13
Now in the book of instructions you always get from the emperor, isn’t the first injunction to you to take care of your health? And rightly so. You would not be of much use otherwise. Indeed you yourselves, if I know any Latin, also often return the word “Health” In Latin “Salve.” when you shake hands.
14
In saying all this I did not want deliberately to discard “Joy to you” and put “Health” in its place; this was an accident—it would be ridiculous for me to surprise you all by changing the usual times of the greetings.
15
I am grateful to heaven that my slip was a switch into something much more auspicious and slid into something better. Perhaps the goddess Health or Asclepius himself inspired me on purpose to promise you health through me. I could certainly never have done it without a god’s intervention, when I was never confused like this before in a long life.
16
But, if I must make a human apology for what has happened, there is nothing strange, if a fervent desire for your good opinion in all that is best was too strong and in my utter confusion I stumbled into the opposite effect. A man might also be startled away from proper deliberation by the crowd of soldiers pushing their way to the front or not waiting their turn in presenting their petitions.
