Letter 196: It was no small thing to hear others bring reports about you -- reports we had hoped for, and some that exceeded our...

To Modestus. (359/60) What you have long wished to hear has now come to you: a marvelous opportunity for overturning the conviction that fell upon the good Anysius with no justice whatsoever, and that was prevented from becoming firmly fixed only by your clemency. They always asked for a just postponement, and you never begrudged it. And so, as time went on, room was found for the emperor's magnanimity -- room whose benefit you have the power to bring us. The surety lies beyond the compulsion of the written order, as you will learn from many sources. This, if you are willing, is powerful on our side; if not, it is the shadow of smoke. But I seem to be insulting you by distrusting where I ought to take courage. You will, I think, deliberate with yourself about the need to be consistent with yourself. If the entreaties of friends are not to be considered a small thing, then the letter of Eustochius and Nicentius is worthy of honor, and mine is perhaps not without value.

Μοδέστῳ. (359/60) Ὃ πάλαι ἐπόθεις ἀκοῦσαι, νῦν ἥκει σοι, θαυμαστή ἀφορμὴ πρὸς τὴν τῆς καταδίκης λύσιν, ἣ κατ’ οὐδὲν μὲν δί- καῖον ἐπέπεσεν Ἀνυσίῳ τῷ καλῷ, τὸ μὴ παγῆναι δὲ βεβαίως ὑπὸ τῆς σὴρ ἔπαθε πρᾳότητος. δικαίας γὰρ ἀναβολῆς οἱ μὲν ἐδεήθησαν ἀεί, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἐφθόνησας, καὶ ταύτῃ δὴ τοῦ χρόνου χωροῦντος τῇ μεγαλοψυχίᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως εὑρέθη τόπος, ὃν ἐνεγκεῖν ἡμῖν ὄνησιν σὺ κύριος. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐνέχυρον ἔξω τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀνάγκης, ὡς πολλαχόθεν εἴσῃ, τοῦτο δέ, ἢν μὲν ἐθέλῃς, ἰσχυρὸν ἡμῖν, εἰ δὲ μή, καπνοῦ σκιά. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὑβρίζειν ἔοικα περὶ ὧν ἔδει θαρρεῖν ἀφεὶς τὸ διαπιστεῖν. σαυτῷ γάρ, οἶμαι, διαλέξῃ περὶ τοῦ δεῖν ἀκολουθῆσαι σαυτῷ. εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ φίλων ἱκετείας οὐ μικρὸν δεῖ νομίζειν, τὸ μὲν Εὐστοχίου καὶ Νικεντίου γράμμα τίμιον, τοὐμὸν δὲ ἴσως οὐκ ἄτιμον.