§20.12.1ἐξ αὑτῶν τὸν ἐροῦντα περὶ τούτων πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν πλείστων ἐργολαβοῦσι πολλοὶ προσφέρουσι τὰς τοιαύτας χάριτας καὶ ταύτην ἀρχὴν ποιοῦνται φιλίας καὶ συστάσεως, οὕτως ἐπὶ Φιλοποίμενος ὁ προσοίσων ταύτην τὴν χάριν ἑκὼν οὐχ εὑρίσκετο τὸ παράπαν, §20.12.2ἕως [ἂν] ἐξαπορήσαντες ψήφῳ προεχειρίσαντο Τιμόλαον, ὃς ὑπάρχων καὶ ξένος πατρικὸς καὶ συνήθης ἐπὶ πολὺ τῷ Φιλοποίμενι, δὶς εἰς τὴν Μεγάλην πόλιν ἐκδημήσας αὐτοῦ τούτου χάριν οὐκ ἐτόλμησε φθέγξασθαι περὶ τούτων οὐδέν, μέχρις ὅτε μυωπίσας ἑαυτὸν καὶ τρίτον ἐλθὼν ἐθάρρησε μνησθῆναι τῆς δωρεᾶς.
[to find] from among themselves one who would speak to him about these things; but just as many people offer such favors to those who profit from most affairs and make this the beginning of friendship and recommendation, so in the case of Philopoemen, one who would willingly offer this favor was not to be found at all, until at last they, being at a loss, chose by vote Timolaus, who, though he was a hereditary guest-friend and an intimate associate of Philopoemen for a long time, having twice journeyed to Megalopolis for this very purpose, did not dare to utter a word about these things, until he spurred himself on and, coming for the third time, found the courage to mention the gift.
§20.12.3τοῦ δὲ Φιλοποίμενος παραδόξως αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ φιλανθρώπως, ὁ μὲν Τιμόλαος περιχαρὴς ἦν, §20.12.4ὑπολαβὼν καθῖχθαι τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, ὁ δὲ Φιλοποίμην ἥξειν ἔφη μετʼ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας εἰς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα· θέλειν γὰρ εὐχαριστῆσαι πᾶσι τοῖς ἄρχουσι περὶ τούτων.
When Philopoemen, unexpectedly and kindly, received him on these terms, Timolaus was overjoyed, supposing that he had succeeded in his undertaking; but Philopoemen said that he would come to Lacedaemon in a few days, for he wished to express his thanks to all the magistrates concerning these matters.
§20.12.5ἐλθὼν δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ κληθεὶς εἰς τὸ συνέδριον πάλαι μὲν ἔφη γινώσκειν τὴν τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων πρὸς αὑτὸν εὔνοιαν, μάλιστα δʼ ἐκ τοῦ νῦν προτεινομένου στεφάνου καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης τιμῆς.
Having come after this and being invited into the council, he said that he had long known the goodwill of the Lacedaemonians towards him, and most of all from the crown now proposed and such an honor.
§20.12.6τὴν μὲν οὖν προαίρεσιν αὐτῶν ἔφησεν ἀποδέχεσθαι, τῷ δὲ χειρισμῷ δυσωπεῖσθαι.
Thus he said that he accepted their intention, but was embarrassed by the handling of it.
δεῖν γὰρ οὐ τοῖς φίλοις δίδοσθαι τὰς τοιαύτας τιμὰς καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους, ἐξ ὧν ὁ περιθέμενος οὐδέποτε μὴ τὸν ἰὸν ἐκνίψηται, πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, §20.12.7ἵνʼ οἱ μὲν φίλοι τηροῦντες τὴν παρρησίαν πιστεύωνται παρὰ τοῖς Ἀχαιοῖς, ἐπὰν προθῶνται τῇ πόλει βοηθεῖν, οἱ δʼ ἐχθροὶ καταπιόντες τὸ δέλεαρ ἢ συνηγορεῖν αὐτοῖς ἀναγκάζωνται ἢ σιωπῶντες μηδὲν δύνωνται βλάπτειν.
For such honors and crowns, from which the wearer would never wash away the stain, ought not to be given to friends, but much rather to enemies, so that friends, preserving their freedom of speech, might be trusted among the Achaeans when they propose to aid the city, while enemies, having swallowed the bait, might either be forced to advocate for them or, remaining silent, be unable to do any harm.
§20.12.8## ιι.
ii.
φραγμεντυμ ινξερταε σεδις
ὅτι οὐχ ὅμοιόν ἐστιν ἐξ ἀκοῆς περὶ πραγμάτων διαλαμβάνειν καὶ γενόμενον αὐτόπτην, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγάλα διαφέρει, πολὺ δέ τι συμβάλλεσθαι πέφυκεν ἑκάστοις ἡ κατὰ τὴν ἐνάργειαν πίστις.
Fragment of uncertain location That to comprehend matters from hearsay is not the same as having become an eyewitness, but rather there is a great difference, and belief based on vivid presentation is naturally of great assistance to everyone.