Letter 519: Heliodorus is on his way to Italy, and along the route the finest thing on earth will come into his view -- your city.
To Araxius.
Heliodorus is on his way to Italy, and along the route the finest thing on earth will come into his view -- your city. When he looks for the finest thing within the city itself, this letter will lead him to you, since it is you who gives the city its claim to surpass all others.
Even if the man is in a hurry, take the time to show him who you are. He deserves not to remain ignorant of your character. And in any case, whatever words you exchange with him, you will send him away marveling.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
Ἀραξίῳ. (356)
Ἔρχεται μὲν εὶς Ἰταλίαν Ἡλιόδωρος, τῆς αὐτοῦ δὲ ὁδοῦ
τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ τὸ κάλλιστον ὄψεται τὴν ὑμετέραν πόλιν. ζητῶν
δὲ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πόλει τὸ κάλλιστον ἄγεται παρὰ σὲ διὰ
τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ὃς καὶ τῇ πόλει δίδως τῶν ἄλλων κρατεῖν.
τὸν δὲ ἄνδρα, κἂν ἐπείγηται, δίδαξον, ὅστις εἶ, δίκαιον
ὄντα μὴ τὸν σὸν ἀγνοεῖν τρόπον. πάντως δέ, ὅ τι ἂν φθέγξη
πρὸς αὐτόν, θαυμάζοντα ἀποπέμψεις.
Related Letters
I have long known your skill in governing, so I am certain you are handling your present post with all proper care.
When you were governing Palestine, you didn't neglect to write.
Your servant delivered two letters from you, and I would be guilty of bad faith if I did not reply in kind.
Other men take pride in various things, but Severus takes pride in being my friend.
A fragmentary letter header; the text of this letter is largely lost, surviving only as a partial heading in the...