Letter 630: Manos is quick to borrow but slow to repay.

To Themistius. (361) Manus [a man named Manus] is quick to borrow money but slow to repay it. But this belongs to his nature; let the laws teach him otherwise, and he would not disregard those laws while you are the one upholding them. Faustillianus brings this petition, so that the other man may not have to behave shamelessly. But this man here deserves some attention from you, since he is a kinsman of Severus, about whom you know how much I had to write when I wrote, and since he tries to imitate the character of Severus. That character is this: they do not know how to do wrong, but neither do they tolerate being wronged. Do good to these men, both when they are present and when they are absent; for whoever holds office and desires praise -- and I believe that the desire for these men's praise exists in you -- would best win that praise by aiding good men. And one must not only help by deeds, but also write to us whatever is done on their behalf. For they too will not keep silent, but it is among the most pleasant things for me to learn of it from you as well.

Θεμιστίῳ. (361) Μανὸς ὀξὺς μέν ἐστι δανείσασθαι, βραδὺς δὲ ἀπο- δοῦναι. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν τῆς ἐκείνου φύσεως, οἱ νόμοι δὲ αὐ- τὸν ἕτερα διδασκέτωσαν, ὧν οὐκ ἂν καταφρονοίη σοῦ βεβαι- οῦντος τοὺς νόμους. βιβλίδιον δὲ τουτὶ κομίζει Φαυστιλ- λιανός, ὥστε μὴ εἶναι ἀναισχυντεῖν ἐκείνῳ. τούτῳ δέ γε εἶναι δεῖ παρὰ σοῦ τινα φροντίδα Σευήρου τε ὄντι συγγενεῖ, περὶ οὗ γράφων οἶσθα ὁπόσα εἶχον γράφειν, καὶ πειρωμένῳ τὸν Σευήρου μιμεῖσθαι τρόπον. οὗτος δέ ἐστιν· ἀδικεῖν μὲν οὐκ ἐπίστανται, πάσχειν δὲ κακῶς οὐκ ἀνέχονται. τούτους καὶ παρόντας καὶ ἀπόντας εὖ ποιεῖν· ὡς ὅστις ἄρχων ἐπαίνων ἐπιθυμεῖ — τὴν τούτων δὲ ἐπιθυμίαν εἶναι πιστεύω παρὰ σοί — μάλιστ’ ἂν τυγχάνοι τῶν ἐπαίνων τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς βοη- θῶν. δεῖ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἔργῳ βοηθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιστέλλειν, ἅττα εἰς αὐτοὺς πράττεται. σιγήσονται μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνοι, τῶν δὲ ἡδίστων ἐμοὶ τὸ καὶ παρὰ σοῦ μανθάνειν.