Besides, which would you
rather have, money or a faithful and modest friend? For this end then
rather help me to be such a man, and do not ask me to do this by which I
shall lose that character. But my country, you say, as far as it depends
on me, will be without my help. I ask again, what help do you mean? It
will not have porticos or baths through you. And what does this mean?
For it is not furnished with shoes by means of a smith, nor with arms by
means of a shoemaker. But it is enough if every man fully discharges the
work that is his own: and if you provided it with another citizen
faithful and modest, would you not be useful to it? Yes. Then you also
cannot be useless to it. What place then, you say, shall I hold in the
city? Whatever you can, if you maintain at the same time your fidelity
and modesty. But if when you wish to be useful to the state, you shall
lose these qualities, what profit could you be to it, if you were made
shameless and faithless?

XXV.

Has any man been preferred before you at a banquet, or in being saluted,
or in being invited to a consultation? If these things are good, you
ought to rejoice that he has obtained them; but if bad, be not grieved
because you have not obtained them. And remember that you cannot, if you
do not the same things in order to obtain what is not in our own power,
be considered worthy of the same (equal) things. For how can a man
obtain an equal share with another when he does not visit a man's doors
as that other man does; when he does not attend him when he goes abroad,
as the other man does; when he does not praise (flatter) him as another
does? You will be unjust then and insatiable, if you do not part with
the price, in return for which those things are sold, and if you wish to
obtain them for nothing. Well, what is the price of lettuces? An obolus
perhaps. If then a man gives up the obolus, and receives the lettuces,
and if you do not give up the obolus and do not obtain the lettuces, do
not suppose that you receive less than he who has got the lettuces; for
as he has the lettuces, so you have the obolus which you did not give.
In the same way then in the other matter also you have not been invited
to a man's feast, for you did not give to the host the price at which
the supper is sold; but he sells it for praise (flattery), he sells it
for personal attention. Give then the price, if it is for your interest,
for which it is sold. But if you wish both not to gi