Letter 127

To my Brother. "Beware the asp and the toad, the snake and the Laodiceans. Beware the mad dog too — and again the Laodiceans." After the most cultured and amiable Pentadius, it is a Laodicean — Euthalius — who has obtained the governorship of Egypt. You know the youth: if I am not mistaken, he entered service around the same time we did, and you could not have failed to notice him, given his character and his nickname. Have you heard of a certain "Balantas" — "Purseman"? That dignified title was not inherited from his father but earned by his own conduct. Appointed governor of Lydia in the days of Rufinus, he plundered the Lydians so thoroughly that Rufinus himself — no stranger to corruption — was furious enough to fine him fifteen pounds of gold. He sent his most trusted soldiers to collect the money by force. What did our Sisyphus do? I will spare you the full story — it has been shouted from the rooftops. He prepared two purses, identical to look at. One he filled with bronze coins, the other with gold. He showed the soldiers the gold, let them count it, weigh it, and seal it with the official seal. Then he secretly switched the purses and sent the bronze. But the escorts had already signed a receipt for gold. This is the man who now governs Egypt. You can imagine what we have to look forward to.

Letter 127: A Greedy Governor [1] To his Brother Beware of the asp and the toad, the snake and the Laodiceans. Beware of the mad dog too, and again of the Laodiceans. note [Quote from an unknown text.] [2] After the most amiable and cultivated man, Pentadius, it is a Laodicean, Euthalius, who has obtained and holds the tablets which the state makes the token of the Egyptian government. You know the youth, for, if I am not mistaken, he entered service about the same time as we did, and it is impossible that you did not notice him, on account of his character and his surname. You have heard of a certain Balantas; note ["Purseman".] this dignified appellation did not come to him by inheritance from his father, but rather was a nickname which he acquired for himself. Having been appointed governor of Lydia in the days of Rufinus, I think, he so plundered the Lydians that Rufinus in great wrath condemned him to a fine of fifteen pounds of gold. He furthermore gave orders to some of his soldiers, the bravest and most faithful, as he believed, of his servants, to go and collect this sum of money by force from him and to bring it back faithfully to his bank. [3] What did our Sisyphus then? I shall not be so tactless as to spin out at great length the story which has been proclaimed on the house-tops. You have heard of course how he prepared a pair of purses much more like one another than the horses of Eumelus. note [A reference to Homer , Iliad 2.763.] He filled one of these with bronze obols, the other with gold staters. Then he proceeded to conceal the first one, and to show the second. They counted up the gold, weighed it, and sealed it up with the public seal. Then he secretly effected an exchange of the two purses, and sent the obols instead of the staters. But those in charge had in an official dispatch acknowledged the receipt of the gold, and promised to convey it to the bank. [4] Daphnis became henceforth the first of the shepherds". note [Theocritus 8.92.] It was this which raised Euthalius to the height of fortune. Nobody could feel sorry for the state, because all laughed so much. Rather did all long to see one who had worked wonders as no other man in history. They were always inviting him. He went in procession through the cities as though he were a benefactor of the Romans, seated in a state chariot. The fellow is more talkative, I know, than the idlers who deliberate in the vestibule of the council-chamber, and this man will at once replace our dear Pentadius.