Isocrates, To Philip, I, ed. Larue Van Hook, 3

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[3] In truth there is no one who has not condemned you as being more reckless in assuming risks than is becoming to a king, and as caring more for men’s praise of your courage than for the general welfare. For it is equally disgraceful, when your enemies threaten on every side, not to prove yourself superior to all the rest, and, when no urgent need has arisen, to hurl yourself into combats of such a kind that, if you succeeded, you would have accomplished nothing of importance, but if you lost your life, you would have destroyed all your present good fortune.¹

To Philip, I. Isocrates. ed. Larue Van Hook. Cambridge, MA. 1945.

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Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Letter 2: To Philip, I (English) (Isocrates, Vol. 3. Van Hook, Larue, translator. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1945 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Ἐπιστολαὶ βʹ Φιλίππῳ α΄ Perseus (Isocrates, Vol. 3. Van Hook, Larue, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1945 (printing).) — 3 focus

[3] οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἔστιν, ὅστις οὐ κατέγνω προπετέστερόν σε κινδυνεύειν ἢ βασιλικώτερον, καὶ μᾶλλόν σοι μέλειν τῶν περὶ τὴν ἀνδρίαν ἐπαίνων ἢ τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων. ἔστι δ’ ὁμοίως αἰσχρὸν περιστάντων τε τῶν πολεμίων μὴ διαφέροντα γενέσθαι τῶν ἄλλων, μηδεμιᾶς τε συμπεσούσης ἀνάγκης αὑτὸν ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τοιούτους ἀγῶνας, ἐν οἷς κατορθώσας μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν ἦσθα μέγα διαπεπραγμένος, τελευτήσας δὲ τὸν βίον ἅπασαν ἂν τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν εὐδαιμονίαν συνανεῖλες.

Notes on the current edition

To Philip, I

1. The many wounds suffered in battle by Philip are vividly related by Dem. 18.67 .

Isocrates To Philip, I 3

ed. Larue Van Hook

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