6
During my absence three household slaves of Nicostratus ran away from him from his farm, two of those whom I had given him, and one of a number whom he had purchased for himself. He pursued them, but was taken captive by a trireme and brought to Aegina, where he was sold. When I had come home with the ship of which I was in command, Deinon, this man’s brother, came to me and told me of his misfortunes, stating that, although Nicostratus had sent him letters, he had not gone in quest of him for want of funds for the journey, and he told me also that he heard that his brother was in a dreadful condition.
7
When I heard this I was touched with compassion for Nicostratus on account of his ill-fortune, and at once sent his brother Deinon to fetch him, giving him three hundred drachmae for his journey. When Nicostratus got home, he came at once to me, embraced me, thanked me for giving his brother money for his journey, bewailed his own unhappy lot, and, while complaining of his own relatives, begged me to succor him, just as in time past I had been a true friend to him. Then he wept, and told me that he had been ransomed for twenty-six minae, and urged me to contribute something toward the cost of his redemption.
8
On hearing this story, I felt pity for him, and moreover I saw in what wretched plight he was, and he showed me the wounds of the fetters on his calves (he has the scars of them still, but, if you bid him show them to you, he will not wish to do so); I therefore answered that in time past I had been a true friend to him, and that now I would help him in his distress, that I forgave him the three hundred drachmae which I had given his brother for the expenses of his journey to fetch him, and that I would make a contribution of one thousand drachmae toward his ransom.
