Source edition
Isocrates, Vol. 3. Van Hook, Larue, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1945 (printing).
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a letter of recommendation addressed to Antipater, the powerful Macedonian ruler. The author introduces and recommends a man named Diodotus, using the occasion to emphasize the importance of "frank speech" (parrhesia) for rulers. It is argued that individuals who speak the truth without flattery are of the greatest value to a leader. The author then earnestly requests protection and safety for Diodotus and his son. Finally, the letter concludes with a request for understanding regarding its length and direct phrasing. The work illustrates the relationship between rulers and advisors, as well as the conventions of ancient epistolary recommendation.