Letter 408: Both my long silence and my writing now have their reasons.

Both my long silence and my writing now have their reasons. The silence came from despondency -- caused by not receiving any letters from you. What broke the silence was an intense desire to have at least this form of contact with you, if no other. And with a man of eloquence traveling your way, it seemed wrong not to send a few words through him. So let me say this: first, you do well to be a good man. Second, know that Olympius is an admirer of the fine things you pursue -- a man who is both a formidable orator and an accomplished philosopher, one who heals souls no less than bodies through his remedies. To have such a man as your admirer is, for a man of good sense, worth more than the treasures of Gyges [the legendary Lydian king famed for his wealth]. I myself have no money, but I have this man's approval -- and on that account I consider myself more blessed than the wealthiest men alive. If you have any regard for me, then forgive a devoted friend and lend your support. And whatever good you do, let me know by letter -- for the favor is no less in the telling.

Δεωνᾷ. (355) 15 Τό τε πολὺν σιγῆσαι χρόνον καὶ τὸ νῦν ἐπιστε[ελαι λόγον ἐστὶν ἔχον ἀμφότερα· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὑπ’ ἀθυμίας ἐγίνετο, ἣν τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν σου γράμματα ἐποίει, τὴν σιγὴν δὲ ἔλυε τὸ λίαν ἐπι- θυμεῖν <εἰ μὴ> ἄλλην, ταύτην γέ σοι συγγενέσθαι τὴν συν- ουσίαν· πρὸς δὲ καὶ ἀνδρὸς ὡς ὑμᾶς ἰόντος ἐπισταμένου λέγειν μὴ καὶ αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν τι δι’ αὐτοῦ τῶν ἀτόπων ἐδόκει. λέγω τοίνυν ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν καλῶς ποιεῖς ἀγαθὸς ὤν, ἔπειθ’ ὡς ὧν ἐπιτηδεύεις καλῶν ἐπαινέτην ἔχεις Ὀλύμπιον, ἄνδρα καὶ ῥήτορα δεινὸν καὶ φιλόσοφον ἄκρον βοηθοῦντα ψυχαῖς οὐ μεῖον ἡ σώμασιν ἀπὸ τῶν φαρμάκων. ἀνὴρ δὲ τοιοῦτος ἐπαινέτης ἀνδρὶ σώφρονι τιμιώτερον τῶν Γύγου χρημάτων. ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτῷ μοι χρήματα μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν, ἡ δὲ παρὰ τοῦδε ψῆφος, καὶ οἶμαι κατὰ τοῦτο τῶν πολυχρύσων εὐδαιμονέστε- ρος εἶναι. ἢν οὖν τι φροντίζῃς περὶ ἡμῶν, σύγγνωθί τε ἐραστῇ καὶ συλλαβοῦ. καὶ ὅ τι ἂν εὖ ποιήσῃς, δήλωσον γράμ- μασι τὸ ἔργον· ὡς οὐχ ἥττων ἡ χάρις ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ.