Letter 646
Libanius→Ἀνατολίῳ|libanius
To Anatolios. (361)
This Hilarinos is a Greek from Euboea — not inexperienced in legal matters. He was devoted to me even before we met. He has now come to the mother of laws [Berytus], imitating Socrates in the belief that every age is fit for learning something noble.
Make him one of your circle. If he approaches, receive him with pleasure; if he hangs back, send for him. You will be doing these things for a good man, and by the same road you will grant a favor to us — us, whom you believe you profit by obliging.
Ἀνατολίῳ. (361)
Ἱλαρῖνος οὑτοσὶ τὸ μὲν Ἕλλην ἀπὸ τῆς Εὐβοίας.
δικῶν δὲ οὐκ ἄπειρος. ἐμοῦ δὲ ἤρα καὶ πρὶν ἰδεῖν. ἐπὶ δὲ
τὴν τῶν νόμων μητέρα ἥκει τὸ Σωκράτους μιμούμενος νομί-
ζων ἁπάσῃ ἡλικίᾳ πρέπειν τῶν καλῶν τι μανθάνειν.
τοῦ·
τὸν ἴνα ποίησαι τῶν περὶ σαυτόν, κἂν προσίῃ δέχου μεθ’
ἡδονῆς, κἂν ὀκνῇ, μεταπέμπου. εἴς τε γὰρ ἄνδρα χρηστὸν τὰ
τοιαῦτα ποιήσεις καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὁδοῦ δώσεις ἡμῖν χάριν, οἷς
χαριζόμενος οἴει κερδαίνειν.
◆
To Anatolios. (361)
This Hilarinos is a Greek from Euboea — not inexperienced in legal matters. He was devoted to me even before we met. He has now come to the mother of laws [Berytus], imitating Socrates in the belief that every age is fit for learning something noble.
Make him one of your circle. If he approaches, receive him with pleasure; if he hangs back, send for him. You will be doing these things for a good man, and by the same road you will grant a favor to us — us, whom you believe you profit by obliging.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.