Letter 231: I both knew your father and am fond of him.
To Meletius. (360?)
I both knew your father and am fond of him. You I have not yet met, but I am fond of you just as I am of him, since I hear you hold the same opinion of me as you would if you had actually studied with me. Let the fact that I am already asking you for a favor serve as proof that I believe this.
The favor is this: that Marcellinus and Cartius should enjoy your goodwill. They are good men, close to me, and friends of Spectatus. I believe they will ask nothing burdensome or contrary to the law.
Persuade Pamphylia, too, that you think it right to honor me, and persuade us that you deserve to hear from us often.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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.
Latin / Greek Original
Μελετίῳ. (360?)
ἐγὼ τὸν μὲν πατέρα σου καὶ εἶδον καὶ φιλῶ, σὲ οὔ-
πω μὲν εἶδον, φιλῶ δὲ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνον, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸν ἀκούω
σε γνώμης οὕτως ἔχειν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ μετεσχήκεις
ἡμῶν. τοῦ δὲ ταῦτά με πιστεύειν ἔστω σοι σημεῖον τὸ καὶ χά-
ριν αἰτεῖν ἤδη.
ἔστι δὲ ἡ χάρις Μαρκελλῖνον καὶ κἄρτιον
τῆς σῆς ἀπολαύειν εὐνοίας χρηστούς τε ὄντας καὶ ἡμῖν ἐπι-
τηδείους καὶ Σπεκτάτῳ φίλους. οἶμαι δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐδὲν οὔτε
φορτικὸν οὔτε ἔξω τῶν νόμων ἐπαγγέλλειν.
πεῖθε δὴ καὶ
Παμφυλίαν ὅτι με τιμᾶν οἴει δεῖν, καὶ ἡμᾶς ὅτι σοι χρὴ πολ-
λάκις ἐπιστέλλειν.
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