Letter 301: I have long admired how you handle the affairs entrusted to you, and this admiration only grows with each report I...

To Pappus. (361?) To one asking for a single thing you have sent two. What is this? Were you deceived by the boy into thinking that I was asking for two, or, wishing to teach your son to give more than what he is asked for, did you send two in place of one? But whether he deceived you, the mistake of a lover of learning, or the addition was yours, it is the admonition of a father. As for the silver with which you had the rims overlaid, I found fault with it. For I would not use in the marketplace things adorned in this way, and to strip off the ornament did not seem just, since they are gifts from you. They remain, therefore, within doors. And making entreaties to us on behalf of Eusebius, you will perhaps yourself receive requests from us on his behalf in turn. But if that would have no reason in it, do not suppose that this has either.

Πάππω. (361?) Ἓν αἰτοῦντι δύο πέπομφας. τί τοῦτο; πότερον ὑπὸ τοῦ παιδὸς ἐξηπατήθης, ὅτι δεοίμην δυοῖν, ἢ διδάξαι τὸν υἱὸν ἐθέλων ὧν αἰτηθείη διδόναι πλείω δύο ἔπεμψας ἀνθ’ ἑνός; ἀλλ’ εἴτε ἐκεῖνος ἠπάτησε, φιλολόγου τὸ πάθος, εἴτε σὸν ἡ προσθήκη, πατρὸς ἡ νουθεσία. τὸν δὲ ἄργυρον ὃν τοῖς ἄκροις περιήλασας ἐμεμψάμην. οὔτε γὰρ ἐπ’ ἀγορᾶς χρησαί- μην ἂν τοῖς ὧδε κεκαλλωπισμένοις ἀποκοσμῆσαί τε τὰ παρὰ σοῦ δῶρα δίκαιον οὐκ ἐδόκει. μένει τοίνυν εἴσω θυρῶν. παρακλήσεις δὲ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ Εὐσεβίου ποιούμενος καὶ παρ’ ἡμῶν ἴσως αὐτὸς ἀξιώσεις ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δέχεσθαι. εἰ δ ἐκεῖνο λόγον οὐ ἂν ἔχοι, μηδὲ τοῦτο νόμιζε.