Letter 661: I would not say that Julian was equally distressed at leaving us and delighted at going to you — rather, his...

To Themistius. (~361 AD) I would not say that Julian was equally distressed at leaving us and delighted at going to you — rather, his pleasure exceeded his pain. For just as a merchant sailing from port to port, from one less profitable in trade to another more favorable to his commerce, does not disparage the first but fixes his gaze from afar on the second, so Julian, without dishonoring us, is drawn by the harbor he finds in you. For you are among those who know everything, and he has left no branch of learning untouched. If you display rhetoric, he will cheer; if Plato and philosophy come up, he will be stirred; if you discuss the stars, you will not find him idle; and if you examine the poets, he will devote himself to what he loves best in them. Trusting that your time together will lead to still more fine things, I claim a share in the pleasure. For you will remember me — of this I am certain. You will say, "That fellow really should have been here," and he will add, "Indeed, he absolutely should have been."

Θεμιστίῳ (361) Οὐκ ἆν φαίην ὡς ὁμοίως τῷ τε ἀνίστασθαι ἠθύμει καὶ τῷ παρ’ ὑμᾶς βαδίζειν ἔχαιρεν Ἰουλιανός, ἀλλ’ ἦν μείζων τῆς λύπης ἡ ἡδονή. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἔμπορος ἐκ λι- μένος εἰς λιμένα πλέων, ἐκ φαυλοτέρου περὶ τὰ κέρδη πρὸς τὸν μᾶλλον συναγωνιζόμενον ταῖς ἐμπορίαις, οὐ κακίζει μὲν τὸν πρότερον, βλέπει δὲ πόρρωθεν πρὸς τὸν δεύτερον, οὕτως οὗτος οὐκ ἀτιμάζων ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τοῦ παρὰ σοὶ λιμένος ἕλκεται· σύ τι γὰρ τῶν πάντα εἰδότων οὗτός τε οὐκ έ·στιν ὅτου λόγων εἴδους οὐχ ἧπται. ἀλλ’ ἢν τε ῥητορικὴν δεικνύῃς, βοήσε- ται Πλάτωνός τε καὶ φιλοσοφίας παριόντων κινήσεται, κἆν ὑπὲρ ἄστρων διαλεχθῇς, οὐκ ἀργὸν ὄψει, κἂν ποιητὰς ἐξετά- ζῃς, περὶ τὰ τοῦδε παιδικὰ σπουδάσῃ. πιστεύων δὲ τὴν συνουσίαν ὑμῖν καὶ ἐπ’ ἄλλα καλὰ προβήσεσθαι, κοινωνὸν ἐμαυτὸν τῆς ἡδονῆς γράφομαι. μεμνήσεσθε γάρ μου, τοῦτο οἶδα σαφῶς, καὶ σὺ μὲν ἐρεῖς ὅτι ἄρα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα παρεῖται χρῆν, ὁ δὲ προσθήσει· καὶ μάλα ἐχρῆν παρεῖναι.