Letter 42: "Time alone proves the just man," as the ancients teach.

To Callixeine. "Time alone proves the just man," as the ancients teach. But I would add: the god-fearing and pious man as well. You say that Penelope's love for her husband was also proved by time. But who would rank a woman's piety second to her devotion to her husband without appearing to have drunk a deep draught of mandrake [a plant associated with drowsiness and confused thinking]? Consider the circumstances and compare Penelope — praised by nearly everyone for her marital loyalty — with pious women who not long ago risked their lives for the gods. And consider that your period of suffering was twice as long, which only compounded the ordeal. Is any fair comparison possible between you and Penelope? I think not. Do not diminish my praise. All the gods will reward you for what you have endured. For my part, I honor you with a double priesthood: in addition to your existing office as priestess of the most venerable goddess Demeter, I entrust to you the priesthood of the most mighty Mother of the Gods [Cybele] at Pessinus in Phrygia, beloved of the gods.

To Callixeine 5 [362, Antioch] "Time alone proves the just man," 6 as we learn from men of old; but I would add the god-fearing and pious man also. However, you say, the love of Penelope for her husband was also witnessed to by time. Now who would rank a woman's piety second to her love for her husband without appearing to have drunk a very deep draught of mandragora?1 And if one takes into account the conditions of the times and compares Penelope, who is almost universally praised for loving her husband, with pious women who not long ago hazarded their lives; and if one considers also that the period was twice as long, which was an aggravation of their sufferings; then, I ask, is it possible to make any fair comparison between you and Penelope? Nay, do not belittle my praises. All the gods will requite you for your sufferings and for my part I shall honour you with a double priesthood. For besides that which you held before of priestess to the most venerable goddess Demeter, I entrust to you the office of priestess to the most mighty Mother of the gods in Phrygia at Pessinus, beloved of the gods. 5 Otherwise unknown. Julian visited Pessinus in Phrygia on his way to Antioch. See Introduction. 6 Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 614. 1 To drink mandragora (mandrake), is a proverb for sluggish wits; but mandrake was used also as a stimulus to love.

[Πρός: Καλλιξείνῃ] Χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν μόνος, ὡς παρὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἔγνωμεν· ἐγὼ δ’ ἂν φαίην ὅτι καὶ τὸν εὐσεβῆ καὶ τὸν φιλόθεον. ἀλλ’ ἐμαρτυρήθη, φής, καὶ ἡ Πηνελόπη φίλανδρος. εἶτα μετὰ τὸ φίλανδρον τὸ φιλόθεον τίς ἐν γυναικὶ δεύτερον τίθησι, καὶ οὐ φαίνεται πολὺν πάνυ τὸν μανδραγόραν ἐκπεπωκώς; εἰ δὲ καὶ τοὺς καιρούς τις ἐν νῷ λάβοι καὶ τὴν μὲν Πηνελόπην ἐπαινουμένην σχεδὸν ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπὶ τῇ φιλανδρίᾳ, κινδυνευούσας δὲ τὰς εὐσεβεῖς ὀλίγῳ πρότερον γυναῖκας, καὶ προσθήκην δὲ τῶν κακῶν, ὅτι καὶ διπλάσιος ὁ χρόνος, ἆρ’ ἔστι σοὶ τὴν Πηνελόπην ἀξίως παραβάλλειν; ἀλλὰ μὴ μικροὺς ποιοῦ τοὺς ἐπαίνους· ἀνθ’ ὧν ἀμείψονται μέν σε πάντες οἱ θεοί, τὸ παρ’ ἡμῶν δὲ διπλῇ σε τιμήσομεν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ. πρὸς ᾗ γὰρ πρότερον εἶχεςτῆς ἁγιωτάτης θεοῦ Δήμητρος, καὶ τῆς μεγίστης Μητρὸς θεῶν τῆς Φρυγίας ἐν τῇ θεοφιλεῖ Πεσσινοῦντι τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐπιτρέπομέν σοι.