Letter 51: To the same person. (359)

To the same man. (359) Late indeed does Palladius come to you, but only after toiling much on behalf of small matters. And I myself have shared in the labor, as Palladius himself will tell you. The cause of the delay was not that the worthy Hermogenes was unwilling to do you a favor. For he knows your character, and he praises your office, and he is not unaware of your poverty; and among those who pray that their present rank may be extended to a longer term, he reckons you to be one, having rightly understood you. For I myself am aware that this is your prayer. But I think that at first he was thrown into confusion by certain letters of the emperor, which forbade him to lay any hand upon the grain; and when at last he resolved even to venture something for your sake, the multitude of his affairs caused delay. For he kept saying that he would always give, and there was no time when he did not say this, that "I shall give"; and he did give, when it became possible.

**To the same correspondent.** (359) Palladius comes to you late, having labored long over a small matter. And I myself have shared in the labor, as Palladius himself will tell you. The cause of the delay was not any unwillingness on the part of the good Hermogenes to oblige you. For he knows your character, he commends your administration, and he is well aware of your straitened circumstances; indeed, among those who pray that his present office may be extended for a long time, he rightly counts you as one — for I know that this is your prayer. But the thing was this: at first he was troubled by certain letters from the emperor that forbade him to touch the grain supply. Then, when he resolved to venture something on your behalf, the sheer volume of business caused delay. He kept saying he would give it, and there was never a time when he did not say "I will give it" — but he gave it only when it became possible.

τῷ αὐτῶ. (359) Ὀψὲ μὲν ἥκει σοι Παλλάδιος, πολλὰ δ’ οὖν ὑπὲρ μι- κρῶν πονήσας. κεκοινώνηκα δὲ καὶ αὐτός, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐρεῖ σοι Παλλάδιος, τοῦ πόνου. τὸ δὲ αἴτιον τῆς τριβῆς οὐ τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαί σοι χαρίζεσθαι τὸν χρηστὸν Ἑρμογένην. καὶ γὰρ ἐπίσταταί σου τὸν τροπὰν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπαινεῖ καὶ τὴν πε- νίαν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖ τῶν τε εὐχομένων αὑτῷ προβῆναι τὴν παροῦ- σὰν τάξιν εἰς μῆκος ἕνα σε νομίζει καλῶς ὑπειληφώς. ἐγὼ γάρ σοι ταύτην σύνοιδα τὴν εὐχήν. ἀλλ’ οἶμαι , τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐταράττετο βασιλέως δή τισι γράμμασιν, ἃ μὴ προσ- άπτεσθαι τοῦ σίτου διεκώλυεν· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔδοξέ τι καὶ τολμῆσαι σὴν χάριν, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πραγμάτων ἀναβολὴν ἐποίει. δώ- σειν μὲν γὰρ ἔφασκεν ἀεὶ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτε οὐ τοῦτο εἶπεν ὅτι δώσω, δέδωκε δέ, ἡνίκα ἐξεγένετο.