Letter 429: I rejoice for both philosophy and the emperor -- for him, because he knows how to honor the finest gift the gods...

I rejoice for both philosophy and the emperor -- for him, because he knows how to honor the finest gift the gods have given mankind; for philosophy, because it is admired even by those in power. And both should be grateful to you, for you are the reason each has received what it did. I already knew all this before your letter arrived, from the dispatches that reached our excellent Strategius. He shared both your letter to him and what the good emperor wrote to the Senate about you. We had to learn the contents through a translator [the letter being in Latin], but nothing was obscure, and our delight was immense. Indeed, rumor had preceded even the official letters, and it proved accurate -- the documents quickly confirmed it. The finest thing in all of this was that you did not reject the means by which you could join the Senate, while gracefully declining what would have brought wealth. That was how to both accept the honor and prove you deserved it. As for me: my bodily ailments advise me to stay put. But know this well -- even if I were in perfect health, I would have counseled myself to remain. Here my lecture halls overflow with eager young men. Elsewhere...

Θεμιστίῳ (355) Συνήσθην φιλοσοφίᾳ τε καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ· τῷ μέν, ὅτι τὸ κάλλιστον ὧν ἔδοσαν ἀνθρώπῳ θεοὶ τιμᾶν ἐπίσταται· τῇ δ’, ὅτι καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐν ἐξουσίαις θαυμάζεται. σοὶ δ’ ἂν ἔχοι χάριν αὐτή τε καὶ ἐκεῖνος· σὺ γὰρ ἀμφοῖν αἴτιος τούτων τυ- χεῖν. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ πρὶν ἐπιστεῖλαί σε πρὸς ἐμὲ ταῦτα ᾔδειν ἐκ τῶν πρὸς τὸν ἄριστον ἡκόντων Στρατήγιον γραμμάτων. ἔδωκε γὰρ ἅ τε σὺ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἃ περὶ σοῦ πρὸς τὴν βου- Λὴν ὁ πάντα ἀγαθὸς ἔγραψε βασιλεύς. ἃ δὴ δι’ ἑρμηνέως ὅ τι εἴη μαθόντες ὑπερεχαίρομεν. ἐγένετο δὲ καὶ τούτων τῶν γραμμάτων πρεσβυτέρα φήμη καὶ οὐκ ἠπιστήθη, ταχὺ δὲ προσ- ετέθη καὶ τὰ γράμματα. κάλλιστον δὲ τῶν πεπραγμένων τὸ δι’ ὧν μὲν ἦν μετασχεῖν τῆς βουλῆς μὴ ἀτιμάσαι, τὰ δὲ τὸ Λρδος φέροντα ἐμμελῶς διώσασθαι. τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν αὐτό, τε τιμῆσαι καὶ τὸ δικαίως ὑπ’ ἐκείνου τετιμῆσθαι Μαὶ. τὸ δ’ ἐμὸν οὕτως ἔχει· τὰ τοῦ σώματος ἀρρωστήματα παραινεῖ μοι μένειν. εὖ δὲ ἴσθι, κἄν εἰ σφόδρα ἦν ὑγιής, ἐμαυτῷ σύμ- βουλος ἂν ἐγενόμην μένειν. τῇδε μὲν γὰρ ἀγέλαις νέων εὔω- ῥία, τὸ δὲ παρ’ ὑμὶν διδάσκειν λόγους ἀρχὴ Σκυρία.