Letter 580
Libanius→Λαυρικίῳ|libanius
To Laurikios. (357 AD)
You were praising my speeches, and everyone else was praising your appetite for rhetoric. Since you listened with pleasure, grant this man's request as a favor. The favor is within the bounds of law, so you will not refuse.
Eusebios himself was once my fellow student, and his sons now study with me. I do well by the sons, giving them what one might receive from me. But their father could receive a benefit from you, if you were willing. And the benefit is this: let everyone know that you recognize him as our companion.
Λαυρικίῳ. (357)
Σὺ μὲν ἐπῄνεις τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους, οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι τὴν σὴν
εἰς λόγους ἐπιθυμίαν. οὐ τοίνυν ἡδέως ἠκροῶ, τούτῳ δὸς
αἰτοῦντι χάριν. ἡ δὲ χάρις οὐκ ἔξω τῶν νόμων, ὥστε οὐκ
ἀρνήσῃ.
Εὐσέβιος αὐτὸς μὲν ἐμοὶ συνεφοίτησεν, οἱ δὲ
τούτου παῖδες φοιτῶσιν εἰς ἐμέ. τούτους μὲν οὖν αὐτὸς εὑ
ποιῶ διδοὺς ἃ παρ’ ἐμοῦ λάβοι τις ἄν· τῷ δὲ τούτων πατρὶ
παρὰ σοῦ γένοιτ’ ἄν, εἰ βουληθείης, εὖ παθεῖν. ἔστι δὲ εὐερ-
γεσία γνῶναι πάντας ὅτι αὐτὸν ἡμέτερον ἑταῖρον οἶσθα.
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To Laurikios. (357 AD)
You were praising my speeches, and everyone else was praising your appetite for rhetoric. Since you listened with pleasure, grant this man's request as a favor. The favor is within the bounds of law, so you will not refuse.
Eusebios himself was once my fellow student, and his sons now study with me. I do well by the sons, giving them what one might receive from me. But their father could receive a benefit from you, if you were willing. And the benefit is this: let everyone know that you recognize him as our companion.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.