Letter 751: Mine was a desire not entirely unreasonable; yours was the wiser counsel.

To Hierius. (362 AD) Mine was a desire not entirely unreasonable; yours was the wiser counsel. "What the old man pursues," as the verse says, "he will consider so that nothing goes wrong." You will perhaps be annoyed if I call you old — as though I myself were still growing my first beard! I admit I am old — even if I denied it, my hair would convict me. But I would say there is more old age in you, when I recall the difference between my time in the schools and yours. So it is no wonder that alongside your own son, you also instruct me, who am younger than you. Take it, then, that I have accepted this advice and will obey in all else besides. Speak and counsel whatever you think best.

Ἱερίῳ. (362) Τὸ μὲν ἡμέτερον ἦν ἐπιθυμία τις οὐ παντάπασιν ἔξω λόγου, τὸ δὲ σὸν συμβουλὴ σωφρονεστέρα. οἶς δ’ ὁ γέρων μετέῃσι, φησὶ τὸ ἔπος, ὅπως μηδὲν ἁμαρτήσονται σκέψεται καὶ χαλεπανεῖς μὲν ἴσως, εἰ γέροντα ἐγώ σε καλῶ καθάπερ αὐτὸς ὢν ἐν ὑπήνη πρώτῃ ἐγὼ δὲ εἶναι μὲν γέρων ὁμολογῶ, καὶ γάρ, ἢν ἀρνῶμαι, παρὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς ὁ ἔλεγχος· εἶναι μέν- τοι παρὰ σοὶ γῆρας πλέον φαίην ἂν ἀναμιμνησκόμενος τῆς τε ἐμαυτοῦ καὶ σῆς ἐν διδασκαλείοις ἡλικίας. οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμα- στὸν εἰ μετὰ τοῦ σαυτοῦ παιδὸς καὶ τὸν σοῦ νεώτερον παι- δεύεις ἐμέ. ὡς οὖν καὶ ταύτην δεξαμένου τὴν παραίνε- σιν καὶ τἄλλα πεισομένου λέγε καὶ συμβούλευε ταῦθ’ ἅπερ ἂν ἄριστα νομίσῃς