§4## δ′.
## δ′.
Τῷ αὐτῷ.
To the same.
Οἱ διάραντες τῶν βασιλέων ἐπὶ φρονήσει καὶ ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς τῶν ἄστρων ψαύσαντες εὐεργετοῦσιν οὐδὲ πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοὺς πολιτευόμενοι καιρούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ θεωροῦντὲς τὸ τῆς τύχης ἄστατον θησαυρίζουσι τὴν χάριν πρὸς ἑκάτερα, ἐν μὲν ταῖς εὐπραγίαις τιμῆς βουλόμενοι μεταλαμβάνειν (τιμὴ γὰρ οἰκεῖον ἀρετῆς ἐστίν ἐν δὲ τοῖς συμπτώμασι βοηθείας· αἱ γὰρ συμφοραὶ τἀναγκαῖα κρίνουσι τῶν καλῶν πρότερα.
Those among kings who have excelled in wisdom and touched the stars by their preeminence, do not govern only in relation to the same circumstances but, also observing the instability of fortune, treasure up favor for both situations, wishing to share in honor during prosperities (for honor is proper to virtue) and in assistance during misfortunes; for calamities judge necessary things to be prior to noble ones.
σαφέστατος γὰρ εὐνοίας ἔλεγχος ὁ τῆς τύχης καιρός·
For the moment of fortune is the clearest test of goodwill; for it demands not words but deeds, as is fitting.
ἀπαιτεῖ γὰρ οὐ λόγους ἀλλὰ πράξεις δεόντως, ἡ γὰρ τῶν εὐνοουντων ὄψις ὥσπερ ἐν πελάγει χειμαζομένῳ παρεφάνη γῆ.
For the sight of those who are well-disposed appears just like land appearing to those storm-tossed on the sea.
πᾶσα γὰρ ὡς ἔοικεν ἐν ἐρήμῳ πεσοῦσα τύχη σκοπὸς ἀληθῶς ἔκκειται τοῖς πολεμεῖν ἢ ἀδικεῖν ἣ συκοφαντεῖν αἱρουμένοις, μόνη δ’ ἡ τῶν σπουδαίων διαγωγὴ τὸ τῆς τύχης εὐκίνητον οὐκ ἀπαρνεῖται, φέρουσα δ’ εὐλόγως πᾶν τὸ προσπῖπτον ἐκ τῶν κατὰ Πλάτωνα κρειττόνων εὖ διατίθεται, διὸ καὶ τὴν ταχυτῆτα τῶν πραγμάτων εὐλαβοῦ καὶ τὸν κύκλον τῆς μεταπτώσεως τήρει καὶ τὰς ἐν τῷ ζῆν ψήφους λογίζου· πολλὰ γὰρ ἡ ταὐτομάτου φορὰ κομίζει τῷ βίῳ καὶ ῥοπὰς αὐτονόμους ποιεῖ.
For indeed, every fortune that has fallen into a desert, as it seems, lies exposed as a true target for those who choose to make war, do injustice, or slander. But only the conduct of the virtuous does not reject the instability of fortune, and bearing reasonably everything that befalls them, they manage it well based on the "better things" according to Plato. Therefore, guard against the swiftness of affairs, watch the cycle of change, and calculate the votes in life; for the course of the spontaneous brings many things to life and creates autonomous turns.
τοῖς μὲν ἀγνοοῦσι μετάνοιαν δίδου, τοῖς δ’ εὐνοοῦσι τὰς χάριτας προχείρους νέμε· ταῦτα γὰρ πράττων οὐχ ἅπαξ ἀλλὰ δι’ ὅλου συντηρῶν ἀσφαλέστατα καὶ ἀκίνδυνα τὰ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἕξεις μέλαθρα.
Give repentance to those who are ignorant, and dispense ready favors to those who are well-disposed; for by doing these things, not once but preserving them throughout, you will hold the chambers of your leadership most securely and without danger.
ὡς μὲν ὑπὲρ μεγάλων ὀλίγα, ὡς δὲ πρὸς σέ, πάντα σχεδὸν εἴρηται.
These words are few as concerning great matters, but as addressed to you, almost all has been said.
§5## ε′.
## ε′.
Θεοφράστῳ.
To Theophrastus.
Ἡ πρόχειρος ἀδικία τῆς πολυχρονίου λυσιτελεστέρα πέφυκεν ὑπάρχειν· ἣ μὲν γὰρ ὀλιγοχρόνιον ἔχει καὶ τὴν μνήμην καὶ τὴν βλάβην, ἣ δὲ γηράσκουσα καὶ περιπεποιημένη τὴν δυσμένειαν ἔχθραν ἀίδιον παρασκευάζει, καὶ τῇ μὲν πολλάκις λόγον δωρησάμενοι γαληνισμὸν ηὕρομεν, τῇ δὲ καὶ μερίσαντες τὰς τρικυμίας σάλον καὶ ἀνίας εἴδομεν πορθμόν.
A momentary injustice is by nature more advantageous than a long-lasting one; for the former has both its remembrance and its harm for a short time, but the latter, growing old and acquiring ill-will, produces an eternal enmity. And in the former case, by often granting an explanation we have found calm, but in the latter, even after sharing the great waves, we have seen a strait of agitation and distress.
διό φημι δεῖν τὴν ἑταιρίαν μάλιστα μὲν μὴ ἀδικεῖν, οὐδὲ γὰρ εὔλογον ἔχει τὴν πρόφασιν· εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἀκουσίως τοῦτο πράξασαν θᾶττον διαλύεσθαι τὴν ἔχθραν·
Therefore, I say that one's association should above all commit no injustice, for it has no reasonable excuse; but if not, if it has done this involuntarily, the enmity should be dissolved more quickly.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ μὴ ἀδικεῖν ἴσως ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπόν ἐστι, τὸ δὲ πλανηθέντα διασώσασθαι ἐπιφέρει τι καλόν, καὶ σφόδρα τοῦτο εὐσταθοῦς διανοίας ἴδιόν ἐστιν.
For to commit no injustice is perhaps beyond human power, but to rescue oneself after having gone astray brings something noble, and this is highly characteristic of a stable mind.
§6## ς′.
## ς′.
Ἀριστοτέλλης βασιλεῖ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ εὖ πράττειν.
Aristotle to King Alexander, fare well.
Ἔγραψάς μοι περὶ τῶν ἀκροατικῶν λόγων οἰόμενος δεῖν αὐτοὺς φυλάττειν ἐν ἀπορρήτοις.
You wrote to me about the oral lectures, thinking that they ought to be kept secret.
ἴσθι οὖν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκδεδομένους καὶ μὴ ἐκδεδομένους· ξυνετοὶ γάρ εἰσι μόνοις τοῖς ἡμῶν ἀκούσασιν.
Know, then, that they are both published and not published; for they are intelligible only to those who have heard us.