Letter 34: To the same person. (358/59)

To the same person. (358/59) Would this not be another sign of your passion for rhetoric -- that reading a letter relieved your fatigue from the journey? I see other men recovering their strength after long roads with oil, baths, and drink, but for you a letter serves in place of all that, and such a short one at that. I might add: not even a particularly good one. What would you have done, then, if it had been both long and good? The letter's brevity, by the way, was not from laziness. I deliberately kept it short, knowing that your eyes were needed for more pressing business. As for Romulus, I know he deserves honor, not punishment. He has already completed more than half the task, and the race to the finish is underway -- though Nebridius, who always wanted this very thing, remained stuck in the wanting and could never bring it off. But your every command, it seems, is achievable. Since you yourself surpass all expectations, your subordinates too, looking to your example, are seized with the desire to succeed in everything. And know that Olympius remains the same man toward you and is far from any change of heart.

**To the Same** (358/59) Would this not also be a sign of your passion for literature — that reading a letter relieved you of your fatigue? For I see that other men, after long journeys, restore their strength with oil, baths, and drink, but for you it is a letter that serves in place of all these, and such a short one at that — I might even add, not a particularly fine one. What on earth would you have done, then, if it had been both long and fine? As for the letter's brevity, it was not from laziness — rather, I deliberately kept it short, knowing that your affairs demand your eyes. As for Romulus, I know him to be worthy of honor, but of no punishment whatsoever. He has already accomplished more than half the task, and the race is now toward the finish. And yet Nebridius, though he always wished for this very thing, remained stuck in the wishing and was unable to accomplish it. But every command of yours, it seems, is within the realm of the possible. For since you yourself surpass all expectations, a desire to succeed in everything falls upon your servants too, as they look to your example. And know that Olympius remains the same man toward you and is very far from any change of heart.

τῷ αὐτῷ. (358/59) Οὐκ ἂν καὶ τόδε σημεῖον εἴη τῆς περὶ τοὺς λόγους ὁρ- μῆς, εἴ σοι τοὺς πόνους ἐπιστολῆς ἀνάγνωσις ἐπεκούφισε; τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλους ἐπὶ τοῖς μήκεσι τῶν ὁδῶν ἐλαίῳ τε καὶ λου- τροῖς καὶ πότῳ τὴν ῥώμην ἀνακτωμένους ὁρῶ, σοὶ δ’ ἀντὶ τούτων γράμματα καὶ ταῦτα οὕτω μικρά, προσθείην δ’ ἂν ὡς οὐδὲ πάνυ καλά. τί ποτ’ ἂν οὖν ἔδρας, εἰ μακρά τε ἦν καὶ καλά; τῆς δὲ ἐπιστολῆς ἡ βραχύτης οὐκ ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας, ἀλλ’ ἐξεπίτηδες συνέστελλον εἰδώς, ὅτι σου τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν δεῖται τὰ πράγματα. Ῥωμύλον δὲ τιμῶν μὶν ἄξιον οἶδα, τιμωρίας δὲ οὐδεμιᾶς. ᾧ πλέον ἤδη τοῦ ἡμίσεος πέπρακται, πρὸς δὲ τὸ πέρας ὁ δρόμος. καίτοι τοῦτο Νεβρίδιος ἀεί ποτε θέλων ἔμει- νεν ἐν τῷ βούλεσθαι, πρᾶξαι δὲ οὐκ ἠδυνήθη. σὸν δὲ ἐπί- τάγμα πᾶν, ὡς ἔοικε, δυνατόν. ἐπεὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς κρείττω ποιεῖς ἐλπίδων, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς ὑπηρέταις εἰς τὰ σὰ βλέπουσιν ἔρως ἐμπίπτει πάντα κατορθοῦν. τὸν δὲ Ὀλύμπιον ἴσθι σοι τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι καὶ πλεῖστον ἀπέχειν μεταβολῆς.