Letter 613: Don't take me for the Euripus.

To Euphemius. (361 AD) Don't take me for the Euripus. [The strait notorious for its reversing currents — proverbial for inconstancy.] I could neither stop blaming this man nor stop loving him. I do the former as one who is neglected; I do the latter as an uncle — or rather, if you prefer, as a father, a gentle father who knows how to bear a son's wild spirits. That is the becoming way to put it. When I consider the standing of our ancestors, of which he is the heir, I think I must in every way support the honor of his family, and I would dearly like to see my uncle's son shine in the city. And now I have no small power at hand to help. In treating your office as my own resource, I am perhaps not wrong. Expect from me both accusations against him and intercessions on his behalf in equal measure.

Εὐφημίῳ. (361) Μή με νομίσῃς Εὔριπον· ἐγὼ γάρ τοι τὸν ἄνθρωπον τοῦτον οὔτε μὴ μέμφεσθαι δυναίμην ἂν οὔτε μὴ φιλεῖν. ποιῶ δὲ ἐκεῖνο μὶν ὡς ἀμελούμενος, τοῦτο δὲ ὡς ἀνιψιός, μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ βούλει, πατὴρ καὶ πατὴρ ἤπιος εἰδὼς ἐνεγκεῖν υἱέος σκιρτήματα· καλὸν γὰρ οὕτως εἰπεῖν. ἐννοῶν γὰρ τῶν προ- γόνων τῶν ἡμετέρων τὴν τάξιν, ἧς οὗτος διάδοχος, πάντα τρόπον οἶμαι δεῖν βοηθεῖν τῷ τῆς οἰκίας σχήματι καὶ βου- λοίμην ἂν ἐκλάμπειν ἐν τῇ πόλει τὸν τοῦ θείου μοι παῖδα. νῦν δέ μοι καὶ δύναμις εὖ ποιοῦσα πάρεστιν οὐ μικρά. τὴν γὰρ σὴν ἀρχὴν ἐμαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἡγούμενος ἴσως οὐκ ἀδικῶ. δεῖ δέ σε προσδοκᾶν αἰτίας τε ἀεὶ κατ’ αὐτοῦ καἰ παρακλήσεις ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ.