Letter 650: In your anger at Karterios you have done something pleasing to the Muses and all the gods of eloquence — for he,...

To Maximus. (361) In your anger toward Carterius you have acted in a manner abhorrent to the Muses and to all the gods of learning, whom he abandoned-and that too after he had obtained these very things from them-and he has bought himself weapons, and pays court to Ares, and has become a soldier instead of an orator. But, my good fellow, look to the present moment, which has raised up the affairs of those men and cast down our own-and surely from your own conduct trust follows at once, and I would add that it follows from mine as well, for we who are far inferior to them have been compelled to praise them, fearing, along with their power, their folly-and on these grounds, considering that Carterius has very likely suffered something natural in turning aside toward what is profitable, fix the favor toward Hermes upon the time that is past, but let the rest be more humane than exact, so that I too may be released from blame. For it does not seem that you are forgetful of the promises made to us, but rather that I have set your judgment in motion. Then I am insulted by these suspicions. But do away with this, and show both that I am no wrongdoer and that you yourself are far from lying.

Μαξίμῳ. (361) Τῇ πρὸς Καρτέριον ὀργῇ Μούσαις τε καὶ πᾶσι λογίοις θεοῖς ἔπραξας κεχρισμένα, οὓς ἐκεῖνος ἀφεὶς καὶ ταῦτα αὐ- τῶν τυχὼν ὅπλα τε ἐώνηται καὶ τὸν Ἄρη θεραπεύει καὶ γέ- γονεν ἀντὶ ῥήτορος στρατιώτης. ἀλλ’, ὦ μακάριε, βλέψας πρὸς τὸν παρόντα καιρόν, ὃς τὰ μὲν ἐκείνων ἦρε, τὰ δ’ ἡμέ- τέρα καθεῖλε, — πάντως δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν σῶν εὐθὺς ἡ πίστις, προσθείην δ’ ἂν ὅτι καὶ ἐμῶν, οἳ πολλῷ χείρους ἡμῶν ἐπαι- νεῖν ἠναγκάσμεθα φοβούμενοι μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτῶν τὴν ἄνοιαν — διὰ δὴ ταῦτα νομίσας Καρτέριον εἰκός τι πεπον- θέναι πρὸς τὸ λυσιτελοῦν κεχωρηκότα τῷ μὲν παρελθόντι χρό- νῷ τὴν εἰς τὸν Ἑρμῆν ὅρισον χάριν, τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ ἔστω φιλαν- θρωπότερα μᾶλλον ἢ ἀκριβέστερα, ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπολυ- θείην αἰτίας. οὐ γὰρ σὺ δοκεῖς ἀμνημονεῖν τῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὑποσχέσεων, ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ τὴν σὴν κεκινηκέναι γνώμην. ἔπειτα ὑβρίζομαι ταῖς ὑποψίαις. ἀλλὰ σὺ τοῦτο ἄνελε καὶ δεῖξον ἐμ τε οὐ κακοῦργον σαυτόν τε πόρρω τοῦ ψεύδεσθαι.