Letter 69: Having come to know Parthenius better than before, I love him more than before.

To Eusebius. (359) Having come to know Parthenius better than before, I love him more than before; for then I loved him as a fellow-citizen and a kinsman of a friend of mine, but now, in the examination of certain affairs, he has shown me such a disposition that, if I did not grant him every favor, I should justly be accused. Since it was in his power to obtain from me whatever letter he wished, he wished to carry one from me to you, on the grounds that you know how to give vigorous help and that I am ranked among the foremost. By this opinion he seemed to me to be honoring you rather than me. For when a father is served by his son, it falls to the one to be counted fortunate and to the other to be praised: to the one as sharing in what the law has appointed, to the other as confirming the law. If you were to be judged by what you used to do toward us when you came here, you would be a lover of your father; but the things from the time when you went away departing are not like those that went before. For then there were frequent runnings to me, and not to meet was not to be borne; but now I fear lest someone put you to the test for your silence. [...] But of this I do not become a harsh judge to you; yet with respect to Parthenius, if you appear such as you were before, you will have fulfilled the customary measure equally, but if you appear much better than before, you will show, by the addition of your zeal, the very work of the letter as well.

To Eusebius. (359) Having come to know Parthenius better than before, I love him more than before. Previously I loved him as a fellow citizen and a kinsman of my friend, but now, in the course of examining certain matters, he has shown me such a character that if I did not grant him every favor, I would rightly stand accused. Being in a position to obtain from me a letter to whomever he wished, he chose to carry one from me to you — since you know how to give vigorous assistance, and I am counted among your nearest circle. In holding this opinion, it seemed to me that he honored you more than me. For when a father is attended to by his son, the one gains the happiness of it, while the other wins the praise — the one receiving what the law has ordained, the other upholding the law. You, judged by what you did for us when you came here, would be called a dutiful son. But your conduct since you departed has not matched what came before. Back then there were frequent visits to my door, and failing to meet was unbearable to you. Now I am afraid that someone may convict you by your silence. But I will not be a harsh judge to you on that score. As for Parthenius — if you show yourself the same man as before, you will know you have fulfilled your customary duty. But if you prove far better than before, you will demonstrate the power of this letter in the increase of your zeal.

Εὐσεβίῳ. (359) Μαλλὸν ἢ πρότερον ἐκμαθὼν Παρθένιον πλέον ἢ πρὸ τερον ἀγαπῶ· τότε μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἂν πολίτην καὶ φίλου μοι συγγενῆ, νῦν δὲ ἔν τινων ἐξετάσει πραγμάτων τοιαύτην ἔδειξέ μοι τὴν γνώμην, ὥστ’ εἰ μὴ πάντ’ αὐτῷ χαριζοίμην, εἰκότως ἂν κατηγοροίμην. ἔχων δὴ τυγχάνειν ὅτου θέλοι παρ’ ἐμοῦ γράμματα ἠθέλησε παρ’ ἐμοῦ σοὶ φέρειν ὡς σοῦ τε ἐρρωμέ- νως βοηθεῖν εἰδότος ἐμοῦ τε παρὰ <ἐν> τοῖς πρώτοις ταγμένου. ταύτῃ δὲ τῇ δόξῃ σὲ μᾶλλον ἐδόκει μοι τιμᾶν ἢ ἐμέ. πατὴρ γὰρ ὅταν ὑπὸ παιδὸς θεραπεύηται, τῷ μὲν εὐ- δαιμονίζεσθαι, τῷ δὲ ἐπαινεῖσθαι περιγίνεται, τῷ μὲν ὧν ἔτα- ξεν ὁ νόμος μετέχοντι, τῷ δὲ βεβαιοῦντι τὸν νόμον. σὺ κρινόμενος μὲν οἷς ἐποίεις πρὸς ἡμᾶς δεῦρο ἥκων φιλοπάτωρ ἂν εἴης, τὰ δ’ ἀφ’ οὗπερ ἀπιὼν ᾤχου τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν οὐκ ἐοικότα. τότε μὶν γὰρ πυκνοὶ παρ’ ἐμὲ δρόμοι καὶ τὸ μὴ συμ- βαλεῖν οὐ φορητόν, νῦν δὲ φοβοῦμαι μή σέ τις δοκιμάσῃ τῇ σιωπῇ Γ’. ἀλλὰ τούτου μὲν οὐ γίνομαί σοι πικρὸς δικαστής, Παρθενίῳ δὲ ἂν μὲν οἷος ἔμπροσθεν φανῇς, τὸ εἰωθὸς ἴσῃ πεπληρωκώς ἂν δὲ πολὺ βελτίων ἢ πρόσθεν, δείξεις καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔργον ἐν τῇ προσθήκῃ τῆς προθυμίας