Letter 398: Among our fellow citizens I am always saying something about you — describing your character as excellent, your...

To Themistius (355) Among our fellow citizens we are always saying something about you, recounting both how excellent your character is and how marvelous your speeches, and what sort of man you are at repaying friends and at warding off enemies, and that your friends are those who are friends to the gods as well, and your enemies those who are enemies to the gods as well. These things were never at any time disbelieved, but when Philometor arrived he added such further accounts that he made out what I had said to be trifling. Yet I rejoiced at being outdone; for the one who won was winning on my behalf. At first, then, it seemed good to us to do everything so that you might come; but afterwards we voluntarily withdrew from that eagerness, and in the end we apply our eagerness toward the opposite, considering it the right time for you to remain in your own region. The reason for the change it was not seemly to write down; but if any of our close friends should come to your side, you will hear it from his lips.

Θεμιστίῳ (355) Ἐν τοῖς πολίταις ἡμῶν ἀεί τι περὶ σοῦ λέγομεν τό τε ἦθος ὡς χρηστὸν διηγούμενοι καὶ τοὺς λόγους ὡς θαυμαστοί, καὶ τίς μὲν εἴης φίλους ἀμείψασθαι, τίς δὲ ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνα- σθαι, καὶ ὅτι σοὶ φίλοι μὲν οἳ καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς, ἐχθροὶ δὲ οἱ καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς. ταυτὶ δὲ οὐκ ἔστι μὲν ὅτε οὐκ ἐπιστεύετο, Φιλομήτωρ δὲ ἥκων καὶ τοιαῦτα ἐπέθηκεν, ὥστε μικρά με λέγοντα ἀπέφηνεν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἔχαιρον ἡττώμενος· ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ὁ νικῶν ἐνίκα. τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον ἡμῖν ἐδόκει πάντα πράττειν, ὅπως ἂν ἔλθοις· ἔπειθ’ ἑκόντες ἐπανήκαμεν τῆς σπουδῆς, τελευτῶντες δὲ πρὸς τοὐναντίον χρώμεθα τῇ σπουδῇ καιρὸν εἶναί σοι νομίζοντες κατὰ χώραν μένειν. τὴν δὲ αἰτίαν τῆς μεταβολῆς ἐγγράψαι μὶν οὐκ εἶχε καλῶς, ἢν δέ τις παρ’ ὁμᾶς ἴῃ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων, ἀπὸ στόματος ἀκούσῃ.