Letter 709
Libanius→Celsus, governor of Cilicia|libanius
To Celsus, governor of Cilicia. (362)
If you did not already know Theophilus, I would tell you that even when circumstances invited excess, the man remained moderate. But since you do know him and treat him well on that account, I have no need to teach or urge you. I simply commend you for counting the man among those who deserve your care.
Τῷ αὐτῶ. (362)
Εἰ μὲν ἠγνόεις Θεόφιλον, ἐδίδασκον ἄν σε ὅτι οὗτος ἐν
καιρῷ παρέχοντι παροινεῖν μέτριος ἦν· ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ οἶσθα καὶ
διὰ τοῦτ’ εὖ ποιεῖς, διδάσκειν μὲν ἢ παρακαλεῖν οὐδὲν ἄν σε
δεοίμην, ἐπαινῶ δέ, ὅτι τὸν ἄνδρα τῶν προνοίας ἀξίων ἡγῇ.
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To Celsus, governor of Cilicia. (362)
If you did not already know Theophilus, I would tell you that even when circumstances invited excess, the man remained moderate. But since you do know him and treat him well on that account, I have no need to teach or urge you. I simply commend you for counting the man among those who deserve your care.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.