Letter 776: This Tyrannus is both a good man and a skilled physician, a friend of ours, and one who has lived no small time in...

To Atarbius. (362) This Tyrannus is both a good man and a skilled physician, a friend of ours, and one who has lived no small time in the imperial palace on account of his art. He has never wronged any man, but has now wronged himself by trusting a man clever at bewitching with words and persuading his listener to grant a favor profitable to the other but harmful to himself. Now he has come to set right what was done badly and undo his mistake. But he will not undo it without Athena [i.e., your help] — and Athena will assist both for justice's sake and as a favor to me. Consider, my excellent friend, the pressing necessity, looking at Tyrannus's physical condition and the winter season. For he would not have traveled now, in such a state, unless he were fleeing a greater evil. Send him back to us rejoicing, having laid down by the Euphrates the grief for which he has paid a sufficient penalty for his naivety. For if he is overlooked, he will indeed lay down his grief — but in a manner fitting neither to us nor to you. He will lie dead somewhere, having judged death lighter than being dragged about alive.

Ἀταρβίῳ. (362) Τύραννος οὑτοσὶ καὶ ἀνὴρ χρηστὸς καὶ ἰατρὸς ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἡμῖν φίλος καὶ τῶν διὰ τὴν τέχνην ἐν βασιλείοις οὐκ ὀλί- γον δὴ χρόνον βεβιωκότων. ἠδίκησε δὲ ἄλλον μὲν οὐδένα οὐδεπώποτε ἀνθρώπων, αὑτὸν δὲ νῦν πιστεύσας ἀνθρώπῳ δεινῷ γοητεῦσαι λόγοις καὶ πεῖσαι τὸν ἀκούοντα δοῦναι χάριν ἐκείνῳ μὲν συμφέρουσαν, αὑτῷ δὲ βλαβεράν. νῦν οὖν ἥκει διορθωσόμενος ἃ μὴ καλῶς πέπρακται κοὶ λύσων τὸ ἡμαρτη- μένον. λύσει δὲ οὐκ ἄνευ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἡ δὲ Ἀθηνᾶ συλλή- ψεται καὶ τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἐμὴν χάριν ἐνθυμοῦ δέ, ὦ ἄριστε, τὴν περιεστηκυῖαν ἀνάγκην εἴς τε τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Τύραν νοῦ καὶ τὸν χειμῶνα βλέπων. οὐ γὰρ ἂν νῦν τε καὶ οὕτως ἔχων ἔφερε τὸ μεῖζον φεύγων κακόν. ὅπως οὖν αὐτὸν ἡμὶν ἀποπέμψῃς χαίροντα τὴν λύπην ἀποθίμενον περὶ τὸν Εὐφρά- τὴν, ἣν τῆς ἀφελείας ἱκανὴν ἔτισε δίκην· ὡς, εἰ περιοφθείη, τὴν μὲν λύπην ἀποθήσεται, τρόπον δὲ οὔθ’ ἡμῖν οὔτε σοὶ πρέποντα. κείσεται γὰρ αἰτοῦ που κουφοτέραν τοῦ ζῶντα περιέλκεσθαι τὴν τελευτὴν ἡγησάμενος.