The horn of Amaltheia [the cornucopia, symbol of plenty] has come to you: Eutherius, that altogether good man. For the things that you would have done for Armenia, had you been its governor, these one must expect will come to it from this man also, in whom there is rhetorical eloquence and gentleness of character and the practice of justice and a desire for renown -- on account of which qualities it seems to me the emperor too set him over cities whose being well governed is the security of the empire.
And when someone asked me what was the finest thing he would see in your country, I said Philagrius, and I went through the things I know about you -- or rather, of the things I know about you, a few; for to tell them all is a great labor and the work of much time.
And you, for your part, consider that you are looking upon the finest thing of the Great City. For even if this man, wishing to honor it, says that it is second to many, do not let it escape you that, while it is surpassed by many in wealth, in beauty of soul it has the power to prevail.
**To Philagrius** (357/58)
The horn of Amalthea has come to you — Eutherius, that thoroughly good man. For whatever you yourself would have done for Armenia had you been governing it, just such things you should expect will come to it from him as well — a man in whom reside rhetorical eloquence, gentleness of character, the practice of justice, and a desire for glory. It is for these qualities, I believe, that the emperor too has set him over cities whose good governance is the security of the empire.
When he asked me what was the finest thing he would see in your region, I said "Philagrius," and I recounted what I know of you — or rather, only a small part of what I know of you, for to tell everything would be a great labor and would take a very long time.
You, for your part, should consider him the finest thing to see from the Great City. For even if he, wishing to be modest, says he is second to many, do not let it escape you that while he may be surpassed by many in wealth, in beauty of soul he has the power to surpass them all.
The horn of Amaltheia [the cornucopia, symbol of plenty] has come to you: Eutherius, that altogether good man. For the things that you would have done for Armenia, had you been its governor, these one must expect will come to it from this man also, in whom there is rhetorical eloquence and gentleness of character and the practice of justice and a desire for renown -- on account of which qualities it seems to me the emperor too set him over cities whose being well governed is the security of the empire.
And when someone asked me what was the finest thing he would see in your country, I said Philagrius, and I went through the things I know about you -- or rather, of the things I know about you, a few; for to tell them all is a great labor and the work of much time.
And you, for your part, consider that you are looking upon the finest thing of the Great City. For even if this man, wishing to honor it, says that it is second to many, do not let it escape you that, while it is surpassed by many in wealth, in beauty of soul it has the power to prevail.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.