[47,0] The Forty-seventh Discourse :  A Speech in the Public Assembly at Prusa. 
1 In the first place, my friends, do not by any means suppose when I rise to speak that 
you are about to hear a discourse that is extraordinary or remarkable; I mean, for 
example, one composed to produce a kind of pleasure or to exhibit beauty or wisdom. 
For possibly I should not in any event have been equal to that sort of thing, but it may 
be that by good luck I have deceived the public and all the cities; yet be that as it may, 
it stands to reason that now at all events I have experienced a great lack, indeed a 
complete forgetfulness, of that sort of eloquence. For a man's words must needs be 
coloured by the nature of what he is doing and in which he is engrossed; and in my 
case I have long been engaged in petty and inglorious affairs. 
2 Now perhaps this experience of mine is a matter of necessity, for previously I used 
to be surprised at those philosophers who abandoned their own countries under no 
compulsion and chose to dwell among other peoples, and what is more, despite their 
own claim that a man should honour his fatherland and regard it as of supreme 
importance, and that activity in public affairs and playing one's part as a citizen is 
(p249) the natural duty of a human being. I am referring to Zeno, Chrysippus, and 
Cleanthes, not one of whom stayed at home, despite these brave words. Did they not, 
then, mean what they said? They above all others did, to my way of thinking. 3 Why, 
they regarded concern for a man's own city as a noble and truly blessed and 
appropriate function for men of wisdom; on the other hand, they used to view with 
distrust the difficulties and vexations it involved — not only ignorance on the part of 
some, but malice on the part of others, and sheer heedlessness on the part of still 
others — unless a man of wisdom could at the same time possess the strength and 
power of a Heracles; however, they considered this impossible. 
4 And yet we hear of Heracles himself that, though he made himself master of Egypt 
and Libya, and also of the people who dwelt about the Euxine Sea, both Thracians 
and Scythians, and though he captured Ilium, having crossed over with a small army, 
and though, after gaining control over all these peoples, he actually set himself up as 
king;  still when he arrived in Argos  he busied himself with removing the dung from 
the stables of Augeas or hunting serpents  or chasing birds, to keep them from 
troubling the farmers in Stymphalus, or with performing other such menial and 
humble tasks at the bidding of another; and finally, they say, he was sent to Hades,  
with such exceeding fairness did his fellow townsman  treat him! But we hear that, 
though the (p251) Argives and Thebans  praised and admired Heracles, still they shut 
their eyes to his mistreatment. 
5 It was the thought of this, it seems to me, which made Homer, who was not only a 
fine poet but also in his way a philosopher, spend all his time abroad — so much so 
that no one could determine his country — and prefer to get twenty-five drachmas by 
begging,  and that too in the rτle of a madman, rather than live at home. And so it 
was that in later days all men claimed him as their countryman.  Again, while 
Homer's name is well known among all Greeks and barbarians,  most men, it is safe 
to day, have not even heard of Ios  — if he really was born there — and there is not 
much talk of Chios or of Colophon either; and yet Colophon can show a poet not 
inferior to Homer, namely Apollo.  Again, Pythagoras of his own volition fled from 
Samos when it was under the tyrant,  and yet among all other peoples, and 
especially, I believe, about the shores of Italy, he was honoured as a god.  
6 "What of it," some one in this audience has been saying long since, "are you 
comparing yourself with Homer and Pythagoras and Zeno?" Nay, by Heaven, not I, 
except that it was the opinion of all the philosophers that life in their own native land 
was hard. For what think you? That they did not love (p253) their home-lands, but that 
Homer, while he lamented over Odysseus and declared that Odysseus was willing to 
die forthwith if only he could see the smoke rising from Ithaca,  did not himself 
cherish his own city, but, on the contrary, that he was not confessing under the name 
of Odysseus his own love and longing for his native heath? 7 On the other hand, while 
I cannot say whether the man who always remained in his father land, doing 
whatever seemed best to his fellow citizens and the laws,  benefited the Athenians to 
any great extent, I do know the loss which they sustained in his death. For even now 
they still are reproached concerning Socrates for not having behaved toward him 
either justly or piously, and it is said that this conduct of theirs occasioned all the 
evils which befell them later. 
8 Now this is merely idle talk which you have heard from a "vagabond" and a 
"chatterbox."  But as I was saying,  I beg you not to expect from me at present any 
high-minded, sage address, but rather one which is amateurish and commonplace, 
just as are the matters of which it treats. But let me assure you, just as from the 
moment of my arrival this time  I had purposed to maintain a discreet silence, 
I should not have said a single word had not something urgent taken place. For I have 
taken in hand a problem which has caused me many real problems  and amazing 
unpleasantness. Consequently, although formerly I did not understand what in the 
world was meant by the saying that the Thessalian witches (p255) draw down to 
themselves the moon,  now I have come to understand it fairly well. 9 And I used to 
envy Aristotle at times because, being a native of Stageira — Stageira was a village in 
the territory of Olynthus — and having become the teacher of Alexander and an 
acquaintance of Philip's after the capture of Olynthus, he brought it about that 
Stageira was resettled,  and they used to say that he alone had had the good fortune 
to become founder of his fatherland. But meanwhile, quite recently, I came upon a 
letter in which he exhibits a change of heart and laments, saying that some of these 
settlers are trying to corrupt, not only the king, but also the satraps who came there, 
so as to thwart any good outcome and to prevent entirely the resettlement of the city. 

[47,10] But when some persons, exiles and homeless as they were, were actually annoyed 
by the prospect of having a fatherland and enjoying constitutional government in 
independence, but preferred to be scattered in villages like barbarians rather than to 
have the form and name of a city, would it be proper, I ask you, to feel surprise no 
matter what else annoys certain persons? Accordingly, just as Aristotle has written in 
his letter as one who has become sick and tired of his troubles — for he says he is 
holding up his fingers  — you may consider that I too am holding up my own fingers, 
as well as any other fingers there (p257) are. 11 For in truth the infatuation of those 
fellows proved more than a match for the exertions of Aristotle, so that they did not 
permit the petty village to grow to the rank of a city, and to this day the spot is 
uninhabited.  But let no one charge me with calling this city of ours a Stageira and a 
village; for I can declare on oath that no other city has appeared to me more excellent, 
even were it to possess only the smithy of So-and-so,  which I, the "sacker of cities 
and citadels,"  tore down. 
12 However, that may not forget the reason why I took the floor, perhaps I have been 
guilty of a human error.  Well then, what penalty do you want me to suffer now in 
payment for this error, or what do you wish me to do? I ask you to give me your 
advice. Should I tear down at my own expense the work thus far accomplished and 
make everything just as it was before? But perhaps I shall not be able to do so. 13 Or 
what shall I do, in Heaven's name? Do tell me! For I thought as I perceived that other 
cities were ambitious in such matters — not merely the cities in Asia  and Syria and 
Cilicia, but these neighbouring cities so close at hand, Nicomedia, Nicaea, and 
Caesarea  yonder, well-born folk and very Greek, yet occupying a city much smaller 
than our own; — and (p259) that those who enjoyed the rights of citizenship in each of 
these cities, no matter if they differed concerning other matters, agreed on such 
matters as these; and that the Emperor, as luck would have it, was sending written 
instructions to this effect, stating that he wishes your city to be developed in every 
way — but just let me read you his letter, since it would take too long to read the 
letter of Aristotle and it would not be worth the trouble — 14 I thought, as I was 
saying, that it would be this way with you people too, and that no one would be vexed 
because the city was being embellished. And so far as that is concerned it turned out 
as I had expected; for you approved these plans, and you yourselves made many and 
frequent contributions and showed yourselves enthusiastic. 
What, then, do you wish? For I swear to you by all the gods, if it meant paining you, 
or any among you, or being thought a nuisance, I should not choose to have for my 
very own the palace of Dareius or of Croesus, or to have my own ancestral dwelling 
golden in very truth instead of in name alone like the house of Nero.  15 For there is 
no advantage in a golden house any more than there is in a golden pot or in the 
Persian plane tree.  On the other hand, there is advantage when a city becomes good-
looking, when it gets more air, open space, shade in summer and in (p261) winter 
sunshine beneath the shelter of a roof, and when, in place of cheap, squat wrecks of 
houses, it gains stately edifices that are worthy of a great city, the purpose being that, 
just as with well-bred colts and puppies, those who see them can forecast their future 
height if the legs are long and sturdy, whereas if they are short and stunted men say 
they will always remain so, thus it may be also with our city. 
16 But what use is there in you speaking of these things now? One of the sophists did 
well to call me a nightingale, though he intended it as an insult; his reason, no doubt, 
was that the poets call the nightingale a tiresome chatterer. But perhaps I may be like 
the cicadae; for when parched with thirst from exposure of that sun, they sing out of 
sheer folly, since they are in no wise benefited thereby. Yet perhaps I should not fail 
to add this much at least on the subject of the tombs and shrines, namely, that it is 
not likely that the people of Antioch did not lay hands upon anything of this kind; the 
reason is that they were providing much more space than we are, for their city is 
thirty-six stades in length and they have constructed colonnades on both sides;  nor 
is it likely that the people of Tarsus did not either; nor indeed the people of 
Nicomedia, who passed a resolution to transfer their tombs. 17 And Macrinus, whom 
you have recorded as a benefactor of the city, removed from the market-place the 
tomb of King Prusias,  and his statue as well. The explanation is that the cities 
(p263) I have named have no one who is public-spirited or scrupulous in religious 
matters; but we had many such! 
However, just suit yourselves in these matters. For what concern of mine is the 
colonnade in this city? As if I could not promenade in any place I please — in the 
Painted Porch at Athens,  in the Persian Porch at Sparta,  in the golden colonnades 
in Rome,  in those of Antioch and Tarsus — attended by marks of greater respect, or 
as if I expected that I alone should sally forth and promenade but no other citizen!  
Why, no one has either a municipal gymnasium all to himself where he exercises or a 
colonnade or a bath or any other public structure. Or else I have become demented or 
feeble-minded. 
18 However, as I have requested,  give me your advice. For though it is my desire to 
please you in every way possible, I am at a loss. For as things are now, if I take the 
business in hand and try go get the work done, some persons say I am acting the 
tyrant  and tearing down the city and all its shrines. For of course it was I who set fire 
to the temple of Zeus! Yet I saved the statues from the scrap-pile, and now they are 
placed in the most conspicuous spot in the city. But if, on the contrary, I hold my 
peace, not wishing to make any one groan or to give offence to any one, you cry out, 
"Let the work proceed, or else (p265) let what has been accomplished to date be torn 
down!" — as if by this you were taunting and reproaching me. 19 Well, what do you 
wish me to do? For I will do whatever you say, and as to everything essential I will 
raise no objection, no matter if some one has done a job for which he has rendered no 
accounting,  no matter if he is still at work and receiving funds regularly from the 
annual officials, just as if he were destined to continue receiving these funds for the 
jar that never fills, no matter what else may take place — for what have I to do with 
these matters? For I shall not go walking through your colonnade, you may be sure. 
But do you wish me to go ahead with the work, and to visit the proconsul and beg him 
to collect the subscriptions,  gently and with regard to ability to pay, from those who 
have promised them? you ready to do even this; not only so, but even to contribute a 
portion of what has been subscribed myself, so as to lighten the burden of the rest. 

[47,20] Only do give me some instructions; otherwise I shall hold my peace and let you 
shout — or rather I shall go away. For unlike the fox who ate the meat and could not 
get out of the oak because she had stuffed herself,  I shall find no difficulty in getting 
out on that score, for I have grown much thinner than I was when I came in. 
And in Heaven's name don't imagine you are showing me kindness when you shout 
about the (p267) colonnade, for there is, I may say, only one man in the city, so I hear, 
who is showing me kindness and taking special thought for my welfare; moreover, no 
one, whether friend or kinsman, shows concern for me in that way.  But consider 
whether you will think he reasons well in my behalf and is devoted to me, 21 seeing 
that, in the first place, he believes that after all my perils and hardships I should live 
here quietly and devote myself to my private affairs and neither cultivate proconsuls  
nor have any other occupation; also, since I have recovered only a small part of my 
property, and since, on top of my earlier losses, when my sister died I not only 
derived no profit from her estate but even lost everything of mine that she controlled  
and had to make a loan for the purchase my farm, he argues that I should repay this 
obligation, as well as the earlier debts, and not be building a colonnade or incurring 
expenses beyond my ability to carry; 22 furthermore, since I am on terms of 
acquaintance, perhaps even of intimacy, with the Emperor, as well as with many 
others who may be called the most influential among the Romans, he suggests that 
I should associate with them, enjoying their esteem and admiration,  instead of being 
taken to task in your city before this or that individual; again, if I really like foreign 
travel, I should, he says, visit the greatest cities, escorted with much enthusiasm and 
ιclat, the recipients of my visits being (p269) grateful for my presence and begging me to 
address them and advise them flocking about my doors from early dawn,  all without 
my having incurred any expense or having made any contribution, with the result 
that all would admire me and perhaps some would exclaim, 
Ye gods! his dear and honoured is this man 
To whatsoever town and folk he comes;  
23 but I should not spend money out of slender resources, be busied with unprofitable 
ventures, destroy with neglect my body, which calls for treatment and much 
attention, allow my soul to go so long without a taste of philosophy and kindred 
subjects, and be called to account before this or that man and be subjected to abuse at 
times and made to smart. 
By Heaven, is not the man who frets and reasons thus in my behalf most well 
disposed toward me of all and most deserving of my love? However, when I hear that 
a certain person is talking about me as if I were a tyrant, it seems to me to be 
amazing, yes, ridiculous. 
24 For according to my understanding tyrant's acts are like 
the following: seduction of married women and ruining of boys, beating and 
maltreating free men in the sight of all, sometimes even subjecting men to torture, as, 
for example, plunging them into a seething cauldron, and at other times 
administering a coat of tar; but I do naught of this. Furthermore, I know regarding a 
female tyrant, Semiramis,  that, being advanced in years and lustful, she used to 
force men to lie with (p271) her. And of male tyrants I have heard it said that so-and-so 
did the same thing, outrageous old sinner!  
25 But what has all this to do with me? Is it because I build my house in costly style  
instead of letting it tumble down? Or because I myself wear purple instead of a 
miserable rag or cloak? Can it be because I wear long hair and have a beard?  But, 
possibly this is not the mark of a tyrant but rather of a king. However that may be, 
some one  has said that being roundly abused, though doing kindly deeds, is also a 
mark of royalty.