To Alexander. (361?)
Pray that many people travel through Bithynia, for then you will have many to sing your praises. Everyone who passes through comes away carrying a sense of wonder at your administration.
Elpidius, who left our ranks -- or rather, our chorus, for he sang with us but has now joined a different chorus, choosing the law courts over the young men -- whenever the subject of you comes up, he leaps, he shouts, he is positively frenzied. I think he would gladly take the legendary Pegasus and, freed from his stables and posting stations, fly to you with winged speed. And once there, I think he would let Pegasus go and invent a thousand excuses for delay -- so strong is his longing and his affection for you. He wants to see you, and having seen you, he would want to stay, not leave.
Trust Elpidius the good in everything, but beware lest he mislead you with his praises of me. He will say...
Pray that many people travel through Bithynia, for then you will have many to sing your praises. Everyone who passes through comes away carrying a sense of wonder at your administration.
Elpidius, who left our ranks -- or rather, our chorus, for he sang with us but has now joined a different chorus, choosing the law courts over the young men -- whenever the subject of you comes up, he leaps, he shouts, he is positively frenzied. I think he would gladly take the legendary Pegasus and, freed from his stables and posting stations, fly to you with winged speed. And once there, I think he would let Pegasus go and invent a thousand excuses for delay -- so strong is his longing and his affection for you. He wants to see you, and having seen you, he would want to stay, not leave.
Trust Elpidius the good in everything, but beware lest he mislead you with his praises of me. He will say...
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.