Letter 759: This Achillius was my fellow student, and his son is being raised under my care — a boy of a lively nature who knows...

To Maximus. (362) This Achillius was my fellow student, and his son is being raised under my care — a boy of a lively nature who knows how to work hard. As for Achillius's character, his handling of his estate says enough: he did not enlarge a small fortune by crooked means, but reduced a very large one to a small one through his expenditures on the city. Now he has come to perform a public service, and he stopped here to see his son. For these are his two concerns: his child and his city. And I think that caring for the child is itself a form of civic devotion — since those who attend to the minds of their sons do far more good for their cities than when they sponsor lavish spectacles. So, honoring the one and commending the other, and keeping me in mind, see to it that his burden is made light.

Μαξίμῳ. (362) Ἀχίλλιος οὑτοσὶ καὶ συνεφοίτησέ μοι καὶ παῖς αὐτῷ τρέ- φεται παρ’ ἐμοὶ φύσεως τε ἐγρηγορυίας καὶ πονεῖν εἰδώς. τὸν δὲ Ἀχιλλίου τρόπον ἀρκεῖ δηλῶσαι τὰ περὶ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἣν οὐ μεγάλην ἐκ μικρᾶς ἐποίησε κακῶς, ἀλλ’ ἐκ πάνυ μεγά- λῆς μικρὰν τοῖς περὶ τὴν πόλιν ἀναλώμασι. καὶ νῦν ἥκει λειτουργήσων, δεῦρο δὲ ἀφῖκτο τὸν υἱὸν ὀψόμενος. δύο γὰρ δὴ ταύτας ἔχει φροντίδας, τὸν παῖδα καὶ τὴν πόλιν. ἔστι οἶμαι, καὶ τὸ τοῦ παιδὸς τῆς περὶ τὴν πόλιν προνοίας· ὡς ὅσοι τῆς τῶν υἱέων ἐπιμελοῦνται διανοίας, πολὺ μεῖζον εὖ ποιοῦσι τὰς αὑτῶν ἢ ὅταν χορηγῶσι λαμπρῶς. σὺ τοίνυν κἀκεῖνο τιμῶν καὶ τοῦτο ἐπαινῶν καὶ τοὐμὸν ἐννοῶν ποίει, ὅπως κούφῳ χρήσεται τῷ φορτίῳ.