Letter 62: I was still saying to my friends, "What is this?

To Themistius. (359/360) I was still saying to my friends, "What is this? Themistius does not write?" when Euagrius appeared and asked whether I had received a letter from you. As it turned out, you had sent someone with it, but before the messenger arrived, Euagrius was already in the marketplace. When I returned home, I had your welcome letter in hand, telling me what I already knew -- that you had rejoined the emperor. That much came from you. But rumor added more: that your honors were greater than before, that you shared the emperor's table -- a sign of deeper intimacy -- that every recommendation you made was the work of a man who genuinely cared for his friends, that every person you mentioned was immediately better off, and that the giver surpassed the recipient's joy. I was filled with delight myself, feeling as though I had been there, received the same honors, and bestowed the same favors as you. May you never cease these noble rounds, and may the emperor never cease rewarding them. As for your remark that your feelings toward me should not be judged by your letters -- I think that is well said. But as for the speeches you showed others and did not send to me, what excuse can you offer for that...

**To Themistius** (359/360) I was still saying to my friends, "What is this? Themistius does not write?" when Evagrius appeared and asked whether I had received a letter from you. It seems he had sent the man who was to deliver it, but before receiving it himself he was already in the marketplace. Then, when I returned home, I had in my hands that welcome letter telling me what I had long known — that you had once again been received by the emperor. That much you told me and no more, but from common report I learned this and much besides: that you have been granted honors greater than before; that you share the imperial table, a sign of still deeper intimacy; that every recommendation you made was the act of a man who cares for his friends; that whoever you mentioned was at once raised to better fortune; and that the giver surpassed the pleasure of the one who received. I myself, then, was filled with delight, imagining that I had gone there in person, that I had obtained everything you obtained, that I had been shown every favor you were shown. And may you never cease running these noble courses, nor the emperor cease bestowing these honors. Your remark that I should not judge your feelings toward me by your letters strikes me as well said. But as for the speeches you showed us that have never reached me — what excuse can you offer, especially after those promises in which you said you would send them at once? The time for this is always right, but now more than ever: the death of my companions has robbed me of the power to speak, yet the ability to listen perhaps still remains. Fulfill your promise, then. If you have composed anything since those works, do not begrudge it to me. And do include the poem by the poet who adorned your statue — or rather, the poem that was adorned by the bronze that was modeled after your likeness. For from your letter to Eudaemon I have seen the claw; now I want the whole lion. Meterius was one of those who brought me news of you, and in this he was no different from the others. But the joy he took in telling it — he practically took flight from sheer happiness — this is what made him a better messenger than all the rest.

Θεμιστίῳ. (359/360) Ἔτι μου λέγοντος πρὸς τοὺς φίλους τί τοῦτο; Θε- μίστιος οὐκ ἐπιστέλλει; φανεὶς Εὐάγριος, εἰ λάβοιμί σου γράμματα, ἤρετο. τὰ δ’, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ μὲν ἔπεμψε τὸν δώ- σοντα, πρὶν δ’ ἢ λαβεῖν αὐτὸς ἦν ἐπ’ ἀγορᾶς. εἶτα ἀναστρέψας εἶχον τὴν φίλην ἐπιστολὴν φράζουσαν ἃ πάλαι ἠπιστάμην, ὡς αὖθις συγγένοιο τῷ βασιλεῖ σὺ μὲν ταυτὶ μόνα, παρὰ δὲ τῆς φήμης ταῦτά τε καὶ πλείω, τιμαί τε ὅτι σοι μείζους ἢ πρότερον γένοιντο τραπέζης τε κοινωνία πλείω δηλοῦσα τὴν οἰκειότητα καὶ ὡς ὅσα ἐπήγγελλες φίλων ἦν κηδομένου καὶ ὡς ὅσων μνησθείης εὐθὺς ἐν ἀμείνοσι καὶ ῶς ὁ διδοὺς παρ- ᾔει τὴν τοῦ λαμβάνοντος ἡδονή, ἔγεμον δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἡδονῆς αὐτὸς ἡγούμενος ἥκειν τε ἐκεῖσε καὶ ὧνπερ σὺ τετυ- χηκέναι καὶ ὅσαπερ σὺ κεχαρίσθαι. καὶ τῶν δικαίων γε τού- τῶν μήτε σὺ παύσαιο διαύλων μήτε τῶν τιμῶν ὁ βασιλεύς. τὸ δὲ μὴ μὲν δεῖν τὴν σὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ γνώμην τοῖς γράμ- μασι κρίνεσθαι καλῶς εἰρῆσθαί μοι φαίνεται, περὶ δὲ τοῦ μὴ τοὺς λόγους ἐλθεῖν ἡμῖν οὓς ἔδειξας τίς ἂν εἴη σοι λόγος καὶ ταῦτα ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις, ἐν αἷς ἦν ὡς αὐτίκα πέμψεις; καιρὸς δὲ ἀέ μὲν τούτου, νῦν δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα τὸ μὲν λέγειν ἡμῶν ἀφαιρεθέντων ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν ἑταίρων τελευτῆς, τοῦ δὲ ἀκούειν δύνασθαι μένοντος ἴσως ἔτι. τήν τε οὖν ὑπόσχε- σιν ἐπιτελεῖν καὶ εἴ τί σοι μετ’ ἐκεῖνα πεποίηται, μὴ φθονεῖν καὶ τό γε ᾆσμα προστιθέναι τοῦ τὸν ἀνδριάντα κεκοσμηκότος ποιητοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ ᾧ τὸ ᾆσμα κεκόσμηκεν ὁ πρὸς τὸν σὸν τύπον ἀκολουθήσας χαλκός. τὸν μὲν γὰρ ὄνυχα εἴδομεν ἐκ τῶν πρὸς Εὐδαίμονα γραμμάτων, δεόμεθα δὲ τοῦ λέοντος. Μητέριος δὲ εἷς ἦν τῶν ἀγγελλόντων τὰ σά, καὶ τοῦτο μὲν αὐτῷ κοινὸν πρὸς ἄλλους ἀλλὰ τό γε διηγούμενον χαί- ρειν καὶ μικροῦ γε ὑπὸ τοῦ χαίρειν πέτεσθαι, τοῦτο δὴ αὐτὸν ἐποίει βελτίω τῶν ἄλλων ἀγγέλων.