Letter 298
Libanius→Priscianus|libanius
To Priscianus. (361?)
The man who brings this letter is trustworthy and deserves your attention. I would not burden you with cases that lack merit -- you know me well enough to believe that. So give him a fair hearing, and if his claim is just, let him feel the benefit of our friendship. If it is not, send him away knowing at least that he was heard.
Εὐφημίῳ. (361?)
Ὁρμηθεῖσιν ὡς σὲ τοῖς ἑταίροις συνήσθην. καὶ γὰρ εἰ
μήπω καιρὸς ἥκει τοῦ λέγειν, ἀλλ’ ἀκούειν γε δύναιντ’ ἄν.
καλῶ δὲ καιρὸν οὐ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ δύνασθαι βοηθεῖν, ἐπεὶ
καὶ νῦν τισι δοκοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν λώφησιν τοῦ τῶν πραγμά-
των ὄχλου, δι’ ὃν οὐδ’ ἐπικουρῆσαι τῶν ῥητόρων τοῖς πένη-
σιν ἔστι σοι.
λέξουσι μὲν οὖν εἰς τότε, κωλύει δὲ οὐδὲν
καἰ σιγῶντας ἀπολαύειν εὐνοίας, ὡς οὐ μικρόν γε τοῖς οὗπερ
οἵδε τεταγμένοις ἥμερον εἰς αὐτοὺς βλέψαι τὸν ἄρχοντα. εἰσὶ
δὲ ἄξιοι τοῦ τοιοῦδε οὗτοι βλέμματος Λεόντιός τε καὶ Μαπ-
κιανὸς καὶ λόγων εἵνεκα καὶ τρόπων.
◆
To Priscianus. (361?)
The man who brings this letter is trustworthy and deserves your attention. I would not burden you with cases that lack merit -- you know me well enough to believe that. So give him a fair hearing, and if his claim is just, let him feel the benefit of our friendship. If it is not, send him away knowing at least that he was heard.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.