To Asclepius, provincial governor. (355)
I have been worried about you ever since you left here -- not because I doubted your ability, but because I could see the wickedness of the situation. You truly launched your ship into a storm. But that very difficulty should make you a better governor: the harder the conditions, the greater your reputation will be.
And it seems to me you have already gained the most important thing. The best man in your province has become your friend, moving from admiration to genuine affection. Eutolmius came to the city and immediately visited me, seeking out an old companion.
I asked about nothing before asking who you were in office, and he made it clear he would not have wanted to be asked about anything else first. He praised your gentleness, feared what we ourselves fear -- the lack of resources -- prayed for relief, and in every way resembled a father nursing anxious thoughts about a son.
I urge you to welcome this man warmly whenever he comes, and to send for him when he does not. Make him your advisor and trust him in everything. Both of you will be praised for it.
I have been worried about you ever since you left here -- not because I doubted your ability, but because I could see the wickedness of the situation. You truly launched your ship into a storm. But that very difficulty should make you a better governor: the harder the conditions, the greater your reputation will be.
And it seems to me you have already gained the most important thing. The best man in your province has become your friend, moving from admiration to genuine affection. Eutolmius came to the city and immediately visited me, seeking out an old companion.
I asked about nothing before asking who you were in office, and he made it clear he would not have wanted to be asked about anything else first. He praised your gentleness, feared what we ourselves fear -- the lack of resources -- prayed for relief, and in every way resembled a father nursing anxious thoughts about a son.
I urge you to welcome this man warmly whenever he comes, and to send for him when he does not. Make him your advisor and trust him in everything. Both of you will be praised for it.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.