Letter 276
Libanius→Maximus|libanius
To Maximus. (358)
I expect you have already befriended Leontius the sophist, since he possesses eloquence and you love it. This Cleopatrus here is his kinsman and student, whom Leontius recommended to me, and I now recommend to you.
What Cleopatrus receives from Leontius's recommendation is small -- for what comes through me is surely modest. But what he receives from my recommendation is great -- for what comes through you is surely great. And in doing him a kindness, you will find you have benefited both a fine rhetor and a good man.
Μαξίμῳ. (358)
Οἶμαί σοι Λεόντιον τὸν σοφιστὴν ἤδη γεγονέναι φίλον,
ἐπειδὴ λόγους ὁ μὲν κέκτηται, σὺ δὲ φιλεῖς. τούτου συγγενὴς
οὑτοσὶ Κλεόπατρος Λαὶ μαθητής, ὃν ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐμοὶ συνέ-
στῆσεν, ἐγὼ δὲ σοί.
τὸ μὲν οὖν παρ’ ἐκείνου τῷ Κλεο-
πάτρῳ μικρόν, μικρὸν γὰρ δήπου τό γε ἐμόν, τὸ δὲ παρ’
ἐμοῦ μέγα, μέγα γὰρ δήπου τό γε σόν. φήσεις δὲ αὐτὸν εὖ
ποιῶν καὶ ῥήτορα καὶ χρηστὸν εὖ πεποιηκέναι.
◆
To Maximus. (358)
I expect you have already befriended Leontius the sophist, since he possesses eloquence and you love it. This Cleopatrus here is his kinsman and student, whom Leontius recommended to me, and I now recommend to you.
What Cleopatrus receives from Leontius's recommendation is small -- for what comes through me is surely modest. But what he receives from my recommendation is great -- for what comes through you is surely great. And in doing him a kindness, you will find you have benefited both a fine rhetor and a good man.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.