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

To Hygieinos. [359] There is nothing strange in conversing with a physician about sleeplessness, both instructing him about the difficulty that arises from it and asking him to act so that it may be stopped. Know, then, that our excellent Cleobulus is grievously sleepless. The cause is neither fever, nor dizziness of the head, nor sores that produce restlessness, but rather Severus bites our companion out of his bedclothes, and that too while being so far away. This is indeed a novel sort of bedbug. But there is also a remedy with you for this sleeplessness; for through the noble Themistius you are able to 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.