Letter 45: I hear that the danger has reached its peak -- that bridges have been built for the Persian [Shapur II] and the...

To Modestus. (359) I hear that the danger has reached its peak -- that bridges have been built for the Persian [Shapur II] and the crossing is imminent. Let this sharpen your vigilance, but keep panic far from your planning. For panic itself will destroy your ability to plan, since a troubled mind inevitably becomes blind. Take courage from this: this is not his first invasion. Ever since the war began, he has been trying to cross, and every time he has suffered for it and cursed himself for his false hopes. Furthermore, victory does not always follow numbers. More often than not, a great horde is beaten by superior strategy. If sheer size were what mattered, his ancestor should have conquered Greece. But you know how it went: he marched in coveting Greece, and fled wishing only to survive. For it was one thing to dig through mountains and quite another to overcome men of courage. This one too will now meet the plans of our generals, who will teach him that he would have done better fighting deer. Even if he crosses the Tigris, he will find our walls...

**To Modestus** (359) I hear that fears have reached their peak, that bridges have been built for the Persian, and that the crossing is at hand. Let this heighten your vigilance, but keep panic far from that vigilance — for panic will destroy your very capacity for foresight, since when the mind is in turmoil, judgment is inevitably blinded. Take courage, first, from the fact that this is not the first invasion he has dared. Ever since the war began, he has always attempted to cross, and each time, after suffering badly, he has had cause to reproach himself for his hopes. Furthermore, victory does not everywhere follow superior numbers; more often than not, mere manpower is defeated by skill. If greater force always prevailed, then surely his ancestor ought to have conquered Greece. But as you know, he marched against her burning with desire, and then fled from her burning only to survive. For it was not the same thing to cut through mountains and to overcome men of valor. This king too will now encounter the stratagems of our generals, who will teach him that he would have done better to fight deer. For even if he crosses the Tigris, he will prove no match for our walls; the land he can neither ravage nor harvest, for it has already been laid waste; and as for the cities on the Euphrates, he will go on trying to take them but will never be seen to succeed — the Emperor's Fortune fortifies them. Such is how we must expect these matters to turn out. As for your affairs, which required a letter from Hermogenes, I have not neglected them. We mice, it seems, do more to help you lions than you lions do to help us.

Μοδέστῳ. (359) Ἀκούω τοὺς φόβους εἰς ἀκμὴν ἥκειν καὶ τῷ Πέρσῃ γε- φύρας γεγονέναι καὶ τὴν διάβασιν ἐν χερσὶν εἶναι. σοὶ δε τοῦτο μείζω μὲν ποιείτω τὴν πρόνοιαν, ἀπέστω δὲ τῆς προ- νοίας ταραχή. τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ γὰρ ποιήσει καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι προ- νοεῖν ὡς ἐν τῷ τεταράχθαι τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀνάγκη τυφλοῦ- σθαι. θαρρυνέτω δέ σε πρῶτον μὲν τὸ μὴ πρώτην αὐτῷ ταύτην τολμᾶσθαι τὴν εἰσβολήν, ἀλλ’ ἀεὶ μὲν αὐτόν, ἐξ οὗ πολεμεῖ, διαβῆναι πειρᾶσθαι, παθόντα δὲ ἀεὶ κακῶς αὑτῷ μέμψασθαι τῆς ἐλπίδος. ἔπειτα οὐ τοῖς πλείοσι πανταχοῦ τὸ νικᾶν ἀκολουθεῖ, ἀλλ’ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τὴν πολυχειρίαν ἡττᾶ- σθαι τῆς σοφίας συμβαίνει. εἰ δὲ τὸ πλέον ἰσχυρότερον ἦν, ἔδει δήπου τὸν τούτου πρόγονον κτήσασθαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα. νῦν δὲ οἶσθα, ὡς ἐστράτευσε μὲν ἐκείνης ἐπιθυμῶν, φεύγων δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπεθύμει σωθῆναι. οὐ γὰρ τῶν αὐτῶν ἦν ὄρη τε διο- ρύττειν καὶ ἀνδρῶν κρατεῖν ἀρετῆς. ἐντεύξεται δὴ καὶ οὗτος νῦν βουλεύμασι στρατηγῶν, οἳ αὐτὸν διδάξουσιν, ἄρα κάλλιον ἦν ἐλάφοις μάχεσθαι καὶ γὰρ ἂν τὸν Τίγρητα διαβῇ, τῶν μὲν τειχῶν ἥττων ἔσται, γῆν δὲ οὔτε κακοῦν οὔτε καρποῦσθαι δυνήσεται, δεδῄωται γάρ, πόλεις δὲ τὰς ἐπ Εὐφράτῃ ζητῶν μὲν λαβεῖν διατελέσει, λαβὼν δὲ οὐ φανεῖται. τειχίζει γὰρ αὐτὰς ἡ βασιλέως Τύχη. ταυτὶ μὲν οὕτω χρὴ προσδοκᾶν ἀποβήσεσθαι, τῶν δὲ σῶν πραγμάτων, ἃ τῶν Ἑρ- μογένους ἐδεῖτο γραμμάτων, οὐκ ἠμελήσαμεν, ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς οἱ μύες μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς ὠφελεῖν πειρώμεθα τοὺς λέοντας ἢ ὑμεῖς ἡμᾶς οἱ λέοντες