Letter 724: The first favors were enough for me -- when you saved Maximus's household and honored his son with no small...

The first favors were enough for me -- when you saved Maximus's household and honored his son with no small distinctions. But like the best runners, you are only getting better as you go. They wrote to me about this, and Philocles reported it too, describing your complete care for them and how the young man had often shared your table. He said it happened frequently -- it was the young man himself who told him. Hearing about these dinners, both before and after the honor, I reflected on how Hyperechius was growing sharper in mind under your influence. Wisdom flows from your intellect onto those who spend time with you, just as sleep passes from those who yawn onto those who watch. But I am in danger of fearing the very things that bring me joy. I could not compare any other kindnesses to these, though many occasions have given me many benefactors. As long as I could see how I might repay you, my delight was pure. But since you give more and greater things than I could ever return, a certain unease has begun to creep in --

Ἀκακίῳ. (362) Ἐμοὶ μὲν ἤρκει καὶ τὰ πρῶτα, δι’ ὧν τόν τι οἶκον διε- φύλαξας Μαξίμῳ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τιμῶν οὐ μικρῶν ἠξk- σας· σὺ δὲ κατὰ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς τῶν δρομέων ἀμείνων εἶ προϊών. ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔγραψαν μὲν ἐκεῖνοι, μεμήνυκε δὲ Φι- λοκλῆς τήν τε ὅλην σου πρόνοιαν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἀπαγγέλλων κοὶ ὡς κοινωνήσειε τῷ νεανίσκῳ παρὰ σοὶ τραπέζης. πυκνὸν δἰ ἔφασκε τοῦτ’ εἶναι, φράσαι δὲ ἐκεῖνον πρὸς αὐτόν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἀκούων τὰ δεῖπνα καὶ μετὰ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ πρὸ τῆς τιμῆς ἐνενόουν ὡς βελτίων τὴν διάνοιαν ὑπὸ τῆς <σῆς> Ὑπερέχιος ἐγίνετο. ῥεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν σῶν φρενῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὁμι- λοῦντας σύνεσις ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῶν χασμωμένων ἐπὶ τοὺς ὁρῶν- τας ὕπνος. κινδυνεύω δὲ οἷς χαίρω γιγνομένοις, διὰ ταῦτα φοβεῖσθαι. ταῖς μὲν γὰρ εὐεργεσίαις ταύταις οὐκ ἔστιν ἃς ἂν ἄλλας παραβάλλοιμι, καίτοι πολλοὶ καιροὶ πολλούς μοι πε- ποιήκασιν εὐεργέτας. ἀλλ’ ἴως μὲν ἑώρων, ὡς τάχ’ ἄν σε ἀμειψαίμην, καθαρῶς ἡδόμην· ἐπεὶ δὲ πλείω καὶ μείζω δίδως ἢ ὥστε με ἀντεισενεγκεῖν ἔχειν, ἤδη τι συνεισέρχεται καὶ δέους, εἰ δεήσει με χρήστην ὄντα περινοστεῖν ἀδυνατοῦντα τὸ χρέος ἐκτῖσαι. τὸ δὲ πάντων ἀτοπώτατον, οὐδὲ γὰρ λυθῆναι τοῦ- τον ἑλοίμην ἄν μοι τὸν φόβον, ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ δέδοικα καὶ μείζω γίγνεσθαι βούλομαι. βουλοίμην γὰρ ἂν εὖ πάσχειν τοὺς ἐμοὶ φιλτάτους. ἀλλ᾿, εὗρον γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἀπόροις παραμυθίαν τινά, πρᾷός ἐστιν Ἀκάκιος καὶ χρηστός, κἂν μὲν ἀπολάβῃ, εἰ δὲ μή, τὸν ὀφείλοντά γε οὐκ ἐλέγξει βοῶν ἃ δέδωκεν, ἀποχρήσει δὲ αὐτῷ τὸ μὴ πονηρῷ δεδωκέναι χάριν.