[29,20] ἔτι δὲ τῶν παλαιῶν τοὺς ἐξοχωτάτους ἀκούομεν οὐδένα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐλθόντα τοῦ βίου, Πάτροκλόν τε καὶ Ἀντίλοχον, ἔτι δὲ Σαρπηδόνα καὶ Μέμνονα καὶ Ἀχιλλέα καὶ Ἱππόλυτον· τούς τε Βοιωτοὺς Ὦτον καὶ Ἐφιάλτην, οὓς μεγίστους καὶ καλλίστους γενέσθαι φησὶν Ὅμηρος μετὰ Ὠρίωνα, αὐτόν τε ἐκεῖνον. ἀλλ´ οἵδε μὲν δι´ ἀφροσύνην ἀπώλοντο· τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους, οὓς εἶπον, θεῶν παῖδας καὶ ἀπογόνους εἶπον. οὐκ ἂν οὖν οἱ θεοὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν παισὶ καὶ οὓς μάλιστα ἐφίλουν ταχεῖαν ἐποίησαν τὴν τελευτήν, εἰ μὴ ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἐτίθεντο. (29,21) ταῦτα οὖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, λογιζομένους ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖνόν τε ὡς μακάριον νομίζειν χρὴ καὶ αὐτοὺς μηδὲν ἧττον διὰ τοῦτο ἐφίεσθαι τῶν πόνων καὶ τῆς φιλοτιμίας ὡς, εἴ τινι συμπέσοι τελευτῆσαι ταχύτερον, ἀνόνητος ἐσόμενος τῶν ἀγαθῶν τινος· ὁ γὰρ εὐκλεοῦς δόξης τυχὼν μεστὸς ἄπεισι τῶν ἀγαθῶν· ἀλλὰ καὶ γυμνάζεσθε προθύμως καὶ πονεῖτε, οἱ μὲν νεώτεροι νομίζοντες αὑτοῖς ἀπολελεῖφθαι τὴν ἐκείνου χώραν, οἱ δὲ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν ἰδίων ἔργων ἀξίως. καὶ φρονεῖτε δὲ ἐπ´ αὐτοῖς ὅσον χρὴ ἄνδρας πρὸς ἔπαινον καὶ δόξαν ἀγαθὴν βιοῦντας καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὄντας ἀσκητάς. (29,22) τὸν δὲ ἀποιχόμενον μνήμῃ τιμᾶτε, μὴ δάκρυσιν· οὐ γὰρ πρέποι ἂν ἥδε ἡ τιμὴ γενναίοις ὑπὸ γενναίων, οὐδ´ ἂν Ὅμηρον ἐπαινέσαιμι, ὅτι φησὶ δεύεσθαι τάς τε ψαμάθους καὶ τὰ ὅπλα τοῖς δάκρυσι τῶν Ἀχαιῶν. ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ποιητικῇ μᾶλλον ἠκολούθησεν ἡδονῇ, θρήνων ὑπερβολὰς ἐπιδειξάμενος, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐγκρατῶς φέρετε.

[29,20] Again, in the case of the most eminent men of ancient times, history tells us that none of them reached a great age, neither Patroclus nor Antilochus, and further, neither Sarpedon, nor Memnon, nor Achilles, nor Hippolytus; nor the Boeotians, Otus and Ephialtes, who, Homer says, were the tallest and handsomest men ever born next to Orion, nor Orion himself. But these men perished owing to their folly, while the others whom I have mentioned were called by men children and offspring of gods. Now the gods would not have given an early death to their own children and those whom they especially loved if they did not consider this a good thing for mankind. 21 Therefore, sirs, you should take these considerations into account and regard him as blessed, and should yourself therefore be none the less eager for toil and the distinction it brings, since you may be sure that, if it should be anyone's lot to die too soon, he will be without part in any of these blessings; for the man (p393) who gains fair renown departs laden with blessings. Come then, train zealously and toil hard, the younger men in the belief that this man's place has been left to them, the older in a way that befits their own achievements; yes, and take all the pride in these things that men should who live for praise and glory and are devotees of virtue. 22 And after the departed, honour him by remembrance, not by tears; for that tribute would not be a seemly one for noble men to give a noble man, nor should I commend Homer for saying that the sands and their armour were bedewed with the tears of the Achaeans. However, he aimed rather to give poetic pleasure when he pictured excessive lamenting, but do you bear your grief with self-control.