Julian the Apostate→Priscus|c. 359 AD|julian emperor
To Priscus.
As soon as I received your letter I sent Archelaus off with letters and a passport [an official travel document, like a modern visa] for a longer term, as you requested. If you want to explore the ocean, everything will be provided for you — God willing — just as you would wish, unless you are put off by the boorishness of the Gauls and the winter climate. That, however, will turn out as God sees fit.
But I swear to you by the god who is the giver and preserver of all my good fortune: I want to go on living only so that I can be of some use to you. And when I say "you," I mean the true philosophers. I am convinced you are one of them. How much I have loved you and continue to love you, you know well — and how much I want to see you. May Divine Providence keep you in health for many years, my dearest and best beloved brother. My greetings to the admirable Hippia and your children.
To Priscus 1 [359 AD From Gaul]
On receiving your letter I at once despatched Archelaus, and gave him letters to carry to you, and the passport,2 as you wished, for a longer time. If you are inclined to explore the ocean, everything, with the god's help, will be provided for you as you would wish, unless you dread the boorishness of the Gauls and the winter climate. This, however, will turn out as the god sees fit; but I swear to you by him who is the giver and preserver of all my good fortune that I desire to live only that I may in some degree be of use to you. When I say "you," I mean the true philosophers, and convinced as I am that you are one of these, how much I have loved and love you you well know, and how I desire to see you. May Divine Providence preserve you in health for many a year, my dearest and best beloved brother! I salute the admirable Hippia and your children.3
1 For another letter to Priscus, see p. 15.
2 Literally "token". This, like the Latin tessera, could be of various kinds, but here Julian probably refers to a document, the equivalent of the
modern passport, which he had visaed for Priscus in order that he might proceed to Gaul.
3 For the life of Priscus, cf. Eunapius, Lives of the Sophists and Philosophers. He visited Julian in Gaul, was summoned to Constantinople not long after Julian's accession, and went with him to Persia. See Introduction, under
Priscus.
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To Priscus.
As soon as I received your letter I sent Archelaus off with letters and a passport [an official travel document, like a modern visa] for a longer term, as you requested. If you want to explore the ocean, everything will be provided for you — God willing — just as you would wish, unless you are put off by the boorishness of the Gauls and the winter climate. That, however, will turn out as God sees fit.
But I swear to you by the god who is the giver and preserver of all my good fortune: I want to go on living only so that I can be of some use to you. And when I say "you," I mean the true philosophers. I am convinced you are one of them. How much I have loved you and continue to love you, you know well — and how much I want to see you. May Divine Providence keep you in health for many years, my dearest and best beloved brother. My greetings to the admirable Hippia and your children.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.