Letter 444: You left a sting in me that keeps my memory of you alive.

LibaniusSpectatus, official at court|c. 356 AD|Libanius|AI-assisted
grief deathtravel mobility

You left a sting in me that keeps my memory of you alive. Both Clematius and I wept all the way to the gates as you departed. Then his grief was eased by the thought that he would see you again soon, while mine was eased by knowing you traveled with good hopes.

I know you will put our fears to rest -- but please, let speed accompany the favor. The ambassadors' presence will give you an opening for your appeals, and you will help us for their sake and help them for the city's sake.

AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.

Latin / Greek Original

Σπεκτάτῳ. (355)

Κέντρον ἡμῖν ἐναπέθου κινοῦν εἰς τὸ μεμνῆσθαί σου
τὸν τρόπον. ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ Κληματίῳ δάκρυα κατὰ τῶν παρειῶν
ἄχρι τῶν πυλῶν ἔρρει. ἔπειτα τὸν μὲν ἔπαυσε τῆς λύπης ὁ
τοῦ αὐτίκα σε ὄψεσθαι λογισμός, ἐμὲ δὲ τὸ μετὰ χρηστῆς σε
τῆς ἐλπίδος πορεύεσθαι.

τοὺς φόβους δὲ ἡμῖν ὅτι μὲν ἀν-
αιρήσεις οἶδα, προσέστω δὲ καὶ τάχος τῇ χάριτι. δώσει δέ
σοι πρὸς τὰς δεήσεις ὁδὸν ἡ τῶν πρέσβεων παρουσία, καὶ
συλλήψῃ διὰ μὲν τούτους ἡμῖν, τούτοις δὲ διὰ τὴν πόλιν.

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