Letter 354: Do you remember those conversations in which I urged you to do right by Honoratus?

To Spectatus. (358) Do you remember those words by which we urged you to secure for Honoratus what was fitting? And what of the promise that is yours, the one you yourself made? Indeed, you readily nodded your assent, both out of reverence for the sacred person of Quirinus and because you did not slight us; yet I see no deed of any of the things we were hearing about. And I bring a charge against you on both counts: on the one hand, if you are the sort to have forgotten; on the other, if, while remembering the things you do not fail to remember, you are nonetheless negligent. For the former belongs to one who does not love, the latter to one who even insults. But even if not before, now show yourself toward us such as you are toward many—though we are perhaps not justly to be counted among the many. For we are ready to give to one who wishes to take, and even if you shun the taking, you will see us mindful of the favor. Let those great matters, then, be done—great, as it seems to us, yet small indeed, as they seem to you. For this you know you said to us: that we were announcing things small and entailing no trouble. But take care along with us that the present summons does not become a harm to us; for they say that all have been summoned there from every quarter, as many as hold office in the same position as Honoratus. And it is clear that upon the one who does not come some penalty will be imposed. But whoever, being able to obey, sits idle, despises it—and let him pay the penalty; whereas for us, though it was necessary that we should be free to hasten there, we have been compelled to sit still. For you are not unaware of the long duration of the illness, in wrestling with which the young man now scarcely comes to hopes of safety, and his nourishment is still circumscribed by the rules of the physicians. Let Bassus learn these things, make this your defense, and preserve appearances for one who is absent under compulsion.

Σπεκτάτω. (358) Ἆρ’ ἐκείνων μέμνησαι τῶν λόγων, δι’ ὧν σε παρεκαλοῦ- μεν Ὁνωράτῳ τὰ εἰκότα σῶσαι; τί δέ, ὧν αὐτὸς ὑπισχνοῦ 15 λόγος ἐστί σοι; καὶ μὴν ἑτοίμως ἐπένευες Κυρίνου τε τὴν ἱερὰν κεφαλὴν αἰδούμενος καὶ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἀτιμάζων, ἔργον δὲ οὐδὲν ὧν ἠκούομεν ὀρῶ. καί σε γράφομαι κατ’ ἄμφω τοῦτο μέν, εἰ φὺς ἐπιλελῆσθαι, τοῦτο δέ, εἰ μεμνημένος ὧν οὐκ ἀμνημονεῖς ἀμελεῖς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ οὐ φιλοῦντος, τὸ δὲ καὶ ὑβρίξοντος. ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ μὴ πρότερον, νῦν οἷος περὶ πολ- λούς, καὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς φάνηθι τάχα οὐ δικαίους ὄντας ἐν πολ- λοῖς ἀριθμεῖσθαι. δοῦναί τε γὰρ ἕτοιμοι βουλομένῳ λαβεῖν κἂν τὸ λαμβάνειν φεύγῃς, ὄψει μεμνημένους τῆς χάριτος. πραττέσθω μὲν οὖν κἀκεῖνα τὰ μεγάλα μέν, ὡς ἡμῖν δο- κεῖ, μικρὰ Γε, ὡς σοί. τουτὶ γὰρ οἶσθα πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰπὼν ὡς μικρά τε ἐπαγγέλλοιμεν καὶ οὐκ ἔχοντα πόνον. συμπαρατήρει δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι βλάβην ἡμῖν τὴν νῦν γε κλῆσιν, φασὶ γὰρ κεκλῆσθαι πανταχόθεν ἐκεῖσε πάντας ὅσοι καθιστᾶσιν ἐν ᾧπερ Ὁνωράτος. καὶ δῆλοι ὡς τῷ γε οὐχ ἥκοντι δίκη τις ἐπικείσεται. ἀλλ’ ὅστις μὲν ἔχων ὑπακούειν κάθηται, κάτα φρονεῖ καὶ δότω δίκη ἡμῖν δὲ ἔδει μὲν ἐξεῖναι τρέχειν, καθῆσθαι δὲ ἠναγκάσμεθα. τῆς γὰρ δὴ νόσου τὸ μῆκος οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς, ᾗ προσπαλαίων ὁ νέος νῦν μόλις εἰς ἐλπίδας ἀσγα- λείας ἥκει, τροφὴ δὲ αὐτῷ νόμοις ἰατρῶν ἔτι περιγέγραπται. ταῦτα μαθέτω Βάσσος, ταῦτα ἀπολογίαν ποιοῦ καὶ φύλαττε τὸ σχῆμα τῷ γε ὑπ’ ἀνάγκης ἀπόντι.