Letter 597: We have sent these men not to ask a favor but to collect on a promise.

To Clematius. (357) We have sent these men not to ask a favor but to collect on a promise. For you are the one who said you would contribute more than was required toward the liturgy [public service obligation]. And Clematius does much that he never promises, and certainly fulfills what he does promise. So help these men in two ways: first, that they receive the money quickly; second, that they not pay too much for the clothing. As for who Olympius is, judge from the fact that I am greeting you through him — I would not have procured so great a benefit through anyone who was not honorable and worthy of some effort. He is a fellow citizen of mine, and better toward me than many of my citizens. I would wish every place to bring him joy. So receive him warmly, send him on to Italy with letters, and show that there is some fruit to be gained from loving me.

Κληματίῳ. (357) Ἐπέμψαμεν οὐκ αἰτήσοντες χάριν, ἀλλ’ ἀπαιτήσοντες ὑπόσχεσιν. σὺ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ φήσας μείζω τῶν δυνατῶν εἰς τὴν λειτουργίαν εἰσοίσειν. Κλημάτιος δὲ πολλὰ μὲν ὧν οὐκ ἐπαγγέλλεται ποιεῖ, πάντως δὲ ἐπαγγελίαν ἐπιτελεῖ. δύο τοίνυν βοήθει τοῖς ἀνδράσι· τὸ μέν, ὅπως ταχέως τἀργύριον λάβοιεν, τὸ δέ, ὅπως μὴ πολλοῦ τὴν ἐσθῆτα πρίαιντο. ὅστις δέ ἐστιν Ὀλύμπιος, ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ γνῶθι τοῦ δι’ αὐτοῦ σέ με προσειπεῖν, ὃς οὐκ ἂν τοσοῦτον προὐξένουν ἀγαθὸν μὴ καλῷ κἀγαθῷ καί τινος ἀξίῳ σπουδῆς. ἔστι δὲ πολίτης μὲν ἐμός, πολλῶν δὲ βελτίων εἰς ἐμὲ πολιτῶν, καὶ βουλοίμην ἂν αὐτῷ τόπον πάντα εὐφροσύνην φέρειν. σὺ τοίνυν ἡδέως αὐτὸν ἰδὼν καὶ μετὰ γραμμάτων ἐπ’ Ἰταλίας πέμψας δεῖξον ὅτι τοῖς ἡμᾶς φιλοῦ. σιν ἔνι τις τοῦ φίλτρου καρπός.