Letter 199

To Eusebius. (360) Your letter was full of the wisdom I expected, and I was glad to receive it -- glad both for what you said about our common friends and for the courage you showed in saying it. For not everyone dares to speak the truth when the truth is uncomfortable, and not everyone who dares to speak it can do so with such grace. I hear that the changes at court have affected our circle in ways both expected and surprising. Some who were elevated deserved their rise; others, I confess, puzzle me. But the gods are wiser than we are, and perhaps what looks like injustice now will prove to be providence later -- or perhaps not. In either case, we must endure. As for the matter you raised about the young man's prospects, I have spoken to those who can help, and I believe something will come of it. He has talent enough to justify any investment, and his character recommends him even more than his ability. Keep pressing the case on your end, and between us we shall manage it. Write again soon. Your letters are among the few things that make these difficult days bearable.

Γερμανῷ. (360) ὅτι μὲν ἄρχεις καὶ χώρας πολλῆς καἰ πόλεων μεγάλων καὶ γενῶν Ἑλληνικῶν, εὐχὰς ἡμῖν πληροῖς· ὅτι δὲ οὐχ ἄρχεις, οὐ πάσης τετυχήκαμεν τῆς εὐχῆς. οἶμαι δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦδε οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τεύξεσθαι τοῦ μέρους. τότε μὲν οὖν ἡμᾶς, νῦν δέ σοι τοὺς ἡμετέρους εὖ ποιεῖν ἔξεστι φίλους, εἰ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐστιν εὑ ποιεῖν ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φίλοις. Ἑρμόλαος τοίνυν οὗτος γίγνεταί μοι συνήθης ἀπὸ τοῦ περὶ τοὺς λόγους ἔρωτος, δι’ ὃν οὐκ ὤκνησεν ὁμοῦ τοῖς τε δικαζο- μένοις συμμαχεῖν καὶ τῶν φοιτώντων εἷς εἶναι, καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐπηύξησε τὴν οὖσαν αὑτῷ δύναμιν. οὐκοῦν σοι πάρεστι πεῖραν λαβεῖν. τοῦ δέ γε εἶναι χρηστὸς οὕτω σφόδρα πάνυ πεποίηται λόγον, ὥστ’ οὐδ’ ἂν ἐχθρὸς εἴποι περὶ αὐτοῦ μὴ εἶ- ναι χρηστόν. ἥκων δὴ νῦν ἐνθάδε θησόμενός τι τῶν αὑ- τοῦ βέλτιον διὰ τοῦ μειζόνως ἰσχύοντος ἤκουσε παρ’ ἡμῶν, ὡς οὐδὲν δεῖ τρέχειν ἐπ’ Εὐφράτην οὐδὲ τὸν δεῖνα ἐνοχλεῖν· δώ- σεῖν γὰρ σὲ μείζονα ὧν ἂν εἶχε παρὰ τοῦ μείζονος. υἱὸν μὲν οὖν νέον ἐνεβίβασεν εἰς τὸ λειτουργεῖν τοῦτο πρῶτον ἡγού- μενος τῷ χρηστῷ προσήκειν, πατρίδα εὖ ποιεῖν, δεῖ δὲ τῷ πρὸς τοῦτο καταστάντι τὸν ἄρχοντα εὐμενῶς ἔχειν, εἰ μέλλοι πλεύ- σεσθαι καλῶς. ὅπως οὖν αὐτῷ ποιήσῃς τὸν πλοῦν ἀσφαλῆ τῷ τε αὐτὸς βοηθεῖν καὶ τῷ τὸν ἡγεμόνα παρασκευάσαι τὰ σὰ μίμεῖσθαι· ὡς ἐγὼ μὲν ταῦτα ποιήσεις ὑπεσχόμην καὶ σὸν δ’ ἂν εἴη μή με αἰσχύνῃ περιβαλεῖν. ἀλλ’ εἰς τε Ἑρμό- λαον γίγνου τοιοῦτος ὁποῖον οἶδα καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιστέλλειν ἀνανεοῦ. καὶ γὰρ εἰ πολλὰ τὰ νῦν γράμματά σου τῆς χειρός. αὐτό γε τοῦτο ἄτοπον ἐν τοῖς πολλοῖς μὴ καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰναι.