Kitap 10
3
Alas, poor me! He didn’t even start by wishing me well. A letter would normally start with greetings (χαίρειν) from the sender to the recipient. Cf. Epistulae Saturnales.
3
“And now I’m leaving you not because I hate you, but because I’m forced to do so. My father has handed me over to Aristaenetus to study philosophy under him, and Aristaenetus, finding out all about us, gave me a good telling-off, saying it was not at all the thing for a son of Architeles and Erasiclia to associate with a courtesan, for it was much better to prefer virtue to pleasure.”
3
Curse that old driveller for teaching the lad such things!
3
“So that I must obey him. He follows me everywhere, and keeps a close eye on me. In fact, I’m not allowed even to look at anyone but him. If I live a sober life, and obey him in everything, he promises me I’ll be completely happy, and shall become virtuous through my training in endurance. I’ve had the greatest difficulty in slipping away to write this to you. I pray that you may prosper, my dear, and never forget Clinias.”
4
What do you think of the letter, Chelidonium?
4
The rest of it might have come from a Scythian, The Scythians were proverbial for their rough speech and their cruelty. but the part about never forgetting Clinias shows there’s still some hope.
4
Just what I thought. In any case I’m dying of love. But Dromo said that Aristaenetus is the sort who’s fond of boys, and, by pretending to teach them, keeps company with the handsomest youths, and has now got Clinias on his own, and spins him tales, promising of all things that he will make him like a god. Besides that, he’s reading with him amorous discourses addressed by the old Philosophers to their pupils, and is all wrapped up in the lad. Dromo threatened he’d tell Clinias’ father as well.
4
I hope, Drosis, you gave Dromo a good feed.
4
That I did, though he’ll do anything for me, even without that; he’s another who is desperate for the love of Nebris.
