Eum. 1.1Eumenēs Cardiānus.Eumenes of Cardia. Eum. 1.1Huius sī virtūtī pār data esset fortūna, nōn ille quidem maior exstitisset, quod magnōs hominēs virtūte mētīmur, nōn fortūnā, sed multō illūstrior atque etiam honōrātior.If fortune equal to his merit had been granted him, he would not indeed have been greater, since we measure great men by merit, not by fortune, but he would have been far more famous and also more honoured. Eum. 1.2Nam cum aetās eius incidisset in ea tempora, quibus Macedonēs flōrērent, multum eī dētrāxit inter eōs vīventī, quod aliēnae erat cīvitātis, neque aliud huic dēfuit quam generōsa stirps.For since his lifetime fell in the period in which the Macedonians flourished, it took much from him, living among them, that he was from a foreign state, and he lacked nothing but noble descent. Eum. 1.3Etsī enim domesticō summō genere erat, tamen Macedonēs eum sibi aliquandō antepōnī indignē ferēbant, neque tamen nōn patiēbantur: vincēbat enim omnēs cūrā, vigilantiā, patientiā, calliditāte et celeritāte ingeniī.For although he was of the highest family in his own country, the Macedonians nevertheless resented it that he was sometimes preferred to them, and yet they did put up with it: for he surpassed them all in diligence, watchfulness, endurance, shrewdness and quickness of mind.
Eum. 1.4Hic peradulēscentulus ad amīcitiam accessit Philippī, Amyntae fīliī, brevīque tempore in intimam pervēnit familiāritātem: fulgēbat enim iam in adulēscentulō indolēs virtūtis.While still a very young man he was admitted to the friendship of Philip, son of Amyntas, and in a short time came into the closest intimacy: for the natural promise of merit was already shining in the youth. Eum. 1.5Itaque eum habuit ad manum scrībae locō, quod multō apud Grāiōs honōrificēntius est quam apud Rōmānōs.And so Philip kept him at hand in the position of secretary, which is far more honourable among the Greeks than among the Romans. Eum. 1.5Namque apud nōs, rē vērā sīcut sunt, mercennāriī scrībae exīstimantur;For among us secretaries are regarded as hirelings, as indeed they are; Eum. 1.5at apud illōs ē contrāriō nēmō ad id officium admittitur nisi honestō locō, et fidē et industriā cognitā, quod necesse est omnium cōnsiliōrum eum esse participem.but among them, on the contrary, no one is admitted to that office unless he is of respectable standing and of proven loyalty and diligence, because he must necessarily share in all counsels. Eum. 1.6Hunc locum tenuit amīcitiae apud Philippum annōs septem.He held this position of friendship with Philip for seven years.
Eum. 1.6Illō interfectō eōdem gradū fuit apud Alexandrum annōs tredecim.When Philip had been killed, he held the same rank with Alexander for thirteen years. Eum. 1.6Novissimō tempore praefuit etiam alterae equitum alae, quae Hetaericē appellābātur.In his last period he also commanded one of the two cavalry wings, which was called the Hetaerice. Eum. 1.6Utrīque autem in cōnsiliō semper affuit et omnium rērum habitus est particeps.And he was always present in the council of both kings and was regarded as a sharer in all affairs.