A Slip of the Tongue in Greeting (11-15)

Then Pyrrhus of Epirus also is worthy of mention. As a general he was second only to Alexander and endured a myriad changes of fortune. In all his prayers to the gods and sacrifices and offerings he never asked them for victory or increased kingly dignity or glory or excessive wealth; his prayer was for this thing alone—good health; he was sure that if he had this he would easily get all the rest. I think he was right when he considered that all the blessings in the world are worth nothing when health is the one thing he hasn’t got.

Yes, someone will say, we have assigned the proper time for each phrase, but you have switched it; and even if you have done nothing else wrong, you have still in all justice made a slip; you’ve put a

Now in the book of instructions you always get from the emperor, isn’t the first injunction to you to take care of your health? And rightly so. You would not be of much use otherwise. Indeed you yourselves, if I know any Latin, also often return the word “Health” [*] when you shake hands.

In saying all this I did not want deliberately to discard “Joy to you” and put “Health” in its place; this was an accident—it would be ridiculous for me to surprise you all by changing the usual times of the greetings.

I am grateful to heaven that my slip was a switch into something much more auspicious and slid into something better. Perhaps the goddess Health or Asclepius himself inspired me on purpose to promise you health through me. I could certainly never have done it without a god’s intervention,