May the present health and strength that you say you possess be your constant portion! For your grief may God supply a remedy! Or rather your grief requires in part only the assistance of God, for some part of it you yourself can alleviate. You are able, if you please, to re-build the city ; but for your concern on account of the dead, may Heaven afford you consolation! Nicomedia, ruined as she is, I deem most happy. Her safety indeed would have been most desirable; but even thus she is honoured by your tears. Nor are these inferior to the lamentations which the Muses are said to have uttered for Achilles , or to the drops of blood which Jupiter, in honour of his dearest son, poured down at the approaching death of Sarpedon. That she therefore, who was lately a city, may again be a city, will be your concern. Elphidius , always a man of distinguished probity, has now made wonderful improvements. Thus it is not only true, as Sophocles says, that "Wise kings are form'd by converse with the wise," but the wisdom of a king improves also his friends in virtue. So serviceable have you been to Elphidius, making him not only richer but better. Though younger than he, you have been his instructor in these laudable pursuits, in equity, in an eager desire to assist his friends, to treat courageously those whom he knows not, and by so treating them, always to retain their friendship. For all who have approached and conversed with him have first admired and then instantly loved him, or rather have discovered your ideas in all that you have entrusted to him. I often discourse with him, and all our discourses turn on you, on the understanding that you possess, and the important affairs in which you are engaged. The manner in which you will complete them, and how you will ward some impending dangers, we have sagely discussed. I seemed, as it were, conversing with yourself. With particular pleasure I received the intelligence of your having defeated the barbarians , and that you had related your victories in a commentary , thus acting at once as an orator and a general. Achilles required a Homer, and Alexander many such, but your trophies, your own voice, which has erected them, will transmit to posterity. Thus you surpass the sophists by proposing to them not only actions for them to celebrate but the orations, which you have composed on your actions, for their emulation. To these your trophies I wish you to add that of restoring Pompeianus to his rights; and think not this an unworthy contention. For this is the man whom formerly in Bithynia, when he was ambassador from hence, you saw with pleasure, and on being informed of what he had been defrauded gave him hopes of recovering his property. Of this promise, O prince , I entreat you to be mindful. Nearly 2000 of his letters exist. In his life, he says, his letters were innumerable. This letter is one of the three first published by Fabricius with a Latin translation in his Bibliotheca Graeca, vol. 7, p. 397. In the edition of Wolfius it is the 33rd. Nicomedia the capital of Bithynia which, from the beauty of its situation, the magnificence of its buildings, its grandeur and its riches, had been looked on as the fifth city in the work, was destroyed by an earthquake Aug. 24, 358, followed by a fire which lasted five days. A monody, by Libanius, I have inserted in vol. 2. Julian was then only Caesar but he visited the city; and gave orders for re-building it on his way from Constantinople to Antioch, May 15, 362, after his accession to the empire. Another earthquake, which was also felt at Constantinople and Nice, swallowed up the remains of Nicomedia on January 1, 363. Homer, Odyssey 24.60 Iliad 16.459. A philosopher to whom Julian addressed his 57th letter. Libanius also wrote several letters to him and mentions him in several others. I have been unable to locate these words in Sophocles. WOLFIUS. Probably his victories over the Salian Franks and Chamarians. See Julian's Letter to the Athenians. Now lost. He had been prefect of Bithynia. Libanius praises him in many other letters, and some are addressed to him. . Although Julian was only Caesar, as appears from some passages above, both Fabricius and Wolfius have translated this imperator. But was often applied to the Caesars.
May the present health and strength that you say you possess be your constant portion! For your grief may God supply a remedy! Or rather your grief requires in part only the assistance of God, for some part of it you yourself can alleviate. You are able, if you please, to re-build the city ; but for your concern on account of the dead, may Heaven afford you consolation! Nicomedia, ruined as she is, I deem most happy. Her safety indeed would have been most desirable; but even thus she is honoured by your tears. Nor are these inferior to the lamentations which the Muses are said to have uttered for Achilles , or to the drops of blood which Jupiter, in honour of his dearest son, poured down at the approaching death of Sarpedon. That she therefore, who was lately a city, may again be a city, will be your concern. Elphidius , always a man of distinguished probity, has now made wonderful improvements. Thus it is not only true, as Sophocles says, that "Wise kings are form'd by converse with the wise," but the wisdom of a king improves also his friends in virtue. So serviceable have you been to Elphidius, making him not only richer but better. Though younger than he, you have been his instructor in these laudable pursuits, in equity, in an eager desire to assist his friends, to treat courageously those whom he knows not, and by so treating them, always to retain their friendship. For all who have approached and conversed with him have first admired and then instantly loved him, or rather have discovered your ideas in all that you have entrusted to him. I often discourse with him, and all our discourses turn on you, on the understanding that you possess, and the important affairs in which you are engaged. The manner in which you will complete them, and how you will ward some impending dangers, we have sagely discussed. I seemed, as it were, conversing with yourself. With particular pleasure I received the intelligence of your having defeated the barbarians , and that you had related your victories in a commentary , thus acting at once as an orator and a general. Achilles required a Homer, and Alexander many such, but your trophies, your own voice, which has erected them, will transmit to posterity. Thus you surpass the sophists by proposing to them not only actions for them to celebrate but the orations, which you have composed on your actions, for their emulation. To these your trophies I wish you to add that of restoring Pompeianus to his rights; and think not this an unworthy contention. For this is the man whom formerly in Bithynia, when he was ambassador from hence, you saw with pleasure, and on being informed of what he had been defrauded gave him hopes of recovering his property. Of this promise, O prince , I entreat you to be mindful. Nearly 2000 of his letters exist. In his life, he says, his letters were innumerable. This letter is one of the three first published by Fabricius with a Latin translation in his Bibliotheca Graeca, vol. 7, p. 397. In the edition of Wolfius it is the 33rd. Nicomedia the capital of Bithynia which, from the beauty of its situation, the magnificence of its buildings, its grandeur and its riches, had been looked on as the fifth city in the work, was destroyed by an earthquake Aug. 24, 358, followed by a fire which lasted five days. A monody, by Libanius, I have inserted in vol. 2. Julian was then only Caesar but he visited the city; and gave orders for re-building it on his way from Constantinople to Antioch, May 15, 362, after his accession to the empire. Another earthquake, which was also felt at Constantinople and Nice, swallowed up the remains of Nicomedia on January 1, 363. Homer, Odyssey 24.60 Iliad 16.459. A philosopher to whom Julian addressed his 57th letter. Libanius also wrote several letters to him and mentions him in several others. I have been unable to locate these words in Sophocles. WOLFIUS. Probably his victories over the Salian Franks and Chamarians. See Julian's Letter to the Athenians. Now lost. He had been prefect of Bithynia. Libanius praises him in many other letters, and some are addressed to him. . Although Julian was only Caesar, as appears from some passages above, both Fabricius and Wolfius have translated this imperator. But was often applied to the Caesars.
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May the present health and strength that you say you possess be your constant portion! For your grief may God supply a remedy! Or rather your grief requires in part only the assistance of God, for some part of it you yourself can alleviate. You are able, if you please, to re-build the city ; but for your concern on account of the dead, may Heaven afford you consolation! Nicomedia, ruined as she is, I deem most happy. Her safety indeed would have been most desirable; but even thus she is honoured by your tears. Nor are these inferior to the lamentations which the Muses are said to have uttered for Achilles , or to the drops of blood which Jupiter, in honour of his dearest son, poured down at the approaching death of Sarpedon. That she therefore, who was lately a city, may again be a city, will be your concern. Elphidius , always a man of distinguished probity, has now made wonderful improvements. Thus it is not only true, as Sophocles says, that "Wise kings are form'd by converse with the wise," but the wisdom of a king improves also his friends in virtue. So serviceable have you been to Elphidius, making him not only richer but better. Though younger than he, you have been his instructor in these laudable pursuits, in equity, in an eager desire to assist his friends, to treat courageously those whom he knows not, and by so treating them, always to retain their friendship. For all who have approached and conversed with him have first admired and then instantly loved him, or rather have discovered your ideas in all that you have entrusted to him. I often discourse with him, and all our discourses turn on you, on the understanding that you possess, and the important affairs in which you are engaged. The manner in which you will complete them, and how you will ward some impending dangers, we have sagely discussed. I seemed, as it were, conversing with yourself. With particular pleasure I received the intelligence of your having defeated the barbarians , and that you had related your victories in a commentary , thus acting at once as an orator and a general. Achilles required a Homer, and Alexander many such, but your trophies, your own voice, which has erected them, will transmit to posterity. Thus you surpass the sophists by proposing to them not only actions for them to celebrate but the orations, which you have composed on your actions, for their emulation. To these your trophies I wish you to add that of restoring Pompeianus to his rights; and think not this an unworthy contention. For this is the man whom formerly in Bithynia, when he was ambassador from hence, you saw with pleasure, and on being informed of what he had been defrauded gave him hopes of recovering his property. Of this promise, O prince , I entreat you to be mindful. Nearly 2000 of his letters exist. In his life, he says, his letters were innumerable. This letter is one of the three first published by Fabricius with a Latin translation in his Bibliotheca Graeca, vol. 7, p. 397. In the edition of Wolfius it is the 33rd. Nicomedia the capital of Bithynia which, from the beauty of its situation, the magnificence of its buildings, its grandeur and its riches, had been looked on as the fifth city in the work, was destroyed by an earthquake Aug. 24, 358, followed by a fire which lasted five days. A monody, by Libanius, I have inserted in vol. 2. Julian was then only Caesar but he visited the city; and gave orders for re-building it on his way from Constantinople to Antioch, May 15, 362, after his accession to the empire. Another earthquake, which was also felt at Constantinople and Nice, swallowed up the remains of Nicomedia on January 1, 363. Homer, Odyssey 24.60 Iliad 16.459. A philosopher to whom Julian addressed his 57th letter. Libanius also wrote several letters to him and mentions him in several others. I have been unable to locate these words in Sophocles. WOLFIUS. Probably his victories over the Salian Franks and Chamarians. See Julian's Letter to the Athenians. Now lost. He had been prefect of Bithynia. Libanius praises him in many other letters, and some are addressed to him. . Although Julian was only Caesar, as appears from some passages above, both Fabricius and Wolfius have translated this imperator. But was often applied to the Caesars.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.