Letter 744
Libanius→Acacius, friend|libanius
To Acacius, friend. (362)
When you dine with Miccalus, do not waste the dinner hour on jokes and laughter. Let it become a lesson in how to govern well. You teach; let him learn. Your reward will be Miccalus's good reputation.
He will do you credit in Thrace by showing off his teacher. And please maintain your present resolve, in the manner of Xanthippus's son [Pericles -- i.e., with steadfast commitment], toward the household of Maximus. I would have said much more to urge you, but I know Miccalus in person will do a better job of it than any letter.
Ἀκακίῳ (362)
Ὅταν τῷ Μικκάλῳ συνδειπνῇς, μὴ παραναλώσῃς τὸν
τοῦ δείπνου χρόνον εἰς σκώμματα κοὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τούτων γέλωτα,
ἀλλὰ γενέσθω τοῦ πῶς δεῖ ἄρχειν διδαχή. καὶ σὺ μὶν παίδευε,
μανθανέτω δὲ ἐκεῖνος. μισθὸς δὲ ἔσται σοι τὸ τὸν Μίκκαλον
εὐδοκιμεῖν.
οὗτος μὲν οὖν ἐν Θρᾴκη δείξει τὸν διδάσκαλον
καλῶς, σὺ δέ μοι γνώμης τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχου κατὰ τὸν Ξαν-
θίππου παῖδα πρὸς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ Μαξίμου. καὶ πολλὰ ἂν
εἶπον εἰς παράκλησιν, εἰ μὴ βέλτιον ᾔδειν τοῦτο ποιήσοντα
Μίκκαλον τοῦ γράφοντος ἐν ἐπιστολῇ.
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To Acacius, friend. (362)
When you dine with Miccalus, do not waste the dinner hour on jokes and laughter. Let it become a lesson in how to govern well. You teach; let him learn. Your reward will be Miccalus's good reputation.
He will do you credit in Thrace by showing off his teacher. And please maintain your present resolve, in the manner of Xanthippus's son [Pericles -- i.e., with steadfast commitment], toward the household of Maximus. I would have said much more to urge you, but I know Miccalus in person will do a better job of it than any letter.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.