Letter 791

To Gaianus. (362/63) For I too am your possession — so it is no wonder that you are mine as well. But I am no longer persuaded that your skill in governing came from us. You brought it with you from Phoenicia, and that is why, while serving as assessor to another, you prevailed by your character more powerfully than any charm. And now Phoenicia reaps the wages of what she taught, having produced a noble man and being saved and tended by her pupil. By "salvation" and "tending" I do not mean that everyone may do as they please because a friend and a Phoenician holds office, but that I hear you both honor those who deserve it and punish those who must be punished, and that you demand this first from your friends: that they not disobey the laws. For whoever in office permits his old associates to break the law grants a favor harmful to both sides, and while seeming to respect friendship, does not realize he hates both himself and them. You have greatly underestimated the speed of rumor, if you thought you were writing to people unaware of these things. Rumor long ago outran your letter — she is a thing of the gods, and winged — and she filled not just the marketplace but has already entered the palace, bearing delight to the emperor and prophet. He rejoiced and spoke as one who is pleased, and we who were present heard something of it, shared in the joy, and contributed our applause — which he recognized, and which you surely can guess.

Γαϊανῷ. (362/63) Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ κτῆμα σόν· ὥστ’ οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν εἰ καὶ σὺ κτῆμα ἐμόν. ἐκεῖνο μέντοι οὐκέτι πείθομαι τὴν τὴν τὸ ἄρχειν ἀρετὴν παρ’ ἡμῶν γεγενῆσθαί σοι. κομίζων γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐκ Φοινίκης ἀφῖξο καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἑτέρῳ παρεδρεύων μεῖζον ἴυγγος ἴσχυσας τῷ τρόπῳ. καὶ νῦν Φοινίκη μισθοὺς ὧν ἐδίδαξε κομίζεται ποιήσασά τε γενναῖον καὶ παρὰ τοῦ μα- θητοῦ σωζομένη τε καὶ θεραπευομένη. σωτηρίαν δὲ καλῶ καὶ θεραπείαν οὐ τὸ ἐξεῖναι πάντα ποιεῖν ὡς ὂν ἑταίρου καὶ Φοίνικος ἄρχοντος, ἀλλ’ ὅτι σε ἀκούω καὶ τιμᾶν οὓς δεῖ καὶ κολάζειν οὓς χρή, καὶ τοῦτο πρῶτον ἀπαιτοῦντα τοὺς φί- λους τὸ μὴ ἀπειθεῖν τοῖς νόμοις. ὡς ὅστις ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῖς πάλαι συνήθεσι δίδωσι παρανομεῖν, βλαβερὰν ἀμφοτέροις χα- ρίζεται χάριν καὶ δοκῶν αἰδεῖσθαι φιλίαν αὑτόν τε κἀκείνους μισῶν οὐκ οἶδε. πολλὴν δὲ ἄρα βραδυτῆτα κατέγνως τῆς φήμης. εἰ ἀγνοοῦσι ταῦτα ᾠήθης γράφειν. ἡ δὲ πάλαι σου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔφθη θεοῦ τε πρᾶγμα ποιοῦσα καὶ ὑποπτέρου καὶ οὐ τὴν ἀγοράν γε μόνον ἐνέπλησεν αὑτῆς, ἀλλ’ ἤδη καὶ εἰς τὸ βασίλειον εἰσῆλθεν ἡδονὴν φέρουσα τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ μάντει. ὁ δὲ χαίρων ἐφθέγξατό τε οἷα τὸν ἡδόμενον εἰκός, καί τί που καὶ ἡμεῖς παρόντες ἠκούσαμεν καὶ συνήσθημέν τε καὶ συνεισηνέγκαμεν κρότον, ὃν ἐκεῖνός τε οἶδε καὶ σὺ δήπου τεκμαίρῃ.