Letter 308
Libanius→Maximus|libanius
To Maximus. (361?)
Accept my gratitude for what you did for the man I recommended. He returned singing your praises, and I joined the chorus. Now there is another matter -- smaller than the last, but not insignificant to the man involved. A word from you will settle it. I would not trouble you if a word from me could do the same, but your authority is needed where mine falls short.
The details are in the document he carries. Read it when you have a moment, and do what seems right.
Κληματίῳ. (357)
Σαυτὸν ἀνάμνησον τῶν ὑποσχέσεων, ἃς ἐποιοῦ πρὸς
ἡμᾶς περὶ τῶν Ἑλπιδίου πραγμάτων, μᾶλλον δέ, καὶ μεμνη-
μένος διατελεῖς κοὶ βραδέως ἥκοντα μέμφῃ καὶ δεξάμενος βε-
βλαμμένον ἐν τοῖς εὖ πράττουσι στήσεις εἰδὼς ὅτι περὶ ἔνα
μὲν ἔσῃ πρόθυμος, εὐεργέτης δὲ γεγράψῃ τοῦ τῶν Ἑλλήνων
γένους· ὡς, ὅ τι ἂν οὗτος εὖ πάθῃ, πάντες οἷς τι μέτεστι
λόγων· ὠφέληνται.
καὶ μὴν σὺ μὲν ἐπαινεῖσθαι βούλοιο
ἄν, τούτῳ δὲ ἐπαινεῖν δύναμις. ἔσται δὴ τῷ μὲν ἔργα παρὰ
σοῦ, σοὶ δὲ παρὰ τοῦδε λόγοι, ἐμοὶ δὲ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν ἡδονὴ λαμ-
βανόντων ὑμῶν ἃ προσήκει παρ’ ἀλλήλων.
◆
To Maximus. (361?)
Accept my gratitude for what you did for the man I recommended. He returned singing your praises, and I joined the chorus. Now there is another matter -- smaller than the last, but not insignificant to the man involved. A word from you will settle it. I would not trouble you if a word from me could do the same, but your authority is needed where mine falls short.
The details are in the document he carries. Read it when you have a moment, and do what seems right.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.