Letter 540: Three things need to happen through you: one for a kinsman, one for an orator, and one for a rhetorician.

To Spectatus. Three things must be accomplished through you: the one concerning a kinsman, the second concerning an orator, and the third concerning a sophist. For in the case of my cousin, the public service [liturgy] to which he has been called must be confirmed by the emperor's nod; while to Sabinus there must come a document conferring a more splendid rank, so that he may not fall short in this respect to those whom he surpasses in eloquence. And let him not appear to make use of friends weaker than those of other men. For it is neither tolerable to us nor honorable for you that any occasion should be given to that man for accusing both me and you. And let the third take the grain allowance, so that this man's profit may choke our enemies.

Σπεκτάτῳ. (356/57) Τρία δεῖ γενέσθαι διὰ σοῦ, τὸ μὲν εἰς συγγενῆ, τὸ δὲ εἰς ῥήτορα, τὸ δὲ εἰς σοφιστήν. τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἀνεψιῷ τὴν λειτουργίαν ἐφ’ ἣν κέκληται δεῖ βασιλέως βεβαιωθῆναι νεύ- ματι, Σαβίνῳ δὲ δέλτον ἐλθεῖν σχῆμα λαμπρότερον φέρουσαν, ὅπως μὴ ὧν κρατεῖ τοῖς λόγοις, τούτῳ λείποιτο. ταύτῃ δὲ μὴ δοκῇ χρῆσθαι φίλοις ἀσθενεστέροις ἑτέρων. οὔτε γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀνεκτὸν οὔτε σοὶ καλὸν ἐκείνῳ τι παρέχειν ἐμοῦ τε καὶ σοῦ κατηγορεῖν. ὁ δὲ δὴ τρίτος λαβέτω τὸν σῖτον, ὅπως τὸ τούτου κέρδος τοὺς ἡμῖν ἐχθροὺς ἀποπνίγῃ.