Letter 529: The moment I heard that Rome had claimed you, I counted you fortunate.

To Olympius. The moment I heard that Rome had claimed you, I counted you fortunate. When I then learned that your reputation and influence were growing there, I called you even more fortunate. I do fear, however, that this may rob our own city of what belongs to her -- it is hard for our people when their descendants win fame elsewhere. I want you to receive praise everywhere, but not at the cost of wronging the city that raised you. She needs you. Through me, she asks you to come home, rejoicing in the literary accomplishments you have acquired but longing to enjoy them firsthand. She blames me before she blames you, because people think you follow my lead, and they fault me for not telling you to return. Let Rome be the crown of the world, as it is. But do not let that make you forget your friends and your family. Come back on the same terms as before. Help me tend our flock -- you would find it more pleasant to lead students alongside me than to govern cities far away. And if hearing about your eloquence falls short of hearing your actual voice, well, you will make the hearing far better with that voice of yours. As for the books you sent -- they were a delight. And the ones you said you are collecting are eagerly awaited. You will receive from us in the summer what you requested.

Ὀλυμπίῳ. (356) Εὖθύς ἀκούσας σε τῆς Ῥώμης εἰλῆφθαι τούτου σε εὐδαι- μόνιζον γνοὺς δὲ ὅτι σοι καὶ δόξα βελτίων εἴη καὶ δύναμις αὐτόθι, μᾶλλον ἐκάλουν εὐδαίμονα. δέδοικα μέντοι μὴ τοῦτο τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀποστερήσῃ τῶν ἑαυτῆς τὸ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις εἶναι παρ’ ἄλλοις εὐδοκιμεῖν. ἐγὼ δέ σε πανταχοῦ μὲν ἐπαίνων βουλοίμην ἂν τυγχάνειν, οὐ μέντοι τούτῳ τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν ἀδικεῖν, ἣ δεῖται μέν σου δι’ ἡμῶν ἥκειν αὑτῇ χαίρουσα μὲν ἐφ’ οἷς ἐκτήσω λόγοις, ἐρῶσα δὲ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως ὧν ἐκτήσω λόγων. μέμφεται δὲ ἐμοὶ πρὸ σοῦ· σὲ γὰρ οἴονται τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἕπεσθαι νεύμασι καὶ τοῦ μήπω σε ἥκειν ἐμὲ τὸν οὐ λέγοντα αἰτιῶνται. Ῥώμη μὲν οὖν ἔστω τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ, σὲ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο ποιείτω καὶ φίλων ἐπιλήσμονα καὶ γένους, ἀλλ’ ἐφ’ ὁμοίοις ἡμῖν ἐπάνιθι καὶ συνεπιμελοῦ ποιμνίων ἥδιον τὸ μετ’ ἐμοῦ τούτων ἄρχειν ἢ τὸ πόλεων ἡγούμενος. εἰ δ’ ἥττων ἀκοὴ τῆς σῆς φωνῆς, σύ τοι ποιήσεις αὐτὴν κρείττω τῇ σῇ φωνῇ βιβλίοις δὲ οἷς τε ἔπεμψας ἥσθη, οἷς τε συλλέγειν ἔφης. ἥξει δέ σοι καὶ παρ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ θέρους ἃ κελεύεις.