Letter 297: The very quality that makes you admirable as a governor -- your refusal to bend the law for anyone -- is the quality...

To Themistius. (361?) In his speeches the worthy Elpidius seems to us much like ourselves, but in choosing a way of life he is far the better man. For he had his professor's chair and his worn cloak [the philosopher's threadbare mantle] and all the other trappings in which we are still engaged; yet, seeing that those who spend their lives in teaching are feebler than phantoms—though I except Socrates from this account, for you indeed have strength, but the affairs of the others are a shadow—seeing all this, he gave up the pursuits of the cicadas and became one of the men-at-arms. And by now he has both wounded many who did wrong and saved many who were wronged. And because he looks to what is honorable rather than to a great heap of silver, he is trusted by the powerful. Let your present circumstances persuade you, and the bright prospect that lies in your hopes. The finest thing about him is that, while he flees the young men who turn queasy at it, he yet guards his possession of eloquence. And it is in your power to put him to the test, both as a listener and as a speaker; for he is formidable at shaking the one who hears him, and he himself is moved in the same way by the beauty of words. Being good in every respect, he commits but one fault, and with you he would surely meet with pardon for it: he has used a great deal of charm toward me, and this carries him away into excesses of praise.

Θεμιστίῳ. (361?) Κατὰ μὲν τοὺς λόγους ἡμῖν ἔοικεν ὁ χρηστὸς Ἐλπίδιος, βίου δὲ ἰδεῖν ὁδὸν κατὰ πολὺ βελτίων. ἦν μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ θρόνος καὶ τρίβων καὶ τἄλλα δὴ πάντα ἐν οἷς ἡμεῖς ἔτι, τοὺς δ’ ἐν τῷ παιδεύειν διατρίβοντας ὁρῶν εἰδώλων ἀσθενεστέρους, Σωκράτη δὲ ἐξαιρῶ τοῦ λόγου, σὺ μὲν γὰρ ἰσχύεις, ἀλλὰ τά γε τῶν ἄλλων σκιά. ταῦτ’ οὖν ἰδὼν ἀφεὶς τὰ τῶν τεττίγων γίνεται τῶν ὁπλιτῶν. καὶ πολλοὺς ἤδη καὶ ἔτρωσεν ἀδι- κοῦντας καὶ ἔσωσεν ἀδικουμένους. βλέπων δὲ πρὸς τὸ καλὸν μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ἀργυρίου πλῆθος ὑπό γε τῶν δυνατῶν πιστεύεται. τὰ παρόντα δὲ σὲ πειθέτω καὶ σχῆμα λαμπρὸν ἐν ἐλπίσι. κάλλιστον δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ τοὺς μὲν ναυτιῶντας νέους φεύγειν, τὸ κτῆμα δὲ φυλάττειν τῶν λόγων. ἔξεστι δέ σοι πεῖραν λαβεῖν καὶ ἀκούοντι καὶ λέγοντι· σεῖσαί τε γὰρ δεινὸς ἀκροώμενον καὶ ταὐτὸ παθεῖν ὑπὸ κάλλους λόγων. παν- ταχῆ δὲ ὢν ἀγαθὸς ἒν ἀδικεῖ, παρὰ σοὶ δ’ ἂν συγγνώμης τύχοι· πολλῷ τῷ φίλτρῳ κέχρηται πρὸς ἐμέ, καὶ τοῦτ’ αὐτὸν εἰς ἐπαίνων ὑπερβολὰς ἐκφέρει.