To Themistius. (359/360)
Someone came reporting that you had let fall some rather unflattering word about me, but I refused to believe it. And again another brought the same report, and I remained the same. A third declared that he had even come to blows in his wish to defend me. This man I now took to be suffering from black bile [melancholy], and to be doing away with the charge of slander by his boasting about the brawl. For who is so bold as to look the god Zeus in the face?
Apart from these considerations, it was not even likely that, at a time when you are treating well those who were formerly your enemies, you should grieve one whom you reckoned among the first of your friends -- and that too one not far removed from the dead after the misfortunes that befell his acquaintances.
That I gave credit to none of those men, let your own writing convince you; for I would not have thought it right to trouble a man who had become otherwise. Now I think that of all the other matters you have stirred up nothing, but as for the favor you granted me, you are taking away the greater part.
For you, though you had the power to deprive me of my native land, granted me, by your kindness, to remain -- which was for me the greatest of the things at home; but in the way you arranged for it [me?] to stand among you, the favor dwindled to little. For Priscianus is everything to me, and as much as all my household together. And this you yourself came to know: while absent, through messengers; but having come, by experience.
So, having resolved to transfer this man to that place, you held some such discourse as this with yourself: "That orator, that great man, must be given to the Great City [Constantinople]. But simply to order him to run hither in this fashion is something clumsy and forced; rather, there is need of some art. What art, then, is this? Let him become one of those about the emperor, and the prey is taken. For he will walk the road that leads to the noble council, and so the affairs of so-and-so, Themistius [will stand well]."
Hold, then, and enjoy it, and consider how a man might come to be where he is worthy to be, and might not bring shame, as the arms shame the soldier. For that man has no desire for anything greater; it is enough for him to be good. But for you it would not stand well, if you should be thought to be ignorant of his worth.
If, then, he should first meet with the emperor in your presence, you, being present, will take charge of the whole matter; but if he is driving toward him through you, you will give him letters, and these are not weaker than your presence.
But as for me, if anyone should send to summon me, by the gods, prevent it. For neither is my body in such a state, and my mind is full of idleness, through which I have fallen into the absurdity of the beloved of Apollo, who set a man before the god -- Idas before Apollo.
**To Themistius** (359/360)
Someone came reporting that you had let slip some rather disparaging remark about me. I did not believe it. Then a second person brought the same story, and I remained unchanged. A third claimed he had even come to blows defending me against you. This man I now considered deranged, and I took his boasting about the fight to refute the charge of slander. For who is so bold as to look Zeus in the face?
Besides all that, it was not even plausible that you, at a time when you are doing good to those who were formerly hostile, would cause pain to one you counted among your foremost friends — and one who, at that, is scarcely distinguishable from the dead after the misfortunes that have befallen my companions.
But since I believed none of those men, let the very fact that I am writing persuade you: for I would never have presumed to trouble a man who had become a stranger. Now, I do not think any of those matters have moved you, but I do think you are taking away the greater part of the favor you granted me.
For you, though you had the power to remove me from my homeland, graciously allowed me to stay — and that was the greatest of my blessings here. But you arranged for what mattered most to me to be established among you in Constantinople, and so the favor shrank to a small thing. For Priscianus is everything to me, as much as all my family combined. And this you yourself learned — through messengers when absent, through experience when present.
Having resolved, then, to transfer him there, you must have reasoned something like this with yourself: "That great rhetorician must be given to the Great City. But simply ordering him to come running would be crude and heavy-handed — some art is needed. What art, then? Let him be made one of the emperor's circle, and he is caught. For he will walk the road that leads to the noble Senate, and so Themistius shall have his man."
Well then — have him and enjoy him, and see to it that he is placed where he deserves and that the soldier does not disgrace his weapons. For he himself has no desire for greater station — it is enough for him to be good. But it would not reflect well on you if you appeared not to recognize his worth.
If he should meet the emperor first in your city, you will attend to everything in person. But if he travels to the emperor through your good offices, you will give him letters — and these are no less powerful than your presence.
As for me, if anyone should summon me — for the gods' sake, prevent it. My body is not up to it, and my spirit is full of the inertia into which I have fallen, like the beloved of Apollo, who preferred a mortal to the god — Idas over Apollo.
Someone came reporting that you had let fall some rather unflattering word about me, but I refused to believe it. And again another brought the same report, and I remained the same. A third declared that he had even come to blows in his wish to defend me. This man I now took to be suffering from black bile [melancholy], and to be doing away with the charge of slander by his boasting about the brawl. For who is so bold as to look the god Zeus in the face?
Apart from these considerations, it was not even likely that, at a time when you are treating well those who were formerly your enemies, you should grieve one whom you reckoned among the first of your friends -- and that too one not far removed from the dead after the misfortunes that befell his acquaintances.
That I gave credit to none of those men, let your own writing convince you; for I would not have thought it right to trouble a man who had become otherwise. Now I think that of all the other matters you have stirred up nothing, but as for the favor you granted me, you are taking away the greater part.
For you, though you had the power to deprive me of my native land, granted me, by your kindness, to remain -- which was for me the greatest of the things at home; but in the way you arranged for it [me?] to stand among you, the favor dwindled to little. For Priscianus is everything to me, and as much as all my household together. And this you yourself came to know: while absent, through messengers; but having come, by experience.
So, having resolved to transfer this man to that place, you held some such discourse as this with yourself: "That orator, that great man, must be given to the Great City [Constantinople]. But simply to order him to run hither in this fashion is something clumsy and forced; rather, there is need of some art. What art, then, is this? Let him become one of those about the emperor, and the prey is taken. For he will walk the road that leads to the noble council, and so the affairs of so-and-so, Themistius [will stand well]."
Hold, then, and enjoy it, and consider how a man might come to be where he is worthy to be, and might not bring shame, as the arms shame the soldier. For that man has no desire for anything greater; it is enough for him to be good. But for you it would not stand well, if you should be thought to be ignorant of his worth.
If, then, he should first meet with the emperor in your presence, you, being present, will take charge of the whole matter; but if he is driving toward him through you, you will give him letters, and these are not weaker than your presence.
But as for me, if anyone should send to summon me, by the gods, prevent it. For neither is my body in such a state, and my mind is full of idleness, through which I have fallen into the absurdity of the beloved of Apollo, who set a man before the god -- Idas before Apollo.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.