Letter 7

From: Libanius, rhetorician in Antioch To: Martinianus Date: ~392 AD Context: A request on behalf of a young protege, with a charming double ask at the end. I'm embarrassed to be asking you a favor when I've never done you any kindness, and don't expect I ever will. But since my concern is for a young man, I have no choice but to ask -- and you'll have to forgive me. What I'm asking is this: give us some word about Romanus, whose welfare weighs on me. This could come through your goodwill, and if he benefits from it, he'll gain as much from your favor as a man who's spent years in the courts gains from long experience. And there's a second favor: if you intend to grant the first, write and tell me that you will.

**To Martinianus** (392?) I am ashamed to ask a favor of you when I have never yet done you any kindness, nor expect that I shall. Nevertheless, since my concern is for a young man, I am compelled to ask, and you must forgive me. I beg you, then, to grant us some word concerning Romanus, whose welfare weighs on me. This could come about through your goodwill, and if he should enjoy it, he will gain as much from your favor as one who has spent long years in advocacy gains from time. And there is a second favor: if, intending to grant the first, you would write to say that you will.

Μαρτινιανῷ. (392?) Αἰσχύνομαι μὲν αἰτῶν σε χάριν οὐδέν σε οὐδέπω εὑ πεποιηκὼς οὐδὲ ἐλπίζων, ὅμως δέ, ἐπειδήπερ ὑπὲρ παιδὸς ἡ φροντίς, ἐμοὶ μὲν αἰτεῖν ἀνάγκη, σὺ δὲ σύγγνωθι. δέομαι 20 δή σου δοῦναι ἡμῖν ἀκοῦσαί τι περὶ Ῥωμανοῦ, οὗ φροντὶς καλόν. τοῦτο δὲ γένοιτ᾿ ἄν ἀπὸ τῆς σῆς εὐνοίας, ἧς εἰ ἀπολαύ- σειεν, ἔξει τοσοῦτον ὅσον ᾧ πολὺς ἐν τῷ συνδικεῖν ὁ χρόνος, παρὰ τοῦ χρόνου. χάρις δὲ ἑτέρα. εἰ μέλλων δώσειν ἐκείνην ἐπιστείλαις ὡς δώσεις.