Letter 639: We are truly in a desert with you gone — or rather, in something worse than a desert.

To Fortunatianus. (361) We are truly in a desert with you gone — or rather, in something worse than a desert. For those in a desert associate with neither worse nor better people, but we go searching for the one we should have and keep running into those we would profit from avoiding. The one man who was our sole consolation himself needs consoling. Rufinus, who has been struck so many blows by fortune, now hangs in suspense over the imperial couriers. You would see the same man now laughing, now weeping, his mood shifting with each new report that arrives. One remedy alone is stronger than these troubles: if you would appear and offer your usual philosophical counsel. --- To Eudoxius. (361) It is not bold to write a letter — rather, it is blameworthy not to. So even if nothing urgent presses, send your greetings; and if something does press, write with confidence. For I consider both you and your brother good men, and will not deny you my help, if I can be of any.

Φουρτουνατιανῷ. (361) Ἡμεῖς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐν ἐρημίᾳ σοῦ γε ἀπόντος, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐν φαυλοτέροις τῶν [γε] ἐρημίᾳ· οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὔτε χείροσιν οὔτε βελτίοσιν ὁμιλοῦσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὃν μὲν ἐχρῆν ἔχειν ζητοῦ- μεν, ὧν δὲ κέρδος ἦν ἀπηλλάχθαι, τούτοις περιτυγχάνομεν. ὃς δ’ ἦν μόνος εἰς παραμυθίαν, παραμυθίας δεῖται· Ῥου- φῖνος ὁ πολλὰ δὴ παρὰ τοῦ δαιμονίου πεπληγμένος οὗτος νῦν ἐκκρέμαται τῶν ἀγγάρων, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἔδοις ἂν νῦν μὲν γελῶντα, νῦν δὲ κλάοντα, πρὸς τὸν ἀεὶ φοιτῶντα λόγον τὴν γνώμην τρεπόμενον. ‘ὲν δὴ φάρμακον ἰσχυρότερον τῶν κακῶν, εἰ σὺ φανείης καὶ φιλοσοφοίης τὰ εἰωθότα. Εὐδοξίω. (361) Οὐ τὸ ἐπιστεῖλαι θρασύ, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι μέμψιν ἔχον. σὺ δέ, κἂν μηδὲν ἄλλο κατεπείγῃ, προσαγόρευε· κἂν κατεπείγῃ, γράφε θαρρῶν· ὡς ἐγὼ σέ τε καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἄν- δρας τε ἡγοῦμαι χρηστοὺς καὶ τῆς παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ βοηθείας, εἴ τι δυναίμην, οὐκ ἀποστερήσω.