Letter 51: To the same person. (359)

To the same person. (359) Palladius reaches you late, having labored greatly over small matters. I too had a share in the labor, as Palladius himself will tell you. The cause of the delay was not that the excellent Hermogenes was unwilling to do you a favor. He knows your character, he praises your administration, and he is aware of your poverty. Among those who wish his current office to continue, he considers you alone to have the right attitude -- and rightly so, for I know this is your prayer. But first, I think, he was troubled by certain letters from the emperor that prevented him from touching the grain supply. When he finally dared to act for your sake, the sheer volume of business caused further delay. He kept saying he would give, and there was never a time he did not say "I will give" -- and he gave, the moment he was able.

**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.