Letter 507

To Anatolius. The noble Spectatus has captured me so completely, and so thoroughly persuaded me to devote all my attention to him, that anyone who wanted to find me after sunset would run to his house and find me there at once. Even my beloved books -- the dearest things in the world to me -- were often judged second to this man. I would be pulled away from those old favorites toward him. The reason is not just kinship, though he is my relative. I have many relatives, and none of them does this to me. It is his character, which is loaded with every charm known to draw people in. But what drove me truly wild was this: He admires the greatness of your mind. Whenever he mentions you -- which he does constantly -- he can barely stop himself from going on about you. And I sit there in front of the company, basking in reflected glory, delighted by the audience's pleasure as they cheer and agree that yes, that is exactly how things stand with you. He has even become a prophet, possessed by you, making predictions for which we owe him a fee and he owes you an apology. He says you will hold office -- which for us, who know what you would do with it, is the answer to our prayers. But for you, since you do not know how to profit from governing, it is hardly welcome news. Still, even if the job feels heavy, do not get upset at the word. The deed will not follow from the word alone -- the prophet's voice runs ahead of events.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (356/57) Οὕτω με Σπεκτάτος ὁ γενναῖος ἀνηρτήσατο καὶ προσέ- γειν ἔπεισεν αὑτῷ καὶ πάντα ἄγειν αὑτόν, ὥσθ’ ὅστις ἰδεῖν με ἐθέλοι δύντος ἡλίου, παρὰ τοῦτον ἔτρεχε καὶ εἶχεν εὐθύς καὶ γὰρ τὰ πάντων ἥδιστά μοι βιβλία πολλάκις τοῦδε ἐκρίθη δεύτερα Ἄι εἱλκόμην εἰς τοῦτον ἀπ’ ἐκείνων τῶν παιδικῶν. αἴτιον δὲ οὐχ οὕτω τὸ τῆς συγγενείας, πολλοὶ γάρ μοι συγγενεῖς, ὧν οὐδείς με τοιαῦτα ἐργάζεται , ἀλλ’ ὁ τρόπος πάντων γέμων φαρμάκων ἐπισπᾶσθαι δεινῶν. ὃ δέ με μάλιστα ἐξέμηνεν, ἐκεῖνό ἐστι. θαυμάζει τῆς σῆς γνώμης τὸ μέγε- θος κἂν μνησθῇ σου, πολλάκις δὲ τοῦτο δρᾷ, μόλις ἀφίσταται τοῦ περὶ σοῦ τι λέγειν. ἐγὼ δὲ βλέπων εἰς τοὺς παρόντας σεμνύνομαι καὶ χαίρω τῷ τοὺς ἀκροωμένους χαίρειν τε καὶ βοᾶν ὡς οὔτως ἔχοι τὰ σά. ὁ δὲ καὶ μάντις ἤδη γίνεται κατεχόμενος ὑπὸ σοῦ καὶ προλέγει ταῦτα, ὧν ἡμεῖς μὲν αὐτῷ μισθὸν ὀφείλομεν, οὗτος δὲ σοὶ δίκην. τὸ γὰρ ὡς ἄρξεις ἡμῖν μὲν εἰδόσιν ἃ ποιήσεις ἐν εὐχαῖς, σοὶ δέ, οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα κερδαίνειν ἄρχων, οὐκ ἐν ἡδονῇ. ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ βαρύ σοι τὸ ἔργον, μὴ τῷ γε ῥήματι παροξύνου· οὐ γὰρ παρὰ τὸ ῥῆμα ἔσται τὸ ἔργον, ἀλλ’ ἡ τοῦ μάντεως φωνὴ φθάνει τὸ ἔργον.