Letter 291: Even while you were still with us, I received several letters of recommendation.

To Anatolius. (361?) Even while you were still with us, I received several letters of recommendation. Judge by this opening salvo how many there are likely to be in total. The first to ask was this Marcellus, who is connected to Laurentius, our kinsman by marriage, but who has not reaped good fruit from his decency. For though he had the power, had he been bold, to harm others, his desire to be honorable resulted in his own banishment. But now he has some hope of returning, of obtaining justice, and of not suffering the same fate again -- since you will show mercy to a man who has been terribly wronged, both for the sake of justice and for our sake.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (361?) Ἔτι σου παρ’ ἡμῖν ὄντος ἔλαβόν τινας ἐπιστολάς. τεκ- μαίρου δὴ τῷ προοιμίῳ, πόσας εἰκὸς ἔσεσθαι τὰς ἁπάσας. πρῶτος δὲ οὑτοσὶ Μάρκελλος ᾔτησε Λαυρεντίῳ μὲν ὢν ξένος. ἡμετέρῳ κηδεστῇ, τῆς δὲ ἐπιεικείας οὐ καλοὺς ἐνεγκάμενος τοὺς καρπούς. δυνάμενος γάρ, εἴπερ ἦν θρασύς, ἄλλους ἄλλους νεῖν χρηστὸς εἶναι ἐθέλων ἐλήλαται. ἀλλὰ νῦν αὐτῷ καὶ καθόδου τις ἐλπὶς καὶ τοῦ λήψεσθαι δίκας καὶ τοῦ μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ πείσεσθαι σοῦ καὶ τῶν δικαίων εἵνεκα καὶ ἡμῶν ἔλεον τινα νέμοντος τῷ δεινὰ πεπονθότι.