[41,0] The Forty-first Discourse:  To the Apameians on Concord. 
1 Members of the Council and you other most fair-minded gentlemen here present, 
I believe I know for a fact that you are kindly and amiably disposed toward me. For 
I am sure I myself esteem highly your favourable regard and have never said or done 
anything against you, and besides, immediately on my reaching home  you honoured 
me officially with a resolution which you sent me, expressing your joy over my return 
and inviting me to pay you a visit. 2 And perhaps there was nothing remarkable in 
what you did; for wherever I have been, not only cities in general, but even, I may say, 
most of those which are of equal rank with yourselves, have presented me with 
citizenship, with membership in the Council, and with highest honours without my 
asking it, believing me to be not unserviceable to themselves or unworthy of being 
honoured. And your action is not that of strangers but rather, as it were, of a 
fatherland honouring its own son  in token of goodwill and of gratitude. Yet that there 
should be some here — as is natural in a democracy — who, if I may say so, are not 
too pleased with me would not surprise me, because of the rivalry between our two 
(p153) cities. Though I am aware that I cannot please even all the citizens of Prusa, but, 
on the contrary, that some of them are vexed with me for the very reason that I seem 
to be too patriotic and enthusiastic. 3 However, a man who is reasonable and fair-
minded must allow his fellow citizens this licence too. For it is not to be expected of 
democracies, nor is it reasonable, that they should not allow anyone in a city either to 
raise his voice against a single person or to find fault with him, even when that person 
shows himself to be behaving well in all respects, but such immunity from criticism is 
more likely to be accorded to dictators than to benefactors. Therefore, if there are 
some who are ill disposed toward me, it is they in whom I have the most confidence. 
For it is clear that they feel as they do because they believe I love my fatherland and 
try to foster it in every way. Therefore, if they become convinced that I regard this city 
too as my fatherland and am eager to do in its behalf all in my power, they will readily 
change and come to love me as the others do. 
4 Now love of native land is a thing which, above all, I do not disclaim. But I ask them  
whether they regard this as the mark of an unjust man and one who is base, and 
whether they would not care to have that kind of citizen in their state. Well then, you 
have the opportunity to have as a citizen above suspicion not only me but the best of 
the other Prusans as well. And furthermore, you might more justly feel confidence in 
me for this very reason; for whoever is inconsiderate toward his natural parents 
would never be a dutiful son to his parents by adoption; 5 whereas he who cherishes 
those to whom he owes his being would never neglect those who have (p155) become 
parents as an act of grace. For Nature operates without our choice, whereas grace is 
an act of freewill. Now then, I am a citizen of each of our two cities; but while I need 
not feel grateful to the men of Prusa in that connexion, it is only fair that I should 
requite you as benefactors. For it is through your kindness and generosity that I am a 
member of your city. 
However, for all who have gained citizenship by themselves there is only the 
benevolence inspired by the grant, and the compulsion which Nature imposes is not 
attached to it. 6 But as for me, I partake of both; for my grandfather, along with my 
mother, acquired from the emperor of that day, who was his friend, not only Roman 
citizenship, but along with it citizenship in Apameia too, while my father got 
citizenship here from you; consequently I am your fellow townsman by both grace 
and birth. Again, to my children at least this is fatherland rather than Prusa.  While, 
therefore, necessity dictates that the children follow the father, it is much more 
pleasant for this father to follow his children. 
7 These, then, are the reasons why I happen to be well disposed toward you and have 
a citizen's state of mind; and, moreover, I have shown it openly too. For when strife 
had broken out between our cities and the city of my birth very considerately disliked 
to trouble me against my wishes,  though it was (p157) very eager to take up the 
problem, often inviting my support by the honours it bestowed upon me, I did not 
give heed to this inducement alone — not that I should have had any reluctance about 
acting in behalf of Prusa, since I might possibly have accomplished as much as any 
one and had not a few friends, and friends, too, not lacking in influence,  not to say 
anything invidious or likely to hurt some persons' feelings; furthermore, it was not 
because I shrank from the journey, since I had to go abroad in any case. 8 Well then, 
in spite of these considerations I held off from the affair,  not as a traitor to the men 
of Prusa, but out of consideration for you, and because I believed I should be more 
serviceable to both sides if I could make the cities friends, not alone by ridding them 
of their past subjects of dispute, but also by turning them toward friendship and 
concord for the future.  For this is the best course of all and the most expedient, not 
only in dealings between equals, but also in dealings between superiors and inferiors. 
9 Now I understand how difficult it is to eradicate strife from human beings, 
especially when it has been nurtured for a fairly long period of time, just as it is not 
easy to rid the body of a disease that has long since become a part of it, especially in 
case one should wish to effect a painless cure. But still I have confidence in the 
character of your city, believing it to be, not rough and boorish, but in very truth the 
genuine character of those distinguished men and that blessed city by which you were 
sent (p159) here as friends indeed to dwell with friends.  That city, while so superior to 
the rest of mankind in good fortune and power, has proved to be even more superior 
in fairness and benevolence, bestowing ungrudgingly both citizenship and legal rights 
and offices, believing no man of worth to be an alien, and at the same time 
safeguarding justice for all alike. 

[41,10] In emulation of that city it is fitting that you should show yourselves gentle and 
magnanimous toward men who are so close to you, virtually housemates, not harsh 
and arrogant neighbours, since they are men with whom you have common ties of 
wedlock, offspring, civic institutions, sacrifices to the gods, festive assemblies, and 
spectacles; moreover, you are educated together with them individually, you feast 
with them, you entertain each other, you spend the greater portion of your time 
together, you are almost one community, one city only slightly divided.  Besides, 
several citizens of Prusa you have even made citizens of Apameia, you have made 
them members of the Council, you have deemed them not unworthy of becoming 
magistrates among you, and you admitted them to partnership in these august 
privileges which pertain to Roman citizenship.  11 How, then, is it reasonable to regard 
individuals singly as friends and to show them honour, and then as a community to 
view their city as a foe, as Apameia and Prusa both are doing? For when men love the 
inhabitants of a city and (p161) mingle with them and welcome them to citizenship, what 
explanation remains except that they do not like each other's climate and the position 
of each other's city, or else — an unholy thing even to suggest — that they detest each 
other's gods? Furthermore, any enmity towards any people is an irksome, grievous 
thing. For there is no enemy so weak as not on occasion to hurt even the man who 
appears to be very strong, or to display his hatred by either saying some painful word 
or doing some injurious act. 
12 For the fruit of hatred is never, so to speak, sweet or beneficial, but of all things 
most unpleasant and bitter, nor is any burden so hard to bear or so fatiguing as 
enmity. For example, while it always interferes with strokes of good fortune, it 
increases disasters, and while for him who suffers from something else it doubles the 
pain, it does not permit those who are enjoying good fortune to rejoice in fitting 
measure.15 For it is inevitable, I suppose, that the masses should be harmed by one 
another, and, on the other hand, be despised and held in low esteem by the others, 
not only as having antagonists to begin with, but also as being themselves foolish and 
contentious. 13 However, there is nothing finer or more godlike than friendship and 
concord, whether between man and man or between city and city. For who are they 
who acquire the good things of life more becomingly, when it is their friends who 
assist in supplying them? Who escape the bad things more easily than those who have 
friends as allies? Who are less affected by distress than those who have persons to 
share their suffering and to (p163) help them bear it? To whom is good fortune sweeter 
than to those who gladden by their success not only themselves but others too? For 
I would not count that man fortunate who has no one to share his pleasure. 14 Again, 
what helper, what counsellor, is more welcome to behold than a friend met 
unexpectedly? In fact one might almost say that he is also an augury, not only most 
auspicious, but even most helpful, and to whomever he may meet a loyal friend. But 
the works of hatred, indeed, and of enmity are painful and grievous everywhere. The 
presence of an enemy is a grievous thing, whether in a serious business or in the 
midst of good cheer, a painful thing to behold and painful to recall, but beyond all 
things most baneful to experience.