Letter 674: You could have written to me with the same ink and the same hand.
To Polychronius. (361)
You could have written to me with the same ink and the same hand. Instead, you write nothing to me, but write to Olympius on my behalf. You think you are honoring me; I say you are slighting me.
You will escape my tongue, perhaps, but my son will hold you to account when, in defending me, he prosecutes his own father. Well, may I live to see that day! As for Malchus — he deserves our care for many reasons. He is now raising a child for the noble Modestus, and by his labors he obliges everyone; he is ready for whatever service anyone requires.
Knowing your goodwill toward me, he urges me to write, and I have not delayed. It is your turn, then, to match my speed and make life brighter for Malchus.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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.
Latin / Greek Original
Πολυχρονίῳ. (361)
Ἐξῆν ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέλανος καὶ διὰ τῆς αὐτῆς χειρὸς
καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιστέλλειν· νῦν δὲ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδέν, ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ
δὲ πρὸς Ὀλύμπιον γράφεις. εἶτ’ οἴει με τιμῶν ὀκνεῖν, ἐγὼ δὲ
ἀτιμάζεσθαι λέγω.
τὴν μὲν οὖν ἐμὴν διαφεύξῃ γλῶτταν,
ὁ δ’ υἱὸς ἀπαιτήσει σε δίκας, ὅταν ἐμοὶ βοηθῶν κατηγορῇ τοῦ
πατρός. ἀλλ’ ἐκείνην μὲν ἴδοιμεν τὴν ἡμέραν, Μάλχος δὲ
πολλαχόθεν ἄξιος ἡμῖν προνοίας. ἤδη δὲ τῷ γενναίῳ Μοδέστῳ
παιδίον τρέφων πᾶσι μὲν χαρίζεται τῷ πόνῳ, πᾶσι δὲ ἕτοιμος
εἰς ὅ τι βούλεται χρῆσθαι.
τὴν δὲ σὴν εἰς ἐμὲ γνώμην
εἰδὼς κελεύει γράφειν καὶ οὐκ ἐμέλλησα. σὸν τοίνυν ἂν εἴη
τοὐμὸν ζηλῶσαι τάχος καὶ ποιῆσαι Μάλχῳ φαιδρότερον τὸν βίον.
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