Letter 378

To Eugnomon. (358 AD) I knew you as my friend and as one no less devoted to his friends than Theseus. But having sent you a letter and received none in return, I wonder what sort of man you will be when called upon for a deed, when you have not even dared to write — and this despite bearing a name derived from writing itself. If your wealth has made you contemptuous of your acquaintances, then to hell with being rich. But if you remain the same man toward everyone else while changing only toward me, consider that we will meet again someday, and when you search for an excuse you will either fall silent or turn shameless. Come now, my dear fellow — dissolve my complaint with a letter that carries something of your former character, so that I may not only congratulate your prosperity but praise you as well. And as for this good man Olympius, treat him well yourself and urge others to do the same. The man is a fellow citizen of mine and studied alongside me in his youth, but by choosing a soldier's career he let go of most of his learning. Still, you should honor him as one who kept faith with his craft, and show him a place among those who are doing well. If you had no power, I would pray that you might gain some. As it is, I am surely not wrong to want to benefit from the power you have. And your reward, from both me and from Olympius, will be the remembrance of the favor.

Εὐγνωμονίῳ. (358) Ἐγω σε φίλον τε ᾔδειν ἐμαυτοῦ καἰ περὶ τοὺς φίλους πρόθυμον οὐχ ἧττον ἢ Θησέα, γράμματα δέ σοι πέμψας μέν, οὐκ ἀντιλαβὼν δὲ σκοπῶ, τίς ἔσῃ καλοῦντος ἔργου μηδὲ ἐπι- στεῖλαι τολμήσας καὶ ταῦτα οὔσης σοι προσηγορίας ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιστέλλειν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ὁ πλοῦτός σε πεποίηκεν ὑπερόπτην τῶν γνωρίμων, ἀπόλοιτο τὸ πλουτεῖν· εἰ δὲ τὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλ- λους <ὁ> α αὐτὸς ὢν τὰ πρὸς ἐμὲ κεκίνηκας, ἐννόησον ὡς ποτὲ συνεσόμεθα καὶ ζητῶν ἀπολογίαν ἢ σιγήσεις ἢ ἀναισχυν- τήσεις. ἀλλ’, ὦ μακάριε, λύε τὴν μέμψιν ἐπιστολῇ φερούσῃ τι τῶν προτέρων ἠθῶν, ἴνα σε μὴ μόνον εὐδαιμονίζωμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινῶμεν, καὶ δὴ καὶ τουτονὶ τὸν χρηστὸν Ὀλύμπιον αὐτός τε εὖ ποίει καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους παρακάλει. ὁ δὲ ἀνὴρ πολίτης τε ἐμὸς καὶ συνεφοίτα μοι νέος ὤν, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ στρα- τιώτης ἐθελῆσαι γενέσθαι τὸ πολὺ διαφῆκε τῶν λόγων. ἀλλὰ σύ γε αὐτὸν ὡς ἂν φυλάξαντα τὴν τέχνην τιμῆς τε ἀξιώσεις καὶ δείξεις γε τῶν εὖ πραττόντων ἴνα. εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἦν σοι δύναμις, ηὐξάμην ἄν σοι γενέσθαι, νῦν δὲ τῆς οὔσης ἀπολαύειν ἐθέλων ἴσως οὐκ ἀδικῶ. μισθὸς δέ σοι παρά τε ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦδε τὸ μεμνῆσθαι τῆς χάριτος.