Epistles of Phalaris, 12:
To Aglaos
I have stored up as much wealth as god has provided for the reversals of fortune not in the bosom of the earth, as you have suggested, but with those of my friends who wished to accept it as a gift. But you have not graced me by offering yourself enthusiastically to this plan to have some measure of hope in you who are my friends if I should ever lose my power. But indeed, though you have not done it now, take it and make the deed a kind of storing up which will guard our friendship. For I will not regard any part of the earth as trustworthy as I pass it if you, the greatest of my friends, are less sure and abiding than a handful of dust. But if you are doing well, even if I find myself wrapped up by a different fortune, I will in my vanquished state appear to be no less fortunate.
᾿Αγλάῳ.
Τεθησαυρίκαμεν τοῦ πλούτου ὅσον παρέσχεν ὁ θεὸς εἰς μεταβολὰς τῆς τύχης οὐκ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις τῆς γῆς, ὡς παρῄνεις, ἀλλ’ εἰς τοὺς βουληθέντας τῶν φίλων τὰς δωρεὰς λαμβάνειν. σὺ δ’ οὐδ’ εἰς τοῦτο πρόθυμον ἡμῖν σεαυτὸν ἐχαρίσω, τὸ κατά γε ὑμᾶς τοὺς φίλους,κἂν ἀποσφαλῶμεν τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἔχεσθαι τῶν ἐλπίδων. οὐ μὴν ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ μὴ πρότερον, νῦν γε λαβὼν ὡς παρακαταθήκην ἐμοὶ φυλαχθησομένην φίλου τι ποίησον ἔργον· πιστὸν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἡγησόμεθα γῆς μέρος παρελθόντες ὡς κόνεως ἀπιστοτέρους τοὺς ἐξ ὑμῶν τῶν ἑταίρων κρατίστους. ὧν εὐτυχούντων, κἂν αὐτὸς ἑτέρῳ συμπλακῶ δαίμονι, ἡσθεὶς οὐδὲν ἧττον εὐτυχεῖν δόξω.
