§9.357Πλάτων Ἀρχύτᾳ Ταραντίνῳ εὖ πράττειν.
Plato to Archytas of Tarentum sends greeting.
ἀφίκοντο πρὸς ἡμᾶς οἱ περὶ Ἄρχιππον καὶ Φιλωνίδην, τήν τε ἐπιστολὴν φέροντες ἣν σὺ αὐτοῖς ἔδωκας, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντες τὰ παρὰ σοῦ.
Archippus and Philonides and their companions arrived at our place, bearing both the letter which you gave to them and reporting the messages from you.
τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὴν πόλιν οὐ χαλεπῶς διεπράξαντο—καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ παντελῶς ἦν ἐργώδη —τὰ δὲ παρὰ σοῦ διῆλθον ἡμῖν, λέγοντες ὑποδυσφορεῖν σε ὅτι οὐ δύνασαι τῆς περὶ τὰ κοινὰ ἀσχολίας ἀπολυθῆναι.
Now on the one hand, they accomplished without difficulty their business with the city—for indeed it was not at all troublesome—and on the other hand, they related to us the matters from you, saying that you are vexed because you cannot be released from your preoccupation with public affairs.
§9.358ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἥδιστόν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τὸ τὰ αὑτοῦ πράττειν, ἄλλως τε καὶ εἴ τις ἕλοιτο τοιαῦτα πράττειν οἷα καὶ σύ, σχεδὸν παντὶ δῆλον· ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνο δεῖ σε ἐνθυμεῖσθαι, ὅτι ἕκαστος ἡμῶν οὐχ αὑτῷ μόνον γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς γενέσεως ἡμῶν τὸ μέν τι ἡ πατρὶς μερίζεται, τὸ δέ τι οἱ γεννήσαντες, τὸ δὲ οἱ λοιποὶ φίλοι, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς καιροῖς δίδοται τοῖς τὸν βίον ἡμῶν καταλαμβάνουσι.
That on the one hand, therefore, to mind one's own affairs is the most pleasant thing in life, especially if one should choose to do such things as you also do, is clear to almost everyone; but on the other hand, you must also bear in mind that each of us is born not for himself alone, but of our birth, our country claims one part, our parents another, and our remaining friends another, and much is also given to the circumstances that take hold of our life.
καλούσης δὲ τῆς πατρίδος αὐτῆς πρὸς τὰ κοινά, ἄτοπον ἴσως τὸ μὴ ὑπακούειν· ἅμα γὰρ συμβαίνει καὶ χώραν καταλιμπάνειν φαύλοις ἀνθρώποις, οἳ οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ βελτίστου πρὸς τὰ κοινὰ προσέρχονται.
And when our country itself calls us to public affairs, it is perhaps strange not to obey; for at the same time it happens that we abandon the field to worthless men, who do not approach public affairs from the best motive.
περὶ τούτων μὲν οὖν ἱκανῶς, Ἐχεκράτους δὲ καὶ νῦν ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχομεν καὶ εἰς τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον ἕξομεν καὶ διὰ σὲ καὶ διὰ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ Φρυνίωνα καὶ διʼ αὐτὸν τὸν νεανίσκον.
Concerning these things, indeed, enough. But of Echecrates we both have care now and shall have in the time to come, both on your account, and on account of his father Phrynion, and for the sake of the young man himself.