Πραμυθητικὸς πρὸς Ἀπολλώνιον

Sections

intro – intro intro – intro intro – 1 2 – 2 3 – 3 4 – 4 4 – 4 5 – 5 6 – 6 6 – 6 7 – 7 8 – 8 9 – 9 10 – 10 11 – 11 12 – 12 13 – 13 13 – 14 14 – 14 14 – 14 14 – 14 15 – 15 16 – 16 17 – 17 18 – 19 19 – 19 20 – 20 21 – 21 22 – 22 22 – 22 23 – 23 24 – 24 25 – 25 26 – 26 26 – 26 27 – 27 28 – 28 28 – 28 29 – 29 30 – 30 31 – 31 31 – 31 32 – 32 33 – 33 33 – 33 33 – 33 33 – 33 33 – 33 34 – 34 34 – 34 35 – 35 36 – 36 37 – 37

İngilizce İngilizce Yunanca

intro However, we may be profoundly grateful for the collection of extracts included in the letter, and, if the hypothesis be right, we may also be grateful for this glimpse of Plutarch’s methods of composition.

intro We must bear in mind that this particular form of literary composition had developed a style of its own, the earliest example perhaps being the Axiochus (of Plato ?), and we have records of many more now lost. Among the Romans also this form of composition was popular, and several examples may be found in the works of Seneca.

1 Even before this time, Apollonius, I felt for you in your sorrow and trouble, when I heard of the untimely passing from life of your son, who was very dear to us all—a youth who was altogether decorous and modest, and unusually observant of the demands of religion and justice both toward the gods and toward his parents and friends. In those days, close upon the time of his death, to visit you and urge you to bear your present lot as a mortal man should would have been unsuitable, when you were prostrated in both body and soul by the unexpected calamity; and, besides, I could not help sharing in your feeling. For even the best of physicians do not at once apply the remedy of medicines against acute attacks of suppurating humours, but allow the painfulness of the inflammation, without the application of external medicaments, to attain some assuagement of itself. Cf. Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, 29 (63), and Pliny, Letters, v. 16.