[9]
Nay, if you will but recall also your father's principles, you will have from your own house a noble illustration of what I am telling you. For he did not belittle virtue nor pass his life in indolence; on the contrary, he trained his body by toil, and by his spirit he withstood dangers. Nor did he love wealth inordinately; but, although he enjoyed the good things at his hand as became a mortal, yet he cared for his possessions as if he had been immortal1.
1 Cf. Bacchyl. 3.78 (Jebb): “As a mortal thou must nourish each of two forebodings;—that to-morrow's sunlight will be the last that thou shalt see; or that for fifty years thou wilt live out thy life in ample wealth;” and Lucian, Anthol. Pal . x. 26: ὡς τεθηνξόμενος τῶν σῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυε ὡς δὲ βιωσόμενος φείδεο σῶν κτεάων.