Letter 75
To Nicander.
Here is a famous epigram of mine — and how could it fail to be famous, when the great Nicander himself has praised it?
"Image of golden Aphrodite or of Stratonice..."
You know, of course, that I originally addressed it to my sister. Theodorus [Synesius's brother-in-law] of the Emperor's Guard is her husband — the dearest of my sisters, whom I honored with both a poem and a statue.
If length and dedication of military service alone determined promotion, Theodorus would have advanced long ago. But intrigue outweighs years of loyal duty. Please help him, therefore — including any lawsuits he may face before Anthemius. May he have the protection of the great Nicander.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
Related Letters
A friendly letter of remonstrance written by Jerome to Rufinus on receipt of his version of the περὶ ᾿Αρχῶν see the preceding letter). Being sent in the first instance to Pammachius this latter treacherously suppressed it and thus put an end to all hope of the reconciliation of the two friends. The date of the letter is 399 A.D.
1. That honourable man, my brother, and your Excellency's son, the presbyter Orosius, I have, both on his own account and in obedience to your request, made welcome. But a most trying time has come upon us, in which I have found it better for me to hold my peace than to speak, so that our studies have ceased, lest what Appius calls the eloquenc...