Letter 242: I think I am about to do something like those people who are so eager to see a friend returning after a long absence...

To Florentius. (360) I think I am about to do something like those people who are so eager to see a friend returning after a long absence that they shout their greeting from the bottom of the stairs before they have even caught sight of the person they are welcoming. They cry out, unable to wait, because their desire is so great -- and I, while you are still just short of our borders, am declaring my joy in a letter. As for my cousin, I am fond of him, but I am close to being jealous -- because he has already enjoyed your company, while I can only look forward to it. Still, if he receives even greater attention from you, I will not be jealous in that way. I would wish for him the favor of Athena toward Diomedes [in Homer, Athena gave Diomedes extraordinary prowess] -- so that he may be kept safe and may prevail for our sake.

Φλωρεντίῳ. (360) Ἀλλ᾿ ἔγωγε παραπλήσιον δοκῶ μοί τι ποιήσειν τοῖς ἐπει- γομένοις μὲν ἰδεῖν τὸν ἥκοντα χρόνιον, τῇ προσρήσει δὲ κά- τωθεν ἀπὸ τῆς κλίμακος χρωμένοις πρὶν ἰδεῖν ὃν προσαγο- ρεύουσιν. ἐκεῖνοί τε γὰρ τῷ λίαν ἐπιθυμεῖν φθάνοντες τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς βοῶσιν ἐγώ τέ σοι μικρὸν ἀπέχοντι τῶν ὅρων ἐν ἐπιστολῇ δηλῶ τὴν ἡδονήν. τὸν δὲ ἀνεψιὸν φιλῶ μέν, ἐγ- γὺς δέ εἰμι <τοῦ> ζηλοτυπεῖν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἀπολέλαυκεν, ἐγὼ μέλλω. τῆς μέντοι προνοίας εἰ τυγχάνοι μείζονος, οὐκ ἔτι ταύ- τῃ ζηλοτυπῶ, βουλοίμην δ’ ἂν αὐτὸν Ἀθηνᾶς Διομήδην τυγχά- νειν, ὅπως ἡμῖν καὶ σώζοιτο καὶ κρατῇ.