Letter 211: You will have heard the latest attacks on our profession -- the usual complaints from people who think that because...

To Ammianus. (360?) Neither do I do anything novel in asking a favor of you, nor will you be imitating your own custom if you should grant the favor; for many things have I asked, and you have given. This Calliopius here is both my fellow citizen and my partner in the discourses here and in the labors in Thrace, for he knows how to lie awake amid concern for his friends, and surely it would not be becoming for me to come after him in these matters. If, then, it seemed to me that he was in the wrong, I would be ashamed on behalf of my own people; but as it is, since he is being dragged about through malicious abuse, I should be utterly ashamed if I did not help him. And I am able to help, not by my own power, but by yours. I make use of it in accordance with our friendship. But observe how I know you more exactly than others do. When this man was about to set out from here, he made mention to us of money, on the assumption that by this means he would win you over. For he supposed that the man in whose presence you now happen to be does nothing out of kindness, but everything for silver. But I, laughing and recounting in full the things I know about you, said, "Go empty-handed, and you will not have cause to blame poverty." Come then, my noble friend, receive the man graciously and put a stop to as many of his troubles as it is in your power to stop, and show us that we have gained no less than if we had been able to write to the lord of the inquiry.

Ἀμμιανῷ. (360?) Οὔτ᾿ ἐγώ σε χάριν αἰτῶν καινόν τι ποιῶ σύ τε τὰ σαυ- τοῦ μιμήσῃ, τὴν χάριν εἰ καταθεῖο· πολλὰ γὰρ ἐγὼ μὲν ᾔτησα, σὺ δὲ δέδωκας. Καλλιόπιος δὲ οὑτοσὶ καὶ πολίτης ἐμὸς καὶ κοινωνὸς τῶν τε ἐνταῦθα λόγων τῶν τε ἐν Θρᾴκῃ πόνων, οἶδε γὰρ ἐν φίλων φροντίσιν ἀγρυπνεῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι δήπου μοι καλῶς ὑστέρῳ τοῦδε περὶ ταῦτα εἶναι. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐδόκει μοι ἀδικεῖν, ᾐσχυνόμην ἂν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, νῦν δέ, κατ’ ἐπήρειαν γὰρ ἕλκεται, πάνυ ἂν αἰσχυνοίμην, εἰ μὴ βοηθοίην. ἔχω δὲ βοηθεῖν οὐ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ δυνάμει, ἀλλὰ τῇ σῇ. χρῶ- μαι δὲ αὐτῇ κατὰ τὴν φιλίαν. ὅρα δέ, ὅπως σε ἀκριβέστερον ἑτέρων οἴδα. μέλλων οὗτος ἐνθένδε κινεῖσθαι χρημάτων ἐμέμνητο πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὡς ταύτῃ σε προσληψόμενος. ᾤετο γὰρ τὸν ὄντα οὗ νῦν ὢν τυγχάνεις μηδὲν φιλανθρωπίᾳ ποιεῖν, πάντα δὲ ἀργυρίου. ἐγὼ δὲ γελάσας καὶ διεξελθὼν ἃ σύνοιδά σοι, γυμνός, ἔφην, πορεύου καὶ πενίαν οὐ μέμψῃ ἄγε οὖν, ὦ γενναῖε, δέχου τε τὸν ἄνδρα εὐμενῶς καὶ παῦε τῶν κακῶν ὁπόσα ἔξεστί σοι καὶ δεῖξον ἡμῖν ὡς οὐδὲν ἔλατ- τον ἐσχήκαμεν ἢ εἰ γράφειν εἴχομεν τῷ τῆς γνώσεως κυρίῳ.