Letter 655: "Now let Earth know this, and the broad sky above" — and I will add, if you like, the Styx and all the other gods —...

To Fortunatianus. (361 AD) "Now let Earth know this, and the broad sky above" — and I will add, if you like, the Styx and all the other gods — that that letter of mine arrived at the proper time and nothing was done by design. It is perhaps not right for you to spare your household servants at the expense of your friends, and in order to clear them of blame, to fasten accusations upon us. But we will settle this matter shortly, with Celsus casting the deciding vote. As for the Bacchanalia, know that your absence has largely dulled our enjoyment. There is no one to whom I can speak from the heart — I must either keep silent or, having spoken, regret it and reproach my tongue for blurting out what was better left unsaid. I imagine the same situation surrounds you too: silence or fear. So that we may enjoy your company and you ours, and each of us through the other may enjoy freedom — open the doors by showing your face.

Φουρτουνατιανῷ. (361) ἴστω νῦν τόδε γαῖς καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν, προστίθημι δέ, εἰ βούλει, καὶ Στύγα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θεούς, ἡ μὴν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐκείνην τοῦ προσήκοντος τετυχηκέναι χρόνου καὶ μηδὲν πεπρᾶχθαι τέχνῃ. σοὶ δὲ ἴσως οὐ καλῶς ἴχνει φείδεσθαι τῶν οἰκετῶν κατὰ τῶν φίλων καὶ ὅπως ἐκεί- νους ἐξέλοιο μέμψεως, τούτοις περιάπτειν αἰτίας. ἀλλ’ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων ὀλίγον ὕστερον διαδικασόμεθα Κέλσου τὴν ψῆφον τιθεμένου, τῆς Βακχείας δὲ ἡμῖν ἴσθι τὸ πλέον ἀμ- βλύνας ὑπὸ τῆς ἀπουσίας. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ὅτῳ ἂν τἀπὸ καρδίας λέγοιμεν, ἀλλ’ ἢ δεῖ σιγᾶν ἢ εἰπόντα μετεγνωκέναι καὶ ἐπιτι- μᾶν τῇ γλώττῃ, ὅτι ἐξελάλησεν ὅπερ τ᾿ ἄρρητον ἄμεινον. οἶμαι δὲ καὶ σὲ ταὐτὸν περιεστηκέναι, σιγὴν ἢ φόβον. ὅπως οὖν ἡμεῖς τε σοῦ σύ τε ἡμῶν ἀπολαύοις ἑκάτεροί τε δι’ ἀλ- λήλων ἐλευθερίας, τοῖς στόμασιν ἄνοιγε τὰς θύρας φανείς.