16.1

From my father
Gentleness, and unshaken persistence in those things which he had thoroughly vetted and judged. He refused the vainglory of those things which only seem honorable. He loved work and perseverance. He had a ready ear for anyone who offered something for the common good. He did not fail to give everyone what he deserved. He had the experience to know when to insist and when to relax.

He checked all erotic desire for boys.

[2] He had the common touch. He never commanded his friends to eat with him, nor force them to travel with him. If some need kept them away, they would always find him the same when they returned.

If he considered something, he would search it out accurately — he did not leave it to first impressions.

He had the skill to keep friends: he didn’t grow sick of them; he didn’t go crazy after them. He was self-reliant. He was radiant. He had the foresight to think ahead. He took care of even the smallest things without drama.

Greek Text and Notes:

Παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τὸ ἥμερον καὶ μενετικὸν ἀσαλεύτως ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξητασμένως κριθέντων: καὶ τὸ ἀκενόδοξον περὶ τὰς δοκούσας τιμάς: καὶ τὸ φιλόπονον καὶ ἐνδελεχές: καὶ τὸ ἀκουστικὸν τῶν ἐχόντων τι κοινωφελὲς εἰσφέρειν: καὶ τὸ ἀπαρατρέπτως τοῦ κατ̓ ἀξίαν ἀπονεμητικὸν ἑκάστῳ: καὶ τὸ ἔμπειρον ποῦ μὲν χρεία ἐντάσεως, ποῦ δὲ ἀνέσεως:

Παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς

τὸ ἥμερον
gentleness

καὶ μενετικὸν
and long-suffering

ἀσαλεύτως ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξητασμένως κριθέντων:
unshakenly upon the fully investigatingly judgments
epi marks the matters in which he was unshaken
καὶ τὸ ἀκενόδοξον περὶ τὰς δοκούσας τιμάς:
and the vainglory concerning seeming honors
The participle functions as an adjective; seemingly.
καὶ τὸ φιλόπονον καὶ ἐνδελεχές:
and to love labor/work and perseverance

καὶ τὸ ἀκουστικὸν τῶν ἐχόντων τι κοινωφελὲς εἰσφέρειν:
and the readiness to hearing of the ones having common utility to bear-carry-in
readiness to hear the one suggesting something for the common good

καὶ τὸ ἀπαρατρέπτως
τοῦ κατ̓ ἀξίαν ἀπονεμητικὸν ἑκάστῳ:
and disposed to distribute to each according to his worth

ἀπονεμ-ητικός , ή, όν,
A. [select] disposed to distribute: τὸ ἀ. [ἦθος] disposition to give every one his due, M.Ant.1.16; “ἑκάστῳ τῶν πρὸς ἀξίαν” Gal.19.384; distributive, Asp.in EN158.22. Adv. “-κῶς” D.L.7.126. (ἀπονεμετ- is a f.l.)
καὶ τὸ ἔμπειρον
and the experience (to know)
ποῦ μὲν χρεία ἐντάσεως, ποῦ δὲ ἀνέσεως:
When on one hand the need to stay and the need to leave
hold-fast, relent
stay/go

He checked all erotic desire for boys.

He had the common touch. He never commanded his friends to eat with him, nor force them to travel with him. If some need kept them away, they would always find him the same when they returned.

If he considered something, he would search it out accurately — he did not leave it to first impressions.

He had the skill to keep friends: he didn’t grow sick of them; he didn’t go crazy after them. He was self-reliant. He was radiant. He had the foresight to think ahead. He took care of even the smallest things without drama.

[2] καὶ τὸ παῦσαι τὰ περὶ τοὺς ἔρωτας τῶν: μειρακίων: καὶ ἡ κοινονοημοσύνη καὶ τὸ ἐφεῖσθαι τοῖς φίλοις μήτε συνδειπνεῖν αὐτῷ πάντως μήτε συναποδημεῖν ἐπάναγκες, ἀεὶ δὲ ὅμοιον αὐτὸν καταλαμβάνεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν διὰ χρείας τινὰς ἀπολειφθέντων: καὶ τὸ ζητητικὸν ἀκριβῶς ἐν τοῖς συμβουλίοις καὶ ἐπίμονον, ἀλλ̓ οὐ τὸ προαπέστη τῆς ἐρεύνης, ἀρκεσθεὶς ταῖς προχείροις φαντασίαις: καὶ τὸ διατηρητικὸν τῶν φίλων καὶ μηδαμοῦ ἁψίκορον μηδὲ ἐπιμανές: καὶ τὸ αὔταρκες ἐν παντὶ καὶ τὸ φαιδρόν: καὶ τὸ πόρρωθεν προνοητικὸν καὶ τῶν ἐλαχίστων προδιοικητικὸν ἀτραγῴδως:

[2] καὶ τὸ παῦσαι τὰ περὶ τοὺς ἔρωτας τῶν μειρακίων:
and to suppress all sexual passion/erotic desire for boys

καὶ ἡ κοινονοημοσύνη
the regard for the feelings of others
καὶ τὸ ἐφεῖσθαι τοῖς φίλοις
and to send to the (his) friends
command: with the negative in the next clause: he did not command

μήτε συνδειπνεῖν αὐτῷ πάντως
and neither to dine with him always
μήτε συναποδημεῖν ἐπάναγκες,

and not to travel with by compulsion

ἐπα^νάγκ-ης , used only in neut.:
1. [select] ἐπάναγκές [ἐστι] it is compulsory, necessary, c. inf., And.1.1, Pl.Lg.878e, etc.; μηδὲν ἐ. ἔστω let there be no compulsion, ib.765a, cf.Smp.176e.
2. [select] as Adv., on compulsion, ἐ. κομῶντες wearing long hair by fixed custom, Hdt.1.82; ἐ. λέγειν, ἐντίθεσθαι, Aeschin.1.24, D.34.7; “ἐ. λαβεῖν” Men.576; “ἐ. βουλὴν ἀθροισάτω” IG22.1100.50, etc.; “τὰ ἐπάναγκες” Act.Ap.15.28.

ἀεὶ δὲ ὅμοιον αὐτὸν καταλαμβάνεσθαι
but always like him to seize/happen to
but to always find him the same
The de does not mark a contrast, but rather another characteristic on the same level but of a different nature>
ὑπὸ τῶν διὰ χρείας τινὰς ἀπολειφθέντων:
by those certain leaving through need
Those whose need had kept them away

ἀπολιμπάνω , Aeol. ἀπυ- , collat. form of
A. [select] “ἀπολείπω, ἀέκων σ᾽ ἀ.” Sapph.Supp.23.5, cf. Luc.Cat.7, Gal.UP4.11, POxy.1426.12 (iv A. D.): -Pass., Plu.Them.10.

καὶ τὸ ζητητικὸν ἀκριβῶς
and seek accurately
ἐν τοῖς συμβουλίοις καὶ ἐπίμονον,
among those counsel together and remaining/lasting
ἀλλ̓ οὐ τὸ προαπέστη τῆς ἐρεύνης,
but not the revolt/leave off of the inquiry
ἀρκεσθεὶς ταῖς προχείροις φαντασίαις:
leaving off those at hand appearances
καὶ τὸ διατηρητικὸν τῶν φίλων
and to thoroughly keep of friends
καὶ μηδαμοῦ ἁψίκορον
and neither quickly sated

μηδὲ ἐπιμανές:
and not manic after

καὶ τὸ αὔταρκες ἐν παντὶ
and self-sufficient in everything
καὶ τὸ φαιδρόν:
and beaming

καὶ τὸ πόρρωθεν προνοητικὸν
and foresight to think ahead
καὶ τῶν ἐλαχίστων
even of the least of things
προδιοικητικὸν ἀτραγῴδως:
regulating beforehand without tragedy (without a scene “drama”)

προδιοικ-ητικός , ή, όν,
[select] regulating beforehand, “τῶν ἐλαχίστων” M.Ant. 1.16.