1 Patriotism and Ambitions: Intellectual Response to Roman Rule in the High Empire

Abstract

Ὅτε φεύγειν συνέβη με φιλίας ἕνεκεν λεγομένης ἀνδρὸς οὐ πονηροῦ,. .. ὡς δὴ τἀνδρὶ φίλον ὄντα καὶ σύμβουλον• ἔθος γάρ τι τοῦτό ἐστι τῶν τυράννων, ὥσπερ ἐν Σκύθαις τοῖς βασιλεῦσι συνθάπτειν οἰνοχόους καὶ μαγείρους καὶ παλλακάς, οὕτως τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἀποθνήσκουσιν ἑτέρους προστιθέναι πλείους ἀπ' οὐδεμιᾶς αἰτίας.. .. When it happened to me to be exiled for my alleged friendship with a man of good character. .. .. .. .. the charge against me that I was friend and advisor to that man. For, it is the nature of tyrants, just as to bury wine-bearers and cooks and concubines with Scythian kings, so to add for no reason several others to those who are being executed by them.. .. (Dio Chrys. Or. 13.1).