν τι βούλῃ, αὐτῷ χρῷ.
Iatrocles, who at that time was set free by me along with Myronides, is now sailing with those sent by me; so establish him somewhere in a salaried post, since he is well-disposed to you, and if you need anything, employ him.
καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἢ αὐτὴν ἢ ὑπόμνημα αὐτῆς σῷζέ τε, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς ἴσθι.
Keep this letter, either itself or a memorandum of it, and be the same man.