Letter 246: It pleases me more than winning a province myself that this has happened under your governorship.

To Eutherius. (358/59) It is more pleasing to me that this has come about in this way, under the man who holds the governorship of your province. With Caesarius I rejoice for his character, and I rejoice for the reputation that grows greater by your vote, and most of all I rejoice for the excellence of his children; for there is in them such great concern for decency and for letters that their father might even feel ashamed before them. To you I would grant everything, and even if you bid me to love an idle man, I shall obey; but as for these young men, the truth shall be told, it was nature that recommended them before your letter. It is now time for you to ask another favor, since this one the young men have already granted to themselves.

Εὐθηρίῳ. (358/59) Ἥδιον ἐμοὶ τοῦ τὸ ἔθνος κτήσασθαι τὸ σοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος τοῦτο ὸὕτω συμβῆναι. Καισαρίῳ δὲ συγχαίρω μὲν τῶν τρόπων, συγχαίρω δὲ τῆς δόξης, ἣ μείζων τῇ σῇ ψήφῳ γίγνε- ται, καὶ μάλιστά γε τῆς εὐπαιδίας συγχαίρω τοσαύτη γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπιεικείας τε φροντὶς καὶ λόγων, ὥστ’ εἰκότως ἂν αὐ- τοὺς καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αἰσχύνοιτο. σοὶ δὲ πάντα μὲν χαριζοίμην ἂν καὶ εἰ με κελεύεις ἀργὸν φιλεῖν, ὑπακούσομαι· τούτους δέ, τὸ γὰρ ἀληθὲς εἰρήσεται, πρὸ τῶν σῶν γραμμάτων συνέστησεν ἡ φύσις. ὥρα δή σοι χάριν ἑτέραν αἰτεῖν ὡς ταύτην γε αὑ- τοῖς οἱ νεανίσκοι δεδώκασιν.