Letter 558

To Anatolius. Even if I did not get what I wanted when I wanted it, I did in the end get what I wanted. I would have had your letter long ago, as was only right, but instead I have it late. You have put an end to my distress -- a distress it was in your power to prevent from the start. Still, you found a way to compensate. By delaying, you gave the letter the added grace of its carrier. It was Spectatus -- and nothing is greater to me than you, though to you perhaps nothing is greater than him. Know that by sending Clematius to Palestine, you have made me governor of the province, and all the honors Aristainetus has received are honors bestowed on me. Add further to those honors -- though I fear he may turn out better at talking than at governing. As for the strength you have given back to the laws, and the fear with which you prevent wrongdoing: most people think that such strictness will quickly cost you your post. But to me, it seems more likely to extend your tenure, since the benefit you provide cannot remain hidden. And even if things turn out otherwise, you must not abandon the good. Do not become corrupt merely to govern longer than you otherwise would. But you need no advice on that score. As for this man Pelagius -- you know him, I assume. You are not ignorant of Syria's good men. Knowing him to be good, receive him gladly and send him on his way kindly. He is praised by his fellow citizens -- the needy and the wealthy alike -- for his fairness. Though he does better than others, he has escaped the arrow of Envy. He was my fellow student long ago, and has been my friend ever since. Let him learn, through you, what that is worth.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (357) Εἰ καὶ μή, ὅτε ἐβουλόμην, ἔτυχον ὧν ἐπεθύμουν, ἀλλ ὧν γε ἐπεθύμουν ἔτυχον. γράμματα γὰρ σὰ πάλαι μὲν εἶχον ἂν εἰκότως, ὀψὲ δὲ ἔχω. καί με ἔπαυσας λυπούμενον, ὃν μὴ λυπηθῆναι τὴν ἀρχὴν σὺ ἦσθα κύριος. ἐξεῦρες δέ πως καὶ τούτου παραμυθίαν. ὁ γὰρ ταχέως οὐ δεδωκὼς ἔδωκας τῇ βραδυτῆτι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ φέροντος χάριν. Σπεκτάτος γὰρ ἦν, οὗ μεῖζον ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδὲν ἢ σύ, σοὶ δὲ ἴσως οὐδέν. ἴσθι δέ με τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἄρχοντα πεποιηκὼς πέμψας ἐκεῖσε Κλημάτιον, καὶ οἷς Ἀρισταίνετος ἐκοσμήθη, ταῦτα εἰς ἡμᾶς γεγενῆσθαι. πρόσθες δὴ ταῖς εἰς αὐτὸν τιμαῖς, καίτοι δέδοικα μὴ δόξη λέγειν μᾶλλον ἢ πράττειν ἀμείνων εἶναι. 9 Sievers 228, 2. 286, 4. Seeck 63. 384 15 cf. ep. 662 18 Seeck 111 | cf. ep. 662 3 ταὐτὰ Bcripsi e V sed e ταῦτα corr m4 ταῦτα VaVoSVi Wolf 4 ἢ Va | ἀκούση Vi 5 γὰρ scripsi e VVaVo δὲ Vi Wolf 6 θαυμάσῃ V sed ῃ in εις corr m5 7 ἡγήσῃ Va sed ήσῃ del 10 ἐβουλόμην Va aed ην del | ἔτυχον om Va ὦν del Va 11 εἶχον ἂν reposui e libris ἂν εἶχον Wolf 13 σὺ om Va σύ γε in ras V5 14 καὶ in κἀν corr V4 | Bcripsi e Vi τοῦτο V sed in τούτω corr m4, VaVoS τούτῳ Wolf | ὁ] τὸ V οὐ om Vi | σεσωκὼς libri sed σεσ corr V4, σ(1) in δ' Vo4 16 ἐμοὶ μὲν reposui e libris μέν μοι Wolf | σοὶ] σὺ Vi 17 μέμψας Vi 19 καίτοι scripsi e V e καὶ corr m4 καὶ VaVoSVi καὶ μὴ vel καὶ οὐ Re περὶ δὲ τῆς ἰσχύος τῶν νόμων, ἣν ἀπέδωκας αὐτοῖς, καὶ τῶν φόβων, οἷς ἀδικεῖν κωλύεις, οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι φρονοῦσιν οὕτως, ὡς τὸ λίαν ἀκριβὲς ταχύ σε τὸ ἄρχειν ἀφαιρήσεται, ἐμοὶ δὲ μάλιστα μὲν τοῦτο φαίνεται μακροτέραν ποιεῖν σοι τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐ λανθανούσης τῆς ὠφελείας. εἰ δ’ οὖν καὶ ἄλ- λῶς ἐκβαίνοι, σοί γε οὐκ ἀποστατέον τοῦ καλοῦ. μὴ γὰρ ὅπως ἄρξαις πλείω χρόνον ὧν ἄρχεις, γένοιο κακός. ἀλλ εἰς μὲν τοῦτο συμβούλων οὐδέν σοι δεῖ, ΠΛάγιον δὲ τοῦτον οἶσθά που· Σύρων γὰρ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. εἰδὼς δὲ ἀγαθὸν ὄψει τε ἡδέως καὶ παραπέμψεις εὐμενῶς ἄνδρα ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν ἐπαινούμενον, ὅσοι τε καταδεεῖς καὶ οἷς ἐστι περιουσία διὰ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν. οὕτω καίτοι πράττων ἑτέρων ἄμεινον ἐξέφυγε τοῦ Φθόνου τὸ βέλος. ἐμοὶ δὲ πάλαι μὲν συμφοιτητής, ἀεὶ δὲ φίλος. τοῦτο δὲ ὅσον ἐστὶ παρὰ σοί, μαθέτω.