Sunday, October 03, 2021
Stay Put
Pseudo-Aristeas, Letter to Philocrates 249 (tr. Benjamin G. Wright III):
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After declaring that he had spoken well, he asked another, "How is one a lover of his country?" "By setting as a goal," he said, "that it is good to live and die in one's own country. Being an alien brings contempt to the poor and shame to the rich, as though they were exiled due to a crime. Therefore, showing kindness to all, just as you always do — God granting you favor before all — you will appear as a lover of your country."
φήσας δὲ εὐλογεῖν ἄλλον ἠρώτα πῶς ἂν φιλόπατρις εἴη; προτιθέμενος, εἶπεν, ὅτι καλὸν ἐν ἰδίᾳ καὶ ζῇν καὶ τελευτᾷν. ἡ δὲ ξενία τοῖς μὲν πένησι καταφρόνησιν ἐργάζεται, τοῖς δὲ πλουσίοις ὄνειδος, ὡς διὰ κακίαν ἐκπεπτωκόσιν. εὐεργετῶν οὖν ἅπαντας, καθὼς συνεχῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἐπιτελεῖς, θεοῦ διδόντος σοὶ πρὸς πάντα χάριν, φιλόπατρις φανήσῃ.
