Letter 65: There is nothing strange about discussing insomnia with a doctor -- explaining the trouble it causes and asking him...

To Hygieinus. (359) There is nothing strange about discussing insomnia with a doctor -- explaining the trouble it causes and asking him to put a stop to it. Know, then, that our excellent Cleobulus is suffering terribly from sleeplessness. The cause is not fever, nor dizzy spells, nor sores that keep him tossing. No -- it is Severus who stings our friend from his very bedsheets, and from such a distance too. A novel kind of bedbug, this. But the cure for this insomnia is in your hands: through the noble Themistius, you can make Severus stop biting.

**To Hygieinus** (359) There is nothing strange in discussing sleeplessness with a physician, explaining the distress it causes and asking him to take steps to put an end to it. Know, then, that our fine friend Cleobulus is suffering terribly from insomnia. The cause is not fever, nor dizzy spells in the head, nor wounds that keep him restless — no, what stings our companion is Severus, from his very bedsheets, and this despite being so far away. A novel sort of bedbug, this one! But you, too, have a remedy for this sleeplessness: through the good offices of the noble Themistius, you have the power to make Severus stop his biting.

Ὑγιεινῷ. (359) Οὐδὲν ἄτοπον ὑπὲρ ἀγρυπνία(· ἰατρῷ διαλέγεσθαι δι- δάσκοντά τε τὴν ἀπ’ ἐκείνης ἀπορίαν καὶ δεόμενον πράττειν ὅπως στήσεται. τὸν τοίνυν καλὸν ἡμῖν ἴσθι Κλεόβουλον 10 δεινῶς ἀγρυπνεῖν. τὸ δὲ αἴτιον οὐ πυρετὸς οὐδ’ ἴλιγγοι κε- φαλῆς οὐδὲ ἕλκη παρέχοντα κίνησιν, ἀλλὰ δάκνει τὸν ἑταῖρον Σευῆρος ἐκ τῶν στρωμάτων καὶ ταῦτα τοσοῦτον ἀπέχων. καινός γε οὗτος ὁ κόρις. ἀλλ’ ἔστι καἰ ταύτης παρὰ σοὶ τῆς ἀγρυπνίας φάρμακον· διὰ γὰρ τοῦ γενναίου Θεμιστίου 15 δύνασαι παῦσαι τὸν Σευῆρον τοῦ δάκνειν.