Letter 532: Everything would have come easily to Gymnasius even if he had stayed here with us.

To Aristaenetus. Everything would readily have gone well for Gymnasius even had he stayed here with us, but it caused Strategius astonishment that you neither obeyed those who summoned you, nor, in imitation of you, did he himself set out. And indeed he found fault with you for being unwilling to hold office, when you are fit to hold office; but I said that you were not living as a private man while that man was governor, and he was pleased at the remark. Concerning your health you prophesied not badly; for somehow it is moving toward the better, with God granting it - let that be added. But in speaking ill of the council you blaspheme against our friends, since, apart from one household empty of good sense, the whole of it is mine. You, however - I do not know how - passing over the chance to learn my affairs from my letters, give your attention to a man who says not the things he meant to say. For from what you discussed about his anger, I understood where it came from. As for me, may I never grow faint-hearted toward my enemies, since even now they have paid some penalties, and perhaps will pay others.

Ἀρισταινέτῳ. (356/57) Γυμνασίῳ πάντ’ ἂν ὑπῆρξε ῥᾳδίως κοὶ μένοντι πὰρ ἡμῖν, θαῦμα δὲ παρέσχε Στρατηγίῳ τὸ μήτε σὲ τοῖς καλοῦσιν ὑπακοῦσαι σέ τε μιμούμενον ἐκεῖνον οὐ πορευθῆναι. καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐμέμφετό σε τοῦ μὴ ἄρχειν ἐθέλειν ἄρχειν ὄντα ἐπι- τήδειον, ἐγὼ δέ σε οὐκ ἔφην ἰδιωτεύειν ἄρχοντος ἐκείνου καὶ ἥσθη τῷ λόγῳ. περὶ δὲ τοῦ σώματος οὐ κακῶς ἐμαντεύσω· χωρεῖ γάρ πως ἐπὶ τὰ βελτίω θεοῦ διδόντος, προσκείσθω γάρ τὴν βουλὴν δὲ λέγων κακῶς εἰς τοὺς φίλους ἡμῖν βλασφη- μεὶς πλὴν γὰρ ἑνὸς οἴκου φρενῶν ἐρήμου τὸ πᾶν ἐμόν. σὺ δέ, οὐκ οἶδ᾿ ὅπως, ὑπερβὰς τὸ τἀμὰ παρὰ τῶν μανθάνειν ἐπιστολῶν προσέχεις τὸν νοῦν ἀνθρώπῳ λέγοντι οὐχ ἅπερ ἤθελεν εἰρηκέναι. καὶ γὰρ ἃ διελέχθης περὶ τοῦ θυμοῦ, συνῆκα ὅθεν ἦν. ἐγὼ δὲ μηδέποτε ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς γενοίμην ἄθυμος ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν δίκας τὰς μὲν δεδώκασι, τὰς δὲ ἴσως δώσουσιν.