To Priscianus. (360)
That you, hemmed in by so many affairs and goaded by your anxieties about the war, should give thought to how a student may be added to our number, and should judge no occupation so great that it would draw you away from tending to our interests, whom of those celebrated among the poets for friendship will it still leave room to admire?
That man, from the very moment I arrived, did not cease shooting at me; but if the missiles did not stick fast, and the body of Ajax proved stronger than the iron, thanks be to Heracles and to the hide of Pontos [the lion-skin from the Black Sea region].
So this archer, ashamed that he was employing your weapons against one who had done no wrong, seeking to fashion the appearance of a man defending himself, lodges an accusation, charging me with some outcry of mine over that fellow's visit to Hermogenes.
But you yourself know my manner in these matters, and whether anything of the sort is able to sting me. These are mere pretexts, my noble friend; the truth is, he posted himself on the other side, and being unable to commend that station of his of not being with me, he assigns the blame and cures the evil with an evil.
But I am so mild, and you did not lie, that I mourned with him one of his two sons, while the one who is still living, may he indeed live, O Zeus the Savior, I both regard kindly in other respects and summon, for the displays of oratory alone, only from among those there [of that household], even though I have been insulted by both of them, and, if you will, by the father.
For this is the man whom the wise Theodotus, while Strategius held the office, made his colleague, and this too I endured, how do you suppose? though my uncle reproached him; and when that man had laid down the office, he again makes him alone his colleague.
And having shown himself such toward us, he is indignant that he is not crowned by us. But this too, if you so command, we will do, knowing him for what he is, yet not daring to disobey you.
**To Priscianus** (360)
That you, beset by so many affairs and stung by anxieties over the war, should still consider how a student might be sent to us — and should think no business great enough to keep you from attending to our interests — what figure celebrated for friendship among the poets will this leave us still to admire?
As for that man, from the moment he arrived he never ceased hurling his shafts. But if his arrows did not stick, if the body of Ajax proved stronger than iron, let thanks be given to Heracles and the hide of the Pontic beast.
This archer, then, ashamed that he had turned your weapons against a man who had done him no wrong, sought to fashion the appearance of one acting in self-defense: he fabricated a charge, accusing me of raising some outcry over his visit to Hermogenes.
But you know my character in such matters, and whether anything of that sort could sting me. These are pretexts, my noble friend. The truth is that he has stationed himself in another camp, and since he cannot justify his decision not to stand with me, he heals one wrong with another by assigning the blame to me.
Yet I am so gentle — and you have not been deceived about this — that I mourned for him when one of his sons died, and the one who survives (and may he survive, Zeus the Savior!), I treat with kindness in all other respects and invite him alone from that household to my rhetorical displays — though I have been insulted by both of them, or rather, if you prefer, by the father.
For this man the clever Theodotus made a partner of Strategius when Strategius held office — and I bore that, how do you think? — with my uncle complaining. Then, when the office ended, he made the other man sole partner once again.
And having shown himself such a man toward us, he is indignant that he does not receive a crown of praise from us! But even this, if you command it, I shall do — knowing full well what he is, yet not daring to disobey you.
That you, hemmed in by so many affairs and goaded by your anxieties about the war, should give thought to how a student may be added to our number, and should judge no occupation so great that it would draw you away from tending to our interests, whom of those celebrated among the poets for friendship will it still leave room to admire?
That man, from the very moment I arrived, did not cease shooting at me; but if the missiles did not stick fast, and the body of Ajax proved stronger than the iron, thanks be to Heracles and to the hide of Pontos [the lion-skin from the Black Sea region].
So this archer, ashamed that he was employing your weapons against one who had done no wrong, seeking to fashion the appearance of a man defending himself, lodges an accusation, charging me with some outcry of mine over that fellow's visit to Hermogenes.
But you yourself know my manner in these matters, and whether anything of the sort is able to sting me. These are mere pretexts, my noble friend; the truth is, he posted himself on the other side, and being unable to commend that station of his of not being with me, he assigns the blame and cures the evil with an evil.
But I am so mild, and you did not lie, that I mourned with him one of his two sons, while the one who is still living, may he indeed live, O Zeus the Savior, I both regard kindly in other respects and summon, for the displays of oratory alone, only from among those there [of that household], even though I have been insulted by both of them, and, if you will, by the father.
For this is the man whom the wise Theodotus, while Strategius held the office, made his colleague, and this too I endured, how do you suppose? though my uncle reproached him; and when that man had laid down the office, he again makes him alone his colleague.
And having shown himself such toward us, he is indignant that he is not crowned by us. But this too, if you so command, we will do, knowing him for what he is, yet not daring to disobey you.
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.