Letter 564: The reasons Iamblichus [a young kinsman of the famous philosopher, not the philosopher himself] set out, he will...

To Hierocles. The reasons Iamblichus [a young kinsman of the famous philosopher, not the philosopher himself] set out, he will tell you himself. Judge his plan: if you find it sound, support him. If not, redirect him. Whatever you decide will stand as authoritative, overriding his current intentions. The young man is convinced of two things: that you have good judgment and that you bear him goodwill. From both of those, whatever you think best will carry weight. As for Calycius -- he is doing one of the things you asked, but was unable to do the other. He has taken up Plato, but has not sent any of my speeches. He claims, as he put it, that he could not find a copyist. My own belief is that he was afraid something I would rather not have circulated might fall into your hands.

Ἱεροκλεῖ. (357) Ἐφ᾿ οἷς ἐξῆλθεν Ἰάμβλιχος, αὐτὸς ἐρεῖ σοι. σὺ δὲ δο- κιμάσας τὴν γνώμην ἢ χρηστὴν εὑρὼν ἐπικούρησον ἢ μὴ τοιαύτην κίνησον· ὡς ὅ τι ἂν γνῷς, τοῦτο ἱστᾶι κύριον παρὰ τὰ νῦν δεδογμένα. δύο γὰρ ὁ νεανίσκος πέπεισται, φρένας τε ἀγαθὰς εἶναί σοι καὶ πρὸς αὑτὸν εὔνοιαν. ἐξ ὧν ἀμφο- τέρων ἰσχυρὸν ἔσται τοῦθ’ ὅ τι ἂν ἡγῇ συμφέρειν. Καλύ- κιος δὲ τὸ μὲν ὧν ἐκέλευες ποιεῖ, τὸ δ’ οὐκ ἴσχε ποιῆσαι. τῶν μὲν γὰρ Πλάτωνος ἧπται, τῶν δ’ ἡμετέρων οὐκ ἔπεμψε λόγων, ὡς μὲν αὐτὸς ἔφη, τοῦ γράψοντος ἀπορῶν, ὡς δὲ ἐγὼ νομίζω, δείσας μὴ τί <σοι> τῶν οὐχ ἡδέως ἡμῖν εἰς χεῖρας ἔλθοι.