Letter 467: I think you have some anger toward your son.

To Meterius. (355/56) I suppose you feel some anger toward your son. But if you are vexed because you have not seen him for a long while, you give us cause for joy; whereas if this were not a grief to you, it would be a grief to us that it should be a light matter to you. So then, in the anger you feel on account of his absence, you show yourself a father and gladden us; but in finding fault with anything else, you have been deceived. Let this very letter be a proof to you of the young man's good conduct: for it was not possible for me either to neglect your son, or, while taking thought for him, to fail to learn the true state of things, and to praise one whom I did not find worthy is not my way. If, then, whoever among us has gained as friends the most approved men owes a penalty to his father, let Meterius pay the penalty, for he has gained them; but if you yourself would pray that every city should be no worse for him than the one that bore him, then change the grounds of your complaint into grounds for rejoicing with him.

Μητερίῳ. (355/56) Οἶμαί σοι πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν εἼ τινα ὀργήν. ἀλλ’ εἰ μὲν ὅτι αὐτὸν οὐκ εΙόες πολλοῦ χρόνου χαλεπαίνεις, χαίρειν ἡμῖν δίδως· εἰ δὲ μὴ σοι τοῦτο ἦν λυπηρόν, ἡμῖν ἂν ἦν λυπηρὸν τὸ σοὶ τοῦτ’ εΙναι κοῦφον. ἐν μὲν οὖν τῇ διὰ τὴν ἀπουσίαν ὀργῇ τὸν πατέρα δεικνύων εὐφραίνεις, ἄλλο δέ τι μεμφόμενος ἐξηπάτησαι σημεῖον δέ σοι γενέσθω τῆς τοῦδε εὐταξίας ταυτὶ τὰ γράμματα · οὔτε γὰρ ἀμελεῖν ἐνῆν μοι τοῦ σοῦ παι- δὸς οὔτε φροντίζοντι μὴ τὰ ὄντα μαθεῖν, ἐπαινέσαι δὲ ὃν οὐ χρηστὸν εὕρισκον οὐκ ἐμόν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ὅστις παρ’ ἡμῖν φίλους κέκτηται τοὺς δοκιμωτάτους, οὗτος ὀφείλει δίκην πατρί, δότω δίκην Μητέριος, κέκτηται γάρ· εἰ δὲ κἂν αὐτὸς εὔξαιο πᾶσαν αὐτῷ πόλιν μὴ χείρω τῆς ἐνεγκούσης εἶναι, μετάστ,Ι- σὸν εἰς τὸ συνήδεσθαι τὰς αἰτίας.