[47,10] ὅπου δὲ {τὸ κατοικισθῆναι τοῖς ἐκπεσοῦσι} καὶ τοῦτο ἐλύπει τινάς, εἰ φυγάδες ὄντες καὶ ἀπόλιδες πατρίδα ἕξουσι καὶ πολιτεύσονται κατὰ νόμους ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ, μᾶλλον δ´ ᾑροῦντο διῳκίσθαι κατὰ κώμας τοῖς βαρβάροις ὁμοίως ἢ σχῆμα πόλεως καὶ ὄνομα ἔχειν· ἦπου προσήκει θαυμάζειν καὶ εἰ ἄλλο τι λυπεῖ τινας; ὃ δ´ οὖν Ἀριστοτέλης ἐπιστέλλων γέγραφεν ὡς τοῖς πράγμασιν ἀπειρηκώς· φησὶ γὰρ αἴρειν τοὺς δακτύλους· (47,11) τοὺς Ἰδαίους κἀμὲ νομίζετε καὶ εἴ τινές εἰσιν ἕτεροι. καὶ γὰρ δὴ πλεῖον ἴσχυσεν ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκείνων κακοδαιμονία τῆς τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους σπουδῆς, ὥστε οὐκ εἴασαν προβῆναι τὸ κωμίον εἰς ἀξίωμα πόλεως, καὶ νῦν ἔτι ἀοίκητόν ἐστιν. ἀλλ´ ὅπως μὴ καὶ τοῦτό μου διαβάλῃ τις, ὡς ἐγὼ Στάγειρα καὶ κώμην καλῶ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην· δύναμαι γὰρ ὀμόσας εἰπεῖν μηδεμίαν ἄλλην πόλιν ἐμοὶ κρείττω πεφηνέναι, κἂν εἰ μόνον εἶχε τὸ χαλκεῖον τὸ τοῦ δεῖνος, ὃ ἐγὼ κατέλυσα ὁ τὰς πόλεις πορθῶν καὶ τὰς νεκροπόλεις. (47,12) ἵνα δ´ οὖν μὴ ἐπιλάθωμαι οὗ χάριν ἀνέστην, ἁμάρτημα ἴσως ἥμαρτον ἀνθρώπινον. νῦν οὖν τίνα με βούλεσθε ὑποσχεῖν ζημίαν ἀντὶ τούτου τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος ἢ τί ποιεῖν; ἀξιῶ συμβούλους ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι· πότερον καθελεῖν με τὸ ἔργον ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ δαπάναις τὸ γεγονὸς καὶ ποιῆσαι πάντα ὁποῖα ἦν πρότερον; ἀλλὰ ἴσως οὐ δυνήσομαι. (47,13) ἢ τί πρὸς θεῶν; εἴπατέ μοι. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ᾤμην ὁρῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα πόλεις ἄλλας φιλοτιμουμένας, οὐ μόνον τὰς κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν λέγω καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν, ἀλλὰ ταύτας τὰς ἀστυγείτονας καὶ πλησίον, τὴν τῶν Νικομηδέων, τὴν τῶν Νικαέων, τοὺς Καισαρεῖς τούτους, εὐγενεῖς μὲν ἀνθρώπους καὶ σφόδρα Ἕλληνας, πολὺ δὲ μικροτέραν τῆς ἡμετέρας οἰκοῦντας πόλιν, καὶ τοὺς πολιτευομένους παρ´ ἑκάστοις, ἐὰν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων διαφέρωνται, τά γε τοιαῦτα ὁμοφρονοῦντας, καὶ τὸν αὐτοκράτορα τοιαῦτα ἐπιστέλλοντα τύχῃ τινί, ὅτι βούλεται πάντα τρόπον αὔξεσθαι τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν (ἐπιτρέψατε δὲ ἀναγνῶναι τὴν ἐπιστολήν, ἐπειδὴ τὴν τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους μακρὸν ἦν καὶ περίεργον· —) (47,14) ᾤμην καὶ παρ´ ὑμῖν ταῦτα ἔσεσθαι, καὶ μηδένα λυπήσεσθαι τῆς πόλεως κατασκευαζομένης. καὶ τοῦτό γε ἀπέβη τοιοῦτον· καὶ γὰρ ἔδοξεν ὑμῖν ταῦτα {καὶ πολλὰ} καὶ πολλάκις συνεισεφέρετε αὐτοὶ καὶ προεθυμεῖσθε. τί οὖν βούλεσθε; ἐγὼ γὰρ ὄμνυμι τοὺς θεοὺς ὑμῖν ἅπαντας, ἦ μὴν ἀντὶ τοῦ λυπεῖν ὑμᾶς ἤ τινας ὑμῶν ἢ δοκεῖν βαρὺς οὐκ ἂν ἑλοίμην ἴδιά μοι γενέσθαι τὰ Δαρείου βασίλεια ἢ τὰ Κροίσου ἢ τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν πατρῴαν τὴν ἐμὴν χρυσῆν τῷ ὄντι, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὥσπερ ὀνόματι μόνον τὴν τοῦ Νέρωνος καλοῦσιν. (47,15) οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄφελος οὐδὲν οἰκίας χρυσῆς, οὐ μᾶλλον ἢ χύτρας χρυσῆς ἢ τῆς πλατάνου τῆς ἐν Πέρσαις. πόλεως δὲ ὄφελος {οὐδὲν} εὐπρεποῦς γιγνομένης, ἀέρα πλείονα λαμβανούσης, εὐρυχωρίαν, τοῦ μὲν θέρους σκιάν, τοῦ δὲ χειμῶνος ἥλιον ὑπὸ στέγῃ, ἀντὶ φαύλων καὶ ταπεινῶν ἐρειπίων οἰκήματα ὑψηλὰ καὶ μεγάλης πόλεως ἄξια· ἵνα ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν εὐγενῶν πώλων καὶ τῶν σκυλάκων τὸ ἐσόμενον μέγεθος εἰκάζουσιν οἱ ὁρῶντες, ἐὰν ᾖ τὰ κῶλα ὑψηλὰ καὶ μεγάλα, ἐὰν δὲ ταπεινὰ καὶ ἀναυξῆ, φασὶν ἀεί ποτε μενεῖν τοιαῦτα, οὕτως ἔχῃ καὶ περὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν πόλιν. (47,16) ἀλλὰ τί μοι περὶ τούτων νῦν λέγειν; καλῶς μέ τις ἀηδόνα ἔφη τῶν σοφιστῶν, λοιδορῆσαι βουλόμενος· διὰ τοῦτο, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἀηδόνα γλώσσαργόν φασιν οἱ ποιηταί. ἴσως δ´ ἂν ὅμοιος εἴην τοῖς τέττιξι· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον διψῶντες ᾄδουσιν ὑπὸ ἀνοίας οὐδὲν ὠφελούμενοι. πλὴν τοσοῦτό γε μόνον οὐκ ἄξιον ἴσως παραλιπεῖν περὶ τῶν μνημάτων καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν, ὅτι τοὺς Ἀντιοχέας οὐκ εἰκός ἐστιν οὐδενὸς ἅψασθαι τοιούτου· πολὺ γὰρ ἐλάττω τόπον ἐποίουν τοῦ παρ´ ἡμῖν, ὧν ἡ πόλις ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα σταδίων ἐστὶ τὸ μῆκος καὶ στοὰς ἑκατέρωθεν πεποιήκασιν· οὐδὲ τοὺς Ταρσεῖς (47,17) οὐδὲ νῦν Νικομηδεῖς, οἳ ἐψηφίσαντο τὰ μνήματα μεταίρειν. ὁ δὲ Μακρῖνος, ὃν εὐεργέτην ἀνεγράψατε τῆς πόλεως, τὸ Προυσίου τοῦ βασιλέως μνημεῖον μετήνεγκεν ἐκ τῆς ἀγορᾶς καὶ τὸν ἀνδριάντα. οὐδεὶς γάρ ἐστι παρ´ ἐκείνοις φιλόπολις ἀνὴρ οὐδὲ ἐπιμελὴς περὶ τοὺς θεούς· ἀλλὰ παρά γε ἡμῖν ἦσαν πολλοί. πλὴν ταῦτα μὲν ὅπως ποτὲ δοκεῖ. τί γὰρ ἐμοὶ τῆς ἐνθάδε στοᾶς; ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔχοντά με ὅποι βούλομαι περιπατεῖν, τὴν Ποικίλην Ἀθήνησι, τὴν Περσικὴν ἐν Λακεδαίμονι, τὰς ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ τὰς χρυσᾶς, ἐν ταῖς τῶν Ἀντιοχέων, τῶν Ταρσέων, μετὰ πλείονος τιμῆς, ἢ μόνον ἕξοντά με καὶ περιπατήσοντα, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων οὐδένα πολιτῶν. ἀλλ´ οὔτε γυμνάσιον ἐν πόλει μόνος οὐδεὶς ἔχει γυμναζόμενος οὔτε στοὰν οὔτε βαλανεῖον οὔτε ἄλλο τῶν δημοσίων οὐδέν. (47,18) ἢ ἐγὼ τετύφωμαι καὶ ἀνόητός εἰμι; πλὴν ὅ γε ἠξίωσα, συμβουλεύσατέ μοι. ὡς ἐγὼ βουλόμενος ὑμῖν ἀρέσκειν πάντα τρόπον ἀπορῶ. νῦν γὰρ ἐὰν ἅπτωμαι τοῦ πράγματος καὶ σπουδάζω γίγνεσθαι τὸ ἔργον, τυραννεῖν μέ φασί τινες καὶ κατασκάπτειν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ πάντα. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐνέπρησα τὸν νεὼν τοῦ Διὸς καὶ τοὺς ἀνδριάντας ἐκ τοῦ μυδῶνος ἐρρυσάμην, καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ φανερωτάτῳ κεῖνται τῆς πόλεως. ἐὰν δὲ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγω, μὴ βουλόμενος μηδένα στένειν μηδὲ προσκρούειν μηδενί, βοᾶτε ὑμεῖς, Γιγνέσθω τὸ ἔργον ἢ καθαιρείσθω τὸ γεγονός· ὥσπερ ἐμοὶ τοῦτο προφέροντες καὶ ὀνειδίζοντες. (47,19) τί οὖν βούλεσθέ με ποιεῖν; ὃ γὰρ ἂν εἴπητε, τοῦτο ποιήσω καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων οὐδὲν ἐρῶ, οὐδὲ ἂν ᾖ τις ἔργον πεποιηκὼς ὑπὲρ οὗ λόγον μὴ δέδωκεν, οὐδ´ ἂν ἔτι ποιῶν καὶ χρήματα λαμβάνων ἀεὶ παρὰ τῶν κατ´ ἔτος ἀρχόντων, ὥσπερ εἰς τὸν ἄπληστον πίθον τάδε ληψόμενος, οὐδὲ ἂν ἄλλο τι γίγνηται· τί γὰρ ἐμοὶ τούτων; διὰ μὲν γὰρ τῆς στοᾶς οὐ διελεύσομαι, σαφῶς ἴστε. ἀλλὰ πονεῖν καὶ προσιέναι καὶ παρακαλεῖν τὸν ἀνθύπατον, ὅπως πρᾴως καὶ πρὸς δύναμιν εἰσπράττῃ τοὺς ὑπεσχημένους; καὶ τοῦτο ἕτοιμος ποιεῖν οὐ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς συμβάλλεσθαι μέρος τῆς ὑποσχέσεως, ὥςτε κουφίζεσθαι τοὺς ἄλλους. μόνον ἕν τι προστάξατε·

[47,10] But when some persons, exiles and homeless as they were, were actually annoyed by the prospect of having a fatherland and enjoying constitutional government in independence, but preferred to be scattered in villages like barbarians rather than to have the form and name of a city, would it be proper, I ask you, to feel surprise no matter what else annoys certain persons? Accordingly, just as Aristotle has written in his letter as one who has become sick and tired of his troubles — for he says he is holding up his fingers — you may consider that I too am holding up my own fingers, as well as any other fingers there (p257) are. 11 For in truth the infatuation of those fellows proved more than a match for the exertions of Aristotle, so that they did not permit the petty village to grow to the rank of a city, and to this day the spot is uninhabited. But let no one charge me with calling this city of ours a Stageira and a village; for I can declare on oath that no other city has appeared to me more excellent, even were it to possess only the smithy of So-and-so, which I, the "sacker of cities and citadels," tore down. 12 However, that may not forget the reason why I took the floor, perhaps I have been guilty of a human error. Well then, what penalty do you want me to suffer now in payment for this error, or what do you wish me to do? I ask you to give me your advice. Should I tear down at my own expense the work thus far accomplished and make everything just as it was before? But perhaps I shall not be able to do so. 13 Or what shall I do, in Heaven's name? Do tell me! For I thought as I perceived that other cities were ambitious in such matters — not merely the cities in Asia and Syria and Cilicia, but these neighbouring cities so close at hand, Nicomedia, Nicaea, and Caesarea yonder, well-born folk and very Greek, yet occupying a city much smaller than our own; — and (p259) that those who enjoyed the rights of citizenship in each of these cities, no matter if they differed concerning other matters, agreed on such matters as these; and that the Emperor, as luck would have it, was sending written instructions to this effect, stating that he wishes your city to be developed in every way — but just let me read you his letter, since it would take too long to read the letter of Aristotle and it would not be worth the trouble — 14 I thought, as I was saying, that it would be this way with you people too, and that no one would be vexed because the city was being embellished. And so far as that is concerned it turned out as I had expected; for you approved these plans, and you yourselves made many and frequent contributions and showed yourselves enthusiastic. What, then, do you wish? For I swear to you by all the gods, if it meant paining you, or any among you, or being thought a nuisance, I should not choose to have for my very own the palace of Dareius or of Croesus, or to have my own ancestral dwelling golden in very truth instead of in name alone like the house of Nero. 15 For there is no advantage in a golden house any more than there is in a golden pot or in the Persian plane tree. On the other hand, there is advantage when a city becomes good- looking, when it gets more air, open space, shade in summer and in (p261) winter sunshine beneath the shelter of a roof, and when, in place of cheap, squat wrecks of houses, it gains stately edifices that are worthy of a great city, the purpose being that, just as with well-bred colts and puppies, those who see them can forecast their future height if the legs are long and sturdy, whereas if they are short and stunted men say they will always remain so, thus it may be also with our city. 16 But what use is there in you speaking of these things now? One of the sophists did well to call me a nightingale, though he intended it as an insult; his reason, no doubt, was that the poets call the nightingale a tiresome chatterer. But perhaps I may be like the cicadae; for when parched with thirst from exposure of that sun, they sing out of sheer folly, since they are in no wise benefited thereby. Yet perhaps I should not fail to add this much at least on the subject of the tombs and shrines, namely, that it is not likely that the people of Antioch did not lay hands upon anything of this kind; the reason is that they were providing much more space than we are, for their city is thirty-six stades in length and they have constructed colonnades on both sides; nor is it likely that the people of Tarsus did not either; nor indeed the people of Nicomedia, who passed a resolution to transfer their tombs. 17 And Macrinus, whom you have recorded as a benefactor of the city, removed from the market-place the tomb of King Prusias, and his statue as well. The explanation is that the cities (p263) I have named have no one who is public-spirited or scrupulous in religious matters; but we had many such! However, just suit yourselves in these matters. For what concern of mine is the colonnade in this city? As if I could not promenade in any place I please — in the Painted Porch at Athens, in the Persian Porch at Sparta, in the golden colonnades in Rome, in those of Antioch and Tarsus — attended by marks of greater respect, or as if I expected that I alone should sally forth and promenade but no other citizen! Why, no one has either a municipal gymnasium all to himself where he exercises or a colonnade or a bath or any other public structure. Or else I have become demented or feeble-minded. 18 However, as I have requested, give me your advice. For though it is my desire to please you in every way possible, I am at a loss. For as things are now, if I take the business in hand and try go get the work done, some persons say I am acting the tyrant and tearing down the city and all its shrines. For of course it was I who set fire to the temple of Zeus! Yet I saved the statues from the scrap-pile, and now they are placed in the most conspicuous spot in the city. But if, on the contrary, I hold my peace, not wishing to make any one groan or to give offence to any one, you cry out, "Let the work proceed, or else (p265) let what has been accomplished to date be torn down!" — as if by this you were taunting and reproaching me. 19 Well, what do you wish me to do? For I will do whatever you say, and as to everything essential I will raise no objection, no matter if some one has done a job for which he has rendered no accounting, no matter if he is still at work and receiving funds regularly from the annual officials, just as if he were destined to continue receiving these funds for the jar that never fills, no matter what else may take place — for what have I to do with these matters? For I shall not go walking through your colonnade, you may be sure. But do you wish me to go ahead with the work, and to visit the proconsul and beg him to collect the subscriptions, gently and with regard to ability to pay, from those who have promised them? you ready to do even this; not only so, but even to contribute a portion of what has been subscribed myself, so as to lighten the burden of the rest.