Letter 360

To Aristainetos. (~358 AD) Your letter made Nikentios a friend to us; Modestos, who was already a friend, your letter made more of a friend than before. He delighted our city with his enthusiasm for me, and delighted me with his mention of you. For what those who know you well are always saying, he too declared: "I have never seen such a man." He went through many of your qualities, adding that he could not recount them all. Then evening called him to the baths, but the pleasure of the conversation held him back. He praised your merits, and Fortunatianus praised him — for praising what deserved praise. And what did I do? I blushed in silence, as though I myself were the one being praised. I then brought the man into the council chamber where we hold our rhetorical contests, and perhaps my speaking did not displease him. Having received from you two officials as friends, I repay your gift with one man brimming with wisdom. This Harpokration is both a fine poet and an even finer teacher — skilled at instilling the works of the ancients in the young, skilled at rivaling those ancients himself. Though he has lived continuously among books, he has none of the sophisticate's artifice: he is straightforward and noble, and you will never catch him thinking one thing while saying another. He shared both meals and studies with Eudaimon — formerly as a student, now as a teacher — and had nearly grown into one person with his friend, but was torn away by your government's authority. Now separated, he journeys in tears while Eudaimon sits behind and weeps. I shall console Eudaimon; you be to Harpokration what we are to Eudaimon.

Ἀρισταινέτῳ. (358) Νικέντιον μὲν τὰ σὰ γράμματα φίλον ἡμῖν ἐποίει, Μό- δεστον δὲ ὄντα καὶ πρὸ τοῦ φίλον μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον ἐποίει τὰ γράμματα. τὴν μὲν οὖν πόλιν ἡμὶν εὔφρανε τῇ περὶ ἐμὲ σπουδῇ, ἐμὲ δὲ τῇ περὶ σοῦ μνήμῃ. τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν καλῶς σε εἰδότων ᾀδόμενον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐφθέγγετο· οὔπω τοιοῦτον εἶδον. καὶ διεξῄει πολλὰ τῶν σῶν προστιθείς, ὡς οὐκ ἂν πάντα εἰπεῖν ἔχοι. εἶτ’ ἐκαλεῖτο μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας ἐπὶ λουτρά, κατείχετο δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπῄνει τὰ σά, Φουρτουνατιανὸς δὲ ἐκεῖνον, ὅτι ἃ χρῆν ἐπῄνει. τί οὖν ἐγώ; σιγῶν ἠρυθρίων ὡς ἂν αὐτὸς ἐπαινούμενος. εἰσάγω δὴ τὸν ἄνδρα εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον, οὗ λόγων ἀγῶνες ἡμῖν. καὶ ἴσως οὐκ ἠνίασα λέγων. λαβὼν δὴ παρὰ σοῦ δύο ἄρχοντας φίλους ἑνὶ γέμοντι σοφίας ἀμεί- βομαί σου τὸ δῶρον. Ἁρποκρατίων γὰρ οὑτοσὶ καὶ ποιητὴς ἀγαθὸς καὶ παιδευτὴς ἀμείνων, δεινὸς μὲν ἐνθεῖναι τὰ τῶν παλαιῶν νέοις, δεινὸς δὲ ἐκείνοις παρισωθῆναι, βεβιωκὼς δὲ συνεχῶς ἐν βιβλίοις ἤκιστα μετέχει κομψείας ἁπλοῦς τις ὢν καὶ γενναῖος καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἁλοίη φρονῶν μὲν ἕτερα, λέγων δὲ ἄλλα. οὗτος Εὐδαίμονι κοινωνήσας καὶ τροφῆς καὶ μου- σείων πάλαι μὲν ἐν τῷ φοιτᾶν, νῦν δὲ ἐν τῷ παιδεύειν καὶ μικροῦ τῷ φίλῳ συμπεφυκὼς ὑπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀπερράγη δυ- ναστείας. καὶ νῦν διακριθέντες, μετὰ δακρύων πορεύεται μὲν αὐτός, κάθηται δὲ ἐκεῖνος. 7, Εὐδαίμονα μὲν οὖν ἐγὼ παραμυθήσομαι, σὺ δ’ Ἁρποκρατίωνι γίγνου τοῦθ’ ὅπερ ἡμεῖς Εὐδαίμονι.