Letter 374: May you always send such reports about your health, for it would be fitting that a man of such good judgment should...

To Strategius. (358) May you always send such reports about your health, for it would befit you, being noble in mind, to be in vigorous condition in that respect as well; but as for me, I have been carried back once more into the malady of the head, so that even Marcellus [the physician] has fallen into fear lest the affliction prove too great for him. Yet it has neither overcome the physician nor been entirely mastered, but at present a mighty battle stands joined between the art and the disease. Dianius will tell you about these matters too, and how the Syrians are disposed toward you—a man whom one may indeed call good, but no longer fortunate. For having acquired eloquence through toil and having hoped to reap the benefit of that ability in your presence, he both set his hand to the affair and was at once thrust back from it. Having therefore failed of the favorable wind, let him enjoy the second voyage. And this is for a place to be made for him among you, in the vicinity of the tribunal [the law court]; and if anyone among the citizens should draw him away, let that man learn that in so doing he will be acting in a way not at all pleasing to you. The man is worthy of protection, both in my eyes—because he is a kinsman of Aristaenetus and a pupil of mine—and in yours, on the very same grounds. For long ago you taught me that you consider our affairs to be your own.

Στρατηγίῳ. (358) Σὺ μὲν ἀεὶ τοιαῦτα ἐπιστέλλοις περὶ τοῦ σώματος, πρέ- ποι γὰρ ἂν ὄντα σε τὴν γνώμην ἀγαθὸν κἀκείνως ἐρρῶσθαι, ἐγὼ δὲ αὖθις ἀπηνέχθην εἰς τὴν νόσον τῆς κεφαλῆς, ὥστε καὶ τὸν Μάρκελλον ἐν φόβῳ καταστῆναι μὴ μεῖζον αὑτοῦ γένηται τὸ κακόν. τὸ δὲ οὔτε ἐνίκησε τὸν ἰατρὸν οὔτε ἐκρα- τήθη παντελῶς, ἀλλὰ συνέστηκε νυνὶ μάχη κρατερὰ τέχνης καὶ πάθους. ἐρεῖ δέ σοι καὶ περὶ τούτων καὶ ὡς ἔχουσι πρὸς σὲ Σύροι, Διάνιος, ὃν ἀγαθὸν μὲν ἔξεστι προσειπεῖν, εὐτυχῆ δὲ οὐκέτι. πόνῳ γὰρ λόγους κτησάμενος καὶ παρὰ σοὶ καρπώσασθαι τὴν δύναμιν ἐλπίσας ὁμοῦ τε ἥψατο καὶ ἀπε- κρούσθη τοῦ πράγματος. τοῦ χρηστοῦ τοίνυν ἀνέμου δια- μαρτὼν ἀπολαυσάτω τοῦ δευτέρου πλοῦ. ἔστι δὲ οὗτος γενέ- σθαι χώραν αὐτῷ παρ’ ὑμῖν περὶ τὸ βῆμα καὶ τῶν πολιτῶν ἤν τις ἀφέλκῃ, τοῦτον μαθεῖν ὡς οὐ σοί γε ἀρέσκοντα δράσει. κηδεμονίας δὲ ἁνὴρ ἄξιος ἐμοί τε, διότι συγγενὴς Ἀρισται- νἐτου καὶ μαθητὴς ἐμός, σοί τε ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν. πάλαι γάρ με ἐδίδαξας ὅτι τὰ ἡμέτερα σαυτοῦ νομίζεις.