Letter 283: I was delighted by your letter.

To Maximus. (361) I was delighted by your letter. It contained the news I wanted, and the beauty of the letter itself was astonishing. When I received it in the marketplace -- for that is where I was when it arrived, and I read it immediately -- I began shouting with pleasure. "What are you shouting about?" asked Strategius (I mean the politician), and when he found out, he read it too and imitated my shouts. Now then -- do a kindness for this man as well, and be fond of him as my son. You will surely not begrudge me for calling my student by that name. He came to study with me among many others, but was among the few who rose above reproach -- spending time with me constantly, sharing my table, joining in the afternoon labors, and receiving every trust that a young man earns through good character. He is of a family from both the province you govern and from Galatia, but his stronger ties are with your province, and he has long been drawn toward Armenia. Even if he had not felt that pull before, he certainly would now that you are governor there...

Μαξίμῳ. (361) Ἥσθην οἷς ἔγραψας. ἅ τε γὰρ ἐβουλόμην ἐμήνυες καὶ τὸ κάλλος ἦν ἀμήχανον οἷον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ὥστε μου βοῶν- τος ἐπ’ ἀγορᾶς, ἐκεῖ τε γὰρ ἔλαβον καὶ λαβὼν εὐθὺς ἀνέγνων, ἐφ’ ὅτῳ βοᾷς; ἤρετο Στρατήγιος, τὸν πολιτευόμενον λέγω, καὶ γνοὺς ἀνέγνω τε καὶ ἐμιμεῖτό μου τὴν βοήν. ἴθι δὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἡμῖν εὖ ποίει καὶ φίλει παῖδα ὄντα ἐμόν. πάντως δὲ οἴ μοι νεμεσήσεις οὕτω καλοῦντι τὸν μαθητήν, ὃς μετὰ πολλῶν ἐφοίτησε παρ’ ἐμέ, μέμψεως δὲ μετ’ ὀλίγων ἐγένετο κρείττων καὶ ταῦτα συνεχῶς συνδιατρίβων τε καὶ τραπέζης κοινωνῶν καὶ τῶν μετὰ μεσημβρίαν πόνων καὶ ὅσων εἰκὸς νεανίσκον πιστευόμενον διὰ τὸν τρόπον. τούτῳ τὸ μὲν γένος ἔκ τε ὧν ἄρχεις καὶ Γαλατῶν, πλείων δὲ αὐτῷ λόγος ἧς ἄρχεις καί πως ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀρμενίαν ῥέπει πάλαι. τοῦτο δὲ εἰ καὶ μὴ πρότερον ἐποίει, πάντως ἂν νῦν ἐφάνη ποιῶν σοῦ τὰς πόλεις Σαμίων ἄνθη φασὶ καὶ λαύραν ἀποφήναντος Σαμιακήν.