Letter 521: Other men take pride in various things, but Severus takes pride in being my friend.

To Anatolius. Other men take pride in various things, but Severus takes pride in being my friend. And obviously, the moment he arrives among you, he will announce this to everyone. I was worried that you might hear his claim and then, finding no letter from me delivered by the man who makes it, conclude either that he is a liar or that I am a bad friend. What greater wrong could I do him than to deprive him of your support? Failing to give what one could give -- that, to my mind, amounts to robbery. What he needs is quite simple. But I am afraid that very simplicity will stop you from helping, since you may think it beneath you to display your strength on small matters. But, my dear fellow, for my sake, lay your hand on small things too.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (356) Ἄλλοις μὲν ἄλλος φιλοτιμεῖται, Σευῆρος δὲ τῷ φίλος ἐμὸς εἶναι. καὶ δῆλον ὡς εὐθὺς ἥκων πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοῦτο κη- ρύξει. ἔδεισα δὴ μὴ τὸ μὲν ἀκούων, γράμματα δὲ ἐμὰ διὰ τοῦ ταῦτα λέγοντος οὐ λαβὼν ἢ ψεύστην ἐκεῖνον ἢ κακὸν ἐμὲ περὶ τὸν φίλον ἡγήσῃ. τί γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν ἠδίκησα μεῖζον ἢ τῆς σῆς ῥοπῆς ἀποστερῶν; τὸ γὰρ μὴ δοῦναι παρὸν εἰς τὸ ἀποστερεῖν ἔγωγε ἂν θείην. ὧν μὲν οὖν δεῖται, τῶν πάνυ ῥᾴστων ἐστί· φοβοῦμαι δὲ μὴ τοῦτό σε κωλύσῃ συμμαχεῖν, ὡς πρέπον σοι τὴν ῥώμην ἐν μεγάλοις δεικνύειν. ἀλλ’, ὦ δαιμόνιε, χάριν ἐμὴν ἅψαι καὶ τῶν μικρῶν.