To Themistius. (359)
When I have asked favors of you for others, I felt I was doing those people a kindness. But if you were to do something for Olympius, I believe you would be receiving a favor rather than granting one. For this is the man who made Macedonia prosper when he was barely out of boyhood, and who afterward shunned holding office more than others pursued it.
He has given himself so completely to justice that every wronged person takes refuge with him, every lawbreaker fears him, and our governors have one great ambition: to win his approval.
I too have inherited a friendship with him from my father. He does everything on my behalf, and from me he receives praise for his devotion -- for there is nothing I could do that would match it. But you -- repay the man; or rather, give him something small in return for the great things he has done for us.
He has transferred from the greater senate to yours -- forgive me for calling the Roman one "greater" when yours has you in it. So let him receive from you what he received from them. And what was that? They were content simply to have his name on their rolls.
Or better yet: do not give him even that, and do not demand more than he can bear...
**To Themistius** (359)
When I have commended others to you, I believed I was conferring a favor on them. But if you do anything to oblige Olympius, I consider that you will be receiving a favor rather than giving one. For this is the man who made Macedonia prosperous when he had scarcely left boyhood behind, and who afterward shunned office more than others have sought it.
He has so devoted himself to justice that every man who suffers wrong takes refuge with him, every man who transgresses the laws fears him, and our governors have but one ambition — to win his vote of approval.
He and I have inherited a friendship from our fathers. He labors in every way on my behalf, while from me he receives only praise for his devotion, since I could do nothing to match it. But you — repay the man, or rather, give him some small thing in return for great things, on our behalf.
He has transferred to your senate from the greater one — and you will forgive me for calling Rome's senate the greater when yours has you. Let him receive from you, then, what he received from them. And what was that? They were content simply to have his name enrolled among their number.
Better still, neither grant him this nor demand of him more than his means allow. For in any assessment of the best men, Olympius stands first; but where contributions must be paid, he is last of all. You can easily learn the measure of his estate from the officials charged with such matters.
You must therefore be on your guard: whenever money must be levied, see that you do him no injustice — and even before that, whenever you summon your senators, see that you do not uproot him from here. For his mother is alive and in his hands, and alive precisely because she can see him. She could not endure the separation. And his affairs, should any such thing happen, would be ruined. This you would not wish to see destroyed.
Persuade yourself, then, that by these same measures you will be helping us and acting in a manner worthy of philosophy, and secure for us an untroubled guarantee of his safety.
When I have asked favors of you for others, I felt I was doing those people a kindness. But if you were to do something for Olympius, I believe you would be receiving a favor rather than granting one. For this is the man who made Macedonia prosper when he was barely out of boyhood, and who afterward shunned holding office more than others pursued it.
He has given himself so completely to justice that every wronged person takes refuge with him, every lawbreaker fears him, and our governors have one great ambition: to win his approval.
I too have inherited a friendship with him from my father. He does everything on my behalf, and from me he receives praise for his devotion -- for there is nothing I could do that would match it. But you -- repay the man; or rather, give him something small in return for the great things he has done for us.
He has transferred from the greater senate to yours -- forgive me for calling the Roman one "greater" when yours has you in it. So let him receive from you what he received from them. And what was that? They were content simply to have his name on their rolls.
Or better yet: do not give him even that, and do not demand more than he can bear...
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.