Letter 3
Libanius→Clearchus; then Elebocius|c. 372 AD|libanius
From: Libanius, rhetorician in Antioch
To: Clearchus
Date: ~372 AD
Context: A letter of introduction for Olympius's son, a soldier seeking Clearchus's friendship.
This man is the son of Olympius -- the well-educated one -- and the son himself is no ignoramus, on top of being a soldier. He's set his heart on your friendship, and since I'm fond of you both, he wanted to secure it through me. So here he comes with this letter, which carries all his hopes.
**To the same person.** (372/73 or 382/84?)
This man is the son of Olympius, who learned a great deal, and he himself knows no small amount, besides being a soldier. Having conceived a desire for your friendship, he wished to obtain it through me, who am fond of you both, and so he comes bearing this letter of mine, in which rest his hopes of fulfilling that desire.
τῷ αὐτῷ. (372/73 vel 382/84?)
Ὀλυμπίου μὲν οὗτός ἐστι παῖς τοῦ πολλὰ μαθόντος, οἶδε
δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ὀλίγα πρὸς τῷ καὶ στρατιώτης εἶναι φιλίας
δὲ τῆς σῆς ἐπιθυμήσας δι’ ἐμοῦ τοῦ φιλοῦντος ἄμφω τοῦθ
16 αὑτῷ γενέσθαι βουληθεὶς ἔρχεται μετὰ γραμμάτων ἐμῶν, ἐν
οἷς ἔχει τὰς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐλπίδας.
◆
From: Libanius, rhetorician in Antioch
To: Clearchus
Date: ~372 AD
Context: A letter of introduction for Olympius's son, a soldier seeking Clearchus's friendship.
This man is the son of Olympius -- the well-educated one -- and the son himself is no ignoramus, on top of being a soldier. He's set his heart on your friendship, and since I'm fond of you both, he wanted to secure it through me. So here he comes with this letter, which carries all his hopes.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.