§416οὐκ ἀμφοτέρων ἄρα τῶν καιρῶν διήμαρτον, εἴπερ χάριεν μὲν ἥκοντα ἐκ τῆς ἀποδημίας δέξασθαι καὶ προσειπεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἀφʼ ὧν συνευξάμεθα ἐπανήκοντα, εἴη δʼ ἄν τι καὶ προπέμψαι ἅμα τῷ μέλει.
Therefore, I have not missed both of these opportunities, if indeed it is pleasing to welcome and address someone who has returned from a journey, especially when he returns from those things for which we prayed together, and if it should also be something to send him on his way along with the song.
σὺ δὲ τοῦτον ἥκειν τὸν καιρὸν ἀπέδωκας· ἐδεξάμεθα οὖν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ §417καιρὸς οὕτω συνῆγε.
But you have granted that this opportunity should arrive; we received it, therefore, since the opportunity also brought us together in this way.
θεοῦ δὲ, φησὶ Πίνδαρος, δείξαντος ἀρχὴν εὐθεῖα δὴ κέλευθος ἑλεῖν τὸ προκείμενον.
As Pindar says, when God has shown the beginning, straight indeed is the path to take what lies before us.
καὶ δῆτα σοὶ μὲν πλεῖν ἡμῖν ἐξ οὐρίας τε καὶ ἐπὶ χρηστοῖς καὶ δευτέρων ἀμεινόνων ἀγγέλλεσθαι, ἡμῖν δʼ αὖ τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐξ οὐρίας τε ἀγωνίζεσθαι καὶ ῥοθίῳ κώπῃ παρενεγκεῖν ἅπαντας Ἕλληνας ὅσον πλεῖστον ἔξεστιν, Ἀσκληπιός τε προστάτης ἡμέτερος καὶ Ζεὺς ὁ πάντα νέμειν κύριος παρέχοι διὰ τέλους.
And indeed, may Asclepius, our patron, and Zeus, the lord who dispenses all things, grant through to the end: for you, on the one hand, to sail with a favorable wind, with good omens, and with even better second tidings being announced to us; and for us, on the other hand, to strive in our own affairs with a favorable wind, and to surpass all Greeks as much as possible with a rushing oar.
καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ ταῦτα.
Now, enough of these things.
μέτειμι δὲ ἐφʼ ἕτερον προοίμιον κατὰ Στησίχορον.
I shall pass to another introduction after the manner of Stesichorus.
σκιαμαχεῖν μὲν οὖν πως οἶδʼ ὅτι δεῖ, πρὸς οὓς γὰρ εἰρήσεται τὰ λεγόμενα οὐχ ἥκουσιν.
However, I know that in some way I must fight with shadows, for those against whom these words will be spoken have not come.
ὥστε συμβαίνει ἅμα μὲν σχεδὸν ὥσπερ ἂν εἰς μάτην γίγνεσθαι τοὺς λόγους, ἅμα δʼ εἶναι σαφέστατον ὡς ὀρθῶς καὶ προσηκόντως εἰρήσονται.
So that it happens that on the one hand, the speeches are, as it were, almost in vain, and on the other hand, it is most clear that they will be spoken rightly and properly.
αὐτόθεν γάρ που φανερὸν ὅτι οὐ τὸ ἡμέτερον αἴτιον οὔτε νῦν οὔτε ἄλλοτε πώποτε σὺν θεοῖς εἰπεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἡ τούτων περὶ πάντα συνήθης ῥᾳθυμία.
For it is obvious from the thing itself that, to speak with the help of the gods, the fault is not ours, either now or at any other time, but rather their customary laziness concerning all things.
σκεψώμεθα δὲ ὥσπερ ἀντωμοσίαν τινὰ ἢ γραφήν.
Let us consider, then, a kind of affidavit or indictment.
ἀδικεῖν φασί με τὰς μελέτας τῶν λόγων οὐ συνεχεῖς ποιούμενον· εἶναι γὰρ ἂν πάντα ἐπʼ ἐμοί τε καὶ ὑπʼ ἐμοὶ, καὶ τοῦτο ὁμαλῶς ὑπὸ πάντων λέγεσθαι τὸ εἰ ἐβούλετο· κἂν βουληθῇ ποτε, τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ ἔγκλημα.
They say that I commit an injustice by not making my declamations continuous; for everything, they say, would be dependent on me and under my control, and that this is consistently said by all: "if he wished"; and if ever he should wish, this is the very charge.
εἰ μὲν οὖν κεχαρισμένον τινὰ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον ζητεῖτε, ὥσπερ ἡνίκʼ ἂν πανηγυρίζων τυγχάνω, ληρεῖτε, εἰ δʼ ἀνέξεσθε τἀληθῆ λέγοντος, οὐ πάνυ μέμψεως ἄξιος ἡγοῦμαι φανήσεσθαι.
Now, if you are seeking to hear some speech pleasing to hear, as when I happen to be celebrating a festival, you are foolish; but if you will tolerate me speaking the truth, I think I shall appear not at all worthy of blame.
πάντως δὲ οὔτε πανήγυρις τὸ νῦν εἶναι οὔτε παρουσία τοσαύτη ξένων, ἐν οἷς ἐξελεγχόμενοι δυσχερῶς οἴσεσθε—λέγω γὰρ οὖν ὡς πρὸς παρόντας τοὺς ἄνδρας— ἀλλʼ ἐν ἐλάττοσιν ἢ ἐπὶ Ληναίῳ τὰ τῆς παρρησίας ἔσται.
At any rate, for the present, it is neither a festival assembly nor is there such a large presence of foreigners, in whose presence you would take it badly if you were refuted—for indeed I speak as if those men were present—but the freedom of speech will take place among fewer people than at the Lenaea.
διελέχθην μὲν οὖν ὑμῖν καὶ πρότερον περὶ τούτων, ἡνίχʼ ὁ λοιμὸς ἤκμαζε, τοῦ θεοῦ παρελθεῖν κελεύσαντος· εἰρήσεται δὲ καὶ ταῦτα τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης ἐχόμενα, ἵνʼ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς σφαλερωτάτοις καιροῖς §418ἠξίουν ῥᾳθυμεῖν, ἕτεροι δʼ εἰσὶν οἷς λόγων ὀλίγον μέλει.
I did indeed address you before concerning these matters, when the plague was at its height, the god having ordered me to come forward; and these words will be spoken holding to the same purpose, so that you may know that I myself, not even in the most dangerous times, deemed it right to be idle, while there are others who care little for speeches.
πρότερον μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε οὐκ ᾔδειν πρὸς τί ποτʼ εἴη λεγόμενον τὸ προσεγκαλεῖν τοὺς φῶρας, νυνὶ δέ μοι δοκῶ γιγνώσκειν.
Previously, therefore, I did not know what was meant by the saying "the thieves bring charges in addition," but now I think I understand.
ὅταν γὰρ οἷς ἀπαντᾶν ἐπὶ τὰς μελέτας καὶ τὰς ἀκροάσεις προσῆκον, τοῦτο παρέντες ὡς οὐδεὶς ἔσθʼ ὁ λέγων αἰτιῶνται, πῶς οὐ τὰ σφέτερʼ αὐτῶν ἑτέρων λογίζονται, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τινες ἡλίου καθαρῶς φλέγοντος μύσαντες λέγουσι τὸ φαινόμενον οὐκ εἶναι.
For when those whom it behoved to attend the exercises and lectures, having neglected this, charge that there is no one speaking, how do they not impute their own faults to others, just as if some, shutting their eyes when the sun is shining brightly, say that what appears does not exist?
ἀλλʼ οἶμαι. ταῦτα μέν ἐστιν αὑτοὺς ἐξαπατώντων, δοκούντων δὲ ἑτέρους.
But indeed, I think, these are the actions of those who deceive themselves, while they think they are deceiving others.
ὡς δʼ εἰκός τέ ἐστι καὶ δεῖ διανοεῖσθαι περὶ τούτων, εἰ βούλεσθε, ἀκούσατε.
But how it is reasonable and necessary to think about these things, if you please, hear.
ἐγὼ νομίζω τὰς τέχνας καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ἄχρι μὲν τοῦ μεταχειρίζεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς μετιόντας εἶναι, τὸ πέρας δʼ οὐκέτι πρὸς τούτους, ἀλλʼ εἶναι διττὴν χρῆσιν ἁπάσης τέχνης, τὴν μὲν αὐτοῦ τοῦ τὸ ἔργον μεταχειριζομένου, τὴν δὲ τῶν χρωμένων.
I believe that arts and occupations belong to those who pursue them only as far as the practicing is concerned, but the end is no longer their business; rather, there is a twofold use of every art, one of the person who himself practices the work, and the other of those who use it.
ὅταν μὲν οὖν τις ἐκλίπῃ τὰς οἰκείας πράξεις, ὑπεύθυνος κατὰ τοῦτο· ὁ γὰρ δὴ χρῆσθαι βουληθεὶς κεκώλυται· ὅταν δʼ ὁ μὲν ὡς οἷόν τε μάλιστα ἐργάζηται τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, οἱ δʼ ἐκποδὼν ὦσιν, οὐχ ὁ πράττων, οἶμαι, τὰ δέοντα ὑπεύθυνος, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὴ χρώμενοι.
Therefore, whenever someone neglects his own duties, he is held responsible in this respect, for indeed the one who wishes to make use of it is hindered; but when one does his own part as much as possible, and the others are absent, not the one who does what is necessary is responsible, I think, but those who do not use it.
τί χρὴ τὸν ἰατρὸν τὸν ἀγαθὸν ποιεῖν;
What must the good physician do?
παρεσκευάσθαι τὰ φάρμακα, τὴν χεῖρα, τὴν ἐπιστήμην· χρῆσθαι δὲ τούτοις κελεύειν οὐκέτι τῆς τέχνης ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ δεῖ τὸν κάμνοντα βαδίζειν, ἢ πέμπειν ὡς ἐκεῖνον.
He must have prepared the medicines, the hand, and the knowledge; but to order them to use these is no longer part of the art, but the sick person must walk or send to him.
ἂν δέ γε ὁ ἰατρὸς δέηται τοῦ σωθῆναι δεομένου, ἢ νὴ Δίʼ ὁ κυβερνήτης τῶν πλεῦσαι δεομένων, ἢ τῶν ἀμφισβητούντων ὁ δικαστὴς, ἢ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὁ στρατηγὸς, ἢ ὁ ῥήτωρ τῶν ἀκροατῶν, ἄνω ποταμῶν ἅπαντʼ ἂν εἴη τὰ πράγματα.
But if indeed the physician should beg the one who needs to be healed, or, by Zeus, the pilot those who need to sail, or the judge those who are disputing, or the general the soldiers, or the orator the listeners, all things would be flowing up rivers.
μὴ γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τοῖς σπουδαίοις καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀξίᾳ προήκουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῶν βαναύσων τεχνῶν οὐδαμοῦ τοῦτο ἐνομίσθη, τοὺς δημιουργοὺς παρὰ τοὺς χρῄζοντας ἰέναι δεησομένους αὑτοῖς χρῆσθαι, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν χρῄζοντες οἰκοδομῆσαι δέονται τῶν τεκτόνων, οὐχ οἱ τέκτονες τούτων· γεωργὸς δὲ ἐπὶ τὰς τοῦ χαλκέως βαδιεῖται θύρας, ὅταν ἢ σμινύης ἤ τινος ἄλλου τῶν τοιούτων δεηθῇ, καὶ πάλιν γε ὡς ἐκεῖνον ὁ χαλκεὺς, ὅταν σίτου.
For not only in serious matters and those so far advanced in value, but even in the case of mechanical arts, nowhere was this established as a custom, that the craftsmen should go to those in need, begging them to use them; rather, those who need to build need the carpenters, not the carpenters them; and the farmer will walk to the blacksmith's door when he needs a hoe or something of that sort, and back again, the blacksmith goes to him when he needs grain.
κουρέα δὲ ἤδη πώποτʼ εἶδες προσιόντα τῳ καὶ λέγοντα, ὦ βέλτιστε ἀνδρῶν
But have you ever yet seen a barber approaching someone and saying, "O best of men..."