Letter 431

To Barbatio, military commander. (355) I have long considered you a good man, based on Themistocles's friendship with you -- that man would never have befriended anyone who was not thoroughly excellent. During my earlier stay here I had brief contact with you but could not develop it further, since my body was ailing and you were deeply occupied with the greatest responsibilities [likely military command]. Since Gessius, a man I trust, frequents your household, I feel justified in enrolling myself among your associates -- especially since Matius urged me to and promised I would not regret writing. He knows you well and is not unacquainted with me, and he said we would make no ignoble harmony together. As for the trophies you have raised over the barbarians -- leading the forces yourself while following the emperor's fortune -- they are known and admired everywhere. And there is hope that you will soon add more, and that eventually you will need no trophies at all, because there will be no battles left to fight. As for us, whose task it is to celebrate your deeds -- we should hear about them from the very men who accomplish them.

Βαρβατίωνι. (355) Ἐγώ σε καὶ πάλαι μὲν ἄνδρα ἀγαθὸν ήγούμην ἀπὸ τῆς Θεμιστοκλέους πρὸς σὲ φιλίας, ὁ γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἂν φιλήσαι μὴ λίαν ἀγαθόν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς προτέρας ἐνθάδε μοι γενομένης ἐπιδημίας μικρά σοι συμμίξας οὐ προῆλθον εἰς ὅσον ἔδει τοῦ τε σώματός μοι κάμνοντος καὶ σοὶ πολλῆς ἀσχολίας οὔσης, τῶν γὰρ μεγίστων ἐπεστάτεις. Γεσσίου δέ σοι φοι- τῶντος τοὐμοῦ καὶ πιστευομένου παρὰ τοῖς σοῖς οἰκείοις εἰς τοὺς συνήθεις σοι καὶ ἐμαυτὸν ἐγγράφων οὔτι ἀδικεῖν οἶμαι ἄλλως τε καὶ Ματίου κελεύοντος καὶ ὑπισχνουμένου μὴ μεταμελήσειν μοι τῶν γραμμάτων. σέ τε γὰρ εὖ μάλα εἰδὼς ἐμέ τε οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ἔφασκεν ἕξειν ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἀγεννῆ τινα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἁρμονίαν. τὰ τρόπαια δὲ ὅσα ἀπὸ βαρβάρων ἔστη- σας ἄγων μὲν αὐτὸς τὰς δυνάμεις, ἑπόμενος δὲ τῇ βασιλέω) τύχῃ, πανταχοῦ μὲν ἔγνωσται, πανταχοῦ δὲ τεθαύμασται, ἐλ- πίδες δέ εἰσιν ὡς αὐτίκα πλείω τε αὐτὰ ποιήσεις καὶ προïὼν οὐδὲν δεήσῃ τροπαίων, οὐδὲ γὰρ μάχης. ἡμᾶς δὲ οὒς δεῖ κοσμεῖν ὅσα ὑμεῖς ἐργάζεσθε παρ’ αὐτῶν τῶν ποιούντων ἃ ποιοῦσιν ἀκούειν καλόν.