Letter 185
Libanius→Andronicus, a general|libanius
To Andronicus, a general. (360)
The admirable Mares was both my fellow student and my teacher -- for having grown alongside me, he rose to that rank. With these two claims on me, he has the right to command and I am bound to serve.
He is concerned about Zeno, who belongs to the prefect's staff and now comes to you. Zeno will do well if you wish it, and if you do not wish it -- but no, I know you will wish the better outcome, both out of respect for me and out of regard for the man I myself revere.
Ἀνδρονίκῳ. (360)
Μάρης ὁ θαυμάσιος καὶ συμφοιτητὴς ἡμῖν γεγένηται
καὶ διδάσκαλος, αὐξηθεὶς γὰρ ἀπ’ ἐκείνου πρὸς τοῦτο ἦλθε,
καὶ δύο τούτοις <τοῖς> δικαιώμασι τῷ μὲν ὑπάρχει τὸ
τάττειν, ἡμῖν δὲ ὑπηρετεῖν ἀνάγκη.
μέλει δὲ τούτῳ Ζή-
νωνος, ὁ δέ ἐστι τῶν περὶ τὸν ὕπαρχον καὶ νῦν ἥκει παρὰ
σὲ εὖ τε πράξων, εἰ τοῦτο βούλοιο, καὶ μὴ βουλομένου τοῦτο,
θάτερον δὲ οὐκ ἔρα, ἀλλ’ οἶδ᾿ ὅτι βουλήσῃ τὰ βελτίω
μένος τε τοὐμὸν ἐν λόγῳ κἀκεῖνον αἰδούμενος ὃν καὶ ἐγώ.
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To Andronicus, a general. (360)
The admirable Mares was both my fellow student and my teacher -- for having grown alongside me, he rose to that rank. With these two claims on me, he has the right to command and I am bound to serve.
He is concerned about Zeno, who belongs to the prefect's staff and now comes to you. Zeno will do well if you wish it, and if you do not wish it -- but no, I know you will wish the better outcome, both out of respect for me and out of regard for the man I myself revere.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.