Letter 533
Libanius→Spectatus|libanius
To Spectatus.
I admired Gerontius's character and made him my friend, and now I do whatever I can for him in return. The best friend I could make for him is you, and he would pray to have you.
He has come to you with some business of his own to settle, and it would not be fitting for him to seek another patron while you are there. So receive him warmly, look on him with goodwill, and set the man on a better footing.
Σπεκτάτῳ. (356/57)
Γεροντίου τὸν τρόπον ἐπαινέσας ἐποιησάμην φίλον καὶ 20
δὴ καὶ ὅντινα ἂν δύνωμαι ποιῶ τῷ Γεροντίῳ. φίλον δὲ σὲ
ἐγὼ μὲν μάλιστα ἂν δυναίμην ποιεῖν, οὗτος δ’ ἂν εὔξαιτο
λαβεῖν.
ἥκει μὲν οὖν παρ’ ὑμᾶς τῶν αὑτοῦ τι δεόμενος,
γενέσθαι δὲ αὐτῷ προστάτην ἕτερον σοῦ παρόντος οὐκ εὐπρε-
πές. ὅπως οὖν καὶ δέξη καὶ μετ’ εὐνοίας ὄψει κοὶ καταστή-
σεις εἰς σχῆμα τὸν ἄνδρα βέλτιον.
◆
To Spectatus.
I admired Gerontius's character and made him my friend, and now I do whatever I can for him in return. The best friend I could make for him is you, and he would pray to have you.
He has come to you with some business of his own to settle, and it would not be fitting for him to seek another patron while you are there. So receive him warmly, look on him with goodwill, and set the man on a better footing.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.