Letter 152

To Andronicus. (359/60) This Auxentius is not technically my student, but he is far more devoted than many who are. He shared my pain in bad times and my joy in better ones. You know that when you were leaving us, I pointed the young man out to you, said he would soon be coming to Phoenicia, and asked that he be counted among your friends. You nodded your agreement. Well, he has arrived. So fulfill your promises: welcome him warmly in person, and send him off with letters of recommendation. If he were a Phoenician, I would be asking you for a practical favor. But since the man is from a neighboring region, let him himself ask the good Hypatius for a favor -- by letter.

**To Andronicus** (359/60) This man Auxentius is not a student of mine, yet he is far more devoted than many of my students, having shared in my sorrows during hard times and in my joys during better ones. You recall that when you were leaving us, I pointed out the young man and said he would soon be coming to Phoenicia, and I asked that he be counted among your friends — and you nodded your assent. Well, he has arrived. Now fulfill your promises: receive him warmly while he is there, and send him off with a letter from you. For if he were a Phoenician, I would be asking you for a deed; but as it is, since the man comes from the neighboring country, ask that good fellow Hypatius for a deed — in letters.

Ἀνδρονίκῳ. (359/60) Αὐξέντιος οὑτοσὶ φοιτητὴς μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμός, πολλῷ 15 δὲ πολλῶν φοιτητῶν εὐνούστερος συναλγήσας τε ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς χείροσι καὶ συνησθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀμείνοσιν. οἶσθα δέ, ὅτι παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐξιόντι τὸν νεανίσκον ἐπιδείξας ἥξειν τε αὐτὸν ἔφην εἰς Φοινίκην αὐτίκα καὶ τῶν σῶν φίλων ἠξίουν ἔνα νο- μισθῆναι, σὺ δὲ ἔνευσας. ἥκει δὴ καὶ πλήρου τὰς ὑπο- σχέσεις παρόντα μὲν ἡδέως ὁρῶν, ἐκπέμπων δὲ μετὰ σῶν γραμμάτων. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν Φοῖνιξ, ἔργον ἂν σὲ ἀπῃτοῦμεν· νῦν δέ, ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ὁμόρου χώρας ἁνήρ, αὐτὸς ἔργον ἀπαίτει τὸν χρηστὸν Ὑπάτιον ἐν ἐπιστολαῖς.