To Demetrius. (361)
Your letters are themselves a festival -- as is everything that arrives from you. And you did well to find the right moment for the gifts: this time you truly sent them to us, whereas before they would have fallen into the hands of those who were looking to seize things.
Euphemius will give you the full replies when he arrives. At the moment he has run off at a summons to the emperor, who is enjoying the hunt.
As for the grain, I expect the good Olympius will move heaven and earth, but I think he will accomplish little or nothing -- not much better than nothing at all. The reason: the man who has the power to distribute it has sworn war against the Muses.
Your letters are themselves a festival -- as is everything that arrives from you. And you did well to find the right moment for the gifts: this time you truly sent them to us, whereas before they would have fallen into the hands of those who were looking to seize things.
Euphemius will give you the full replies when he arrives. At the moment he has run off at a summons to the emperor, who is enjoying the hunt.
As for the grain, I expect the good Olympius will move heaven and earth, but I think he will accomplish little or nothing -- not much better than nothing at all. The reason: the man who has the power to distribute it has sworn war against the Muses.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.