Letter 668: You cannot avoid helping the Galatians, whom you once governed, wherever they turn, and I am bound by many reasons...

To Anatolios. (~361 AD) You cannot avoid helping the Galatians, whom you once governed, wherever they turn, and I am bound by many reasons to assist them in whatever I can. Aetios, beyond the general claim his citizenship gives him, I love personally for his character, and you too would naturally love him for the same reasons. He knows no way to press himself forward for gain, yet would endure any hardship in pursuit of honorable ends. Your predecessor Anatolios recognized this well: he admired him greatly but was unable to reward him. Aetios still praises that man for it—even though, beyond failing to receive his hope, he has suffered losses in his modest affairs, and even to recover what is his he counts a great thing. Do not leave him wearing away the time, then; see to it that he will not be looked down upon, and that he departs quickly.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (361) Οὔτε σοὶ μὴ βοηθεῖν ἔνι πανταχοῦ Γαλάταις, ὧν ἦρξας, ἐμοί τε ἀνάγκη πολλῶν εἵνεκα αὐτοῖς συμπράττειν ὅ τι ἂν δύνωμαι. Ἀέτιον δὲ πρὸς τῷ κοινῷ δικαιώματι φιλῶ μὲν αὐτὸς διὰ τοὺς τρόπους, φιλοίης δ’ ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν εἰκότως. οἶδε μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ὑπὲρ κέρδους ἐνοχλῆσαι, πάντα δ’ ἂν ὑπὲρ καλῶν ὑπομείναι πόνον. ἔγνω ταῦτα Ἀνατόλιος καλῶς, ὃς πολλὰ μὲν αὐτὸν ἐθαύμασεν, ἀμείψασθαι δὲ οὐκ ἴσχεν. ὁ δὲ καὶ οὕτως ἐπαινεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα. καίτοι πρὸς τῷ μὴ τυχεῖν ἐλπίδος κὰν τοῖς αὑτοῦ μικροῖς οὖσιν ἐζημίωται κἂν κομίσηται, ποιεῖται μέγα. μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὸν περιίδῃς τρί- βοντα χρόνους, ἀλλ’ ὅπως μήτε καταφρονηθήσεται καὶ ταχέως ἀπαλλάξεται σκόπει.