Letter 41: It seems to me that you are being pushed to push me by your own sister, who is Philoxenus's mother.

To Ecdicius. (358/359) It seems to me that you are being pushed to push me by your own sister, who is Philoxenus's mother. She is doing the same thing to my uncle through his wife. And your uncle gives the same instructions you write -- that the young man must become an orator under our care. So tell Philoxenus's mother that, God willing, her son will become the kind of man she can be proud of. He has both the desire to learn and the natural ability to succeed.

**To Ecdicius** (358/359) It seems to me that you are being stirred to stir me by your sister, the mother of Philoxenus. She does the same thing with my uncle, working through his wife. And he, being here in person, urges the very things you write — that the young man should become an orator under my instruction. So tell Philoxenus's mother that her son, God willing, will become such a one as to satisfy her; for he has both the willing mind and the capable nature.

Ἐκδικίῳ. (358/359) Ἐμοὶ σὺ δοκεῖς ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς μὲν ἀδελφῆς, Φιλοξένου δὲ μητρὸς ἐπὶ τὸ κινεῖν με κινεῖσθαι. ποιεῖ δὲ ταὐτὸ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐμὸν θεῖον διὰ τῆς ἐκείνου γυναικός. ὁ δ’ ἅπερ σὺ γρά- φεις κελεύει παρών, ὅπως ἡμῖν ἔσται ῥήτωρ ὁ νεανίσκος. φράζε δὴ τῇ Φιλοξένου μητρὶ τὸν παῖδα αὐτῇ θεοῦ διδόν- τος ἔσεσθαι τοιοῦτον ὡς ἀρκεῖν αὐτῇ· γνώμη τε γὰρ βουλο- μένη φύσις τε δυναμένη.