Letter 355: You took from us something very great and gave something in return — not small, I would not say that, but not equal...

To Bassus. (358 AD) You took from us something very great and gave something in return — not small, I would not say that, but not equal to what you took. For by summoning your son you sent us a letter. His presence meant as much to me as your own company, and though the letter was welcome, it was second to him. May Calliopius find good teachers and preserve the foundation he received here. But now I ask you a favor I wish I had not been compelled to ask. Cyrinus has a son, Honoratus. Cyrinus held three governorships and came away from all of them poorer than before. In rhetoric he advanced as far as anyone could who had studied under Hermes himself [i.e., the best possible teacher]. This man, once father of many children, now has only Honoratus — and may he prove worthy, noble as he is, of so noble a father. A disease fell upon this excellent young man and dragged on — this is now the tenth month. It defeated the wisdom of many doctors over a long time, and the whole city watched in sleepless anxiety, for Honoratus is a treasure we all share. But now the good Marcellus has turned the illness, and Honoratus is beginning to walk again — something beyond what we had dared hope. Why have I told you all this? Not to distress you, but because I hear that all those under your authority have been summoned there — and he is one of them — and I want you to understand that he is not yet well. Even suppose the young man were healthier than Croton [proverbially the healthiest of cities]: would I not still have had grounds to plead with you? "Best of men, Bassus — Honoratus is devoted to his studies, he is his parents' sole consolation, and at an age when he still needs a father's watchful eye. Do not uproot him now; he will come when the time is better." Would you not have granted this if I had asked? You who would have given the favor then — will you not now reckon with the necessity? I believe so. And I confidently predict this too: that even in his absence, Honoratus will receive what those present enjoy from the admirable Bassus, who takes pride in doing well by Cyrinus and by me — from whom his reward is no small thing: the praise his deeds deserve.

Βάσσῳ. (358) Τὰ μέγιστα ἡμᾶς ἀφελόμενος ἔδωκας, σμικρὰ μὲν οὐκ ἂν φαίην, οὐ μὴν ἡλίκα γε ἀφείλου· τὸν γὰρ υίὸν μεταπεμ- ψάμενος ἔπεμψας ἡμῖν ἐπιστολήν. ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖνος μέν μοι παρὼν τοσοῦτον, ὅσον καὶ σὺ συνών, τὰ γράμματα δὲ ἡδὺ μέν, δεύτερον δὲ ἐκείνου. Καλλιόπιος μὲν οὖν ἀγαθῶν τύχοι διδασκάλων καὶ διασώσαιτό γε τὴν ἐντεῦθεν κρηπῖδα· νῦν δὲ σὲ χάριν αἰτοῦμαι, ἣν οὐκ ἄν ἠβουλόμην αἰτεῖν ἠναγκά- σθαι. Κυρίνῳ παῖς ἐοτιν Ὁνωράτος, ὁ δὲ Κυρῖνος ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἀρχῶν, τρεῖς δὲ αὗται, πενέστερος ἀπῆλθε, ῥητορι- κῆς δὲ πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἧκεν, ἐφ’ ὅσον ἄν, εἰ παρὰ τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἐτύγχανε φοιτήσας. οὗτος πολλῶν γεγονὼς πατὴρ νῦν ἑνός ἐστιν Ὁνωράτου καὶ εἴη γε καλοῦ τε ὄντος καὶ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κοσμοῦντος οὕτω γενναῖον πατέρα. τούτῳ δὴ τῷ βελτίστῳ νέῳ νόσημα ἐμπεσὸν καὶ προβὰν εὶς μῆκος, μὴν γὰρ οὑτοσὶ δέκατος, πολλὴν μὲν ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ σοφίαν ἰατρῶν ἐνίκησε, καὶ ἦν ἡ πόλις ἐν ἀγρυπνίᾳ τε καὶ φόβῳ· κτῆμα γὰρ ἡμῖν Ὁνωράτος κοινόν. νῦν δὲ ἔκλινε Μάρκελλος ὁ χρηστὸς τὸ κακόν, καὶ χρῆσθαι τοῖν ποδοῖν Ὁνωράτος ἄρχεται. τοῦτο δὲ ἦν κρεῖττον ἐλπίδος. τί δὴ ταῦτα διῆλθον; οὐκ ἀνιᾶν σε βουλόμενος, ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ τοὺς ὑπὸ σοὶ πάντας ἀκούομεν ἐκεῖσε κεκλῆσθαι, ὧν εἰς οὗτος, διδάσκειν σε ἐθέλων ὡς οὔπω εὖ πράττομεν. καίτοι θῶμεν τὸν νέον ὑγιέστερον εἶναι Κρό- τωνος· οὐκ ἂν ἦν μοι καὶ τότε λόγος πειρωμένῳ κατέχειν, ὅτι, ἀνδρῶν ἄριδτε, Βάσσε, λόγων τὸν Ὁνωράτον ἐχό- μενον καὶ μίαν ὄντα γονεῦσι παεαμυθίαν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ δεομένῃ τῶν πατρὸς ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῖν νῦν μὴ κίνει, καί, ὅτε βέλτιον, ἥξει; ταῦτα οὐκ ἄν ἐπένευες εἰπόντος; ὃς οἶν τότε ἂν ἔδωκας τὴν χάριν, νῦν οὐ λογιῇ τὴν ἀνάγκην; οἶμαί γε. κἀκεῖνο δὴ μαντεύομαι θαρ- ρῶν, ὡς καὶ ἀπὼν τεύξομαι ὧν οἱ παρόντες ἀπολαύουσι Βάσ- σου τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ μέγα ποιουμένου Κυρῖνον εὖ ποιεῖν καὶ ἐμέ, παρ’ ὧν αὐτῷ δῶρον οὐ φαῦλον τῶν ἔργων ἔπαινοι.