Letter 459: I commend to you the bearer of this letter, a person of genuine merit who deserves your favorable attention.

It is most pleasant to see you, Photius, holding office, and scarcely less pleasant to hear of the virtue with which you govern. And there is nothing surprising in this: a pupil of the admirable Strategius [likely a mutual acquaintance and Photius's mentor] is bound to be admirable in office. Now, if the money were with you, I would have built myself a house; but as things stand, collect the gold of which I have been deprived for a long time and send it along. And I shall consider that I have received not so much a debt repaid as a gift bestowed.

Φωτίῳ. (355/56) Ἥδιστον μέν σε Ἄι ἄρχοντα ὁρᾶν, οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ἦττον τὸ 'τὴν. ἀρετὴν μεθ’ ἧς ἄρχεις ἀκούειν. καὶ θαυμαστόν γε οὐδὲν μαθητὴν ὄντα τοῦ καλοῦ Στρατηγίου καλὸν ἐν ἀρχαῖς εἶναι εἰ μὲν οὖν ἦν παρ’ ὑμῖν, ᾠκοδόμησα ἄν μοι, νῦν δέ, οὗ πολὺν χρόνον ἀπεστέρημαι χρυσίου, τοῦτο εἰσπράξας ἀπόστελλε. νομιοῦμεν δὲ οὐκ ὄφλημα κεκομίσθαι μᾶλλον ἡ δωρεὰν εἰληφέναι.