Letter 36: It has, I think, been long known to your excellency that the presbyter of this place is a foster brother of my own. What more can I say to induce you in your kindness, to view him with a friendly eye, and give him help in his affairs? If you love me, as I know you do, I am sure that you will endeavour, to the best of your power, to relieve any o...
I believe Your Excellency already knows that the presbyter of this place is my foster brother. What more do I need to say to persuade you to look kindly on him and help him with his affairs? If you love me — and I know you do — I'm confident you'll do everything in your power to help someone I consider a second self.
What am I asking? Simply that he not lose his current tax assessment. He goes to considerable trouble looking after my needs, because — as you know — I have nothing of my own and depend entirely on the resources of my friends and relatives.
So treat my brother's household as you would mine — or better yet, as your own. In return for your kindness, God will never cease to bless you, your house, and your family.
I'm particularly worried that the new equalization of tax rates may hurt him unfairly.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Ἀνεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἐπικουρίᾳ]
Ὁ πρεσβύτερος τοῦ χωρίου τοῦδε, οἶμαι, ὅτι πάλαι ἔγνωσται τῇ εὐγενείᾳ σου, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐμοὶ σύντροφος. τί οὖν ἄλλο δεῖ με εἰπεῖν πρὸς τὸ δυσωπῆσαί σου τὴν χρηστότητα, οἰκείως αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν καὶ βοηθῆσαι αὐτῷ εἰς τὰ πράγματα; εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐμὲ ἀγαπᾷς, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀγαπᾷς, δηλονότι καὶ οὓς ἀντʼ ἐμαυτοῦ ἔχω ἀναπαῦσαι πάσῃ δυνάμει προαιρῇ. τί οὖν ἐστὶν ὃ παρακαλῶ; φυλαχθῆναι αὐτῷ τὴν παλαιὰν ἀπογραφήν. καὶ γὰρ καὶ κάμνει οὐ μετρίως ἡμῖν ὑπηρετῶν πρὸς τὸν βίον διὰ τὸ ἡμᾶς, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι, μηδὲν κεκτῆσθαι ἴδιον, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῶν φίλων καὶ συγγενῶν ἀρκεῖσθαι. ὡς οὖν ἐμὸν οἶκον, μᾶλλον δὲ ὡς ἑαυτοῦ, οὕτω θέασαι τὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦδε· καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν εὐποιίας παρέξει Θεὸς καὶ σοί, καὶ οἴκῳ, καὶ γένει παντί σου τὴν συνήθη βοήθειαν. γίνωσκε δέ μοι πάνυ ἐπιμελὲς εἶναι μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς ἐξισώσεως ἐπηρεασθῆναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον.
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