Letter 165

To Andronicus. (358-361) The soldiers serving under Modestus have done me many favors. In return for all of them, they ask only one -- one that I could grant through you. Consider whether it would look right for me to be willing to receive favors but unable to return them. The favor is this: do not be harsh to Leontius regarding the assistance that many things entitle him to, including a letter from the emperor.

To Andronicus (358–361) The soldiers under Modestus have done me many favors, and in return for those many favors they ask but one — one that I could grant through you. Consider, then, whether it sits well with you that we should be willing to receive kindness yet unable to repay it. The favor is this: that you not prove harsh toward Leontius in the matter of the assistance that is owed him — assistance confirmed by many other things and, not least, by a letter from the Emperor himself.

Ἀνδρονίκῳ. (358—361) Οἱ περὶ τὸν Μόδεστον στρατιῶται πολλάς μοι δεδώκασι χάριτας, ἀντὶ· δὲ πολλῶν αἰτοῦσι μίαν, ἣν διὰ σοῦ δυναίμην ἂν δοῦναι. σκόπει τοίνυν, εἴ σοι καλῶς ἔχει δοκεῖν ἡμᾶς εὖ μὲν πάσχειν ἐθέλειν, ἀμείβεσθαι δὲ οὐκ ἔχειν. ἔστι δὲ ἡ χάρις μὴ πικρόν σε γενέσθαι Λεοντίῳ περὶ τὴν βοήθειαν, ἣν αὐτῷ πολλά τε ἄλλα φέρει καὶ βασιλέως ἐπιστολή.