Letter 778: You yourself spoke first of the consolation — which you might rightly call a celebration too — a wife good,...

To Bassianus. (362) You yourself spoke first of the consolation — which you might rightly call a celebration too — a wife good, beautiful, and noble. Another man might have added her wealth as well. As for the reason for my silence, you would do right to put it down to the truth. For if I had been asked for a letter and held back, I would have been in the wrong. But since no one asked, both you who received nothing and I who wrote nothing have been wronged alike. I am amazed that, having farmed well and sown and awaited the harvest, you wrote to others about your field but not to me — me, who will have to labor over the child-to-be more than anyone else. But perhaps you were bashful. I would have expected you, if you had not accomplished this, to show respect for us elders. As it is, we congratulate you on being near the title of father. Show yourself to us, then, with the child. And let the man who composed the song for your wedding come along too, so that on top of his earlier fee he may receive the greater one — speeches after the tunic. Surely Theodora will not object when you ask so just a favor, one that pleases her too.

Βασσιανῷ (362) Αὐτὸς ἔφθης εἰπὼν τὴν παραμυθίαν, ἣν εἰκότως ἂν προσείποις καὶ ἑορτήν, γυναῖκα ἀγαθήν τε καὶ καλὴν καὶ με- γάλην· ἄλλος δ’ ἂν καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον προσέθηκε. τῆς δ’ ἐμῆς σιγῆς τὴν αἰτίαν πρόσθεν ἀληθείας ἄγων ὀρθῶς ἂν ποι- οἶς. εἰ μὲν γὰρ αἰτηθεὶς ἐπιστολὴν ὤκνουν, αὐτὸς ἂν ἠδίκουν· οὐδενὸς δὲ αἰτοῦντος ἠδίκημαι μετὰ σοῦ τοῦ μὴ λαβόντος ὁ μὴ γράψας ἐγώ. θαυμάζω δὲ ὅτι γεωργήσας καλῶς καὶ σπείρας καὶ προσδοκῶν τὸν στάχυν ἄλλοις μὲν ἐπέστειλας τὰ περὶ τὴν ἄρουρα ἐμοὶ δὲ οὔ. ὃν δεήσει πλείω τῶν ἄλλων περὶ τὸν ἐσόμενον πονεῖν. ἀλλ’ ἴσως ᾐδέσθης. ἐγὼ δέ σε ἠξίουν, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἐπέπρακτό σοι, τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἡμᾶς αἰδεῖσθαι. νῦν δέ σοι συγχαίρομεν ἐγγὺς ὄντι τῆς τῶν πατέ- ρων προσηγορίας. φάνηθι τοίνυν ἡμῖν μετὰ τοῦ παιδίου. παρακολουθείτω δὲ καὶ ὁ τῷ γάμῳ τὸ ᾆσμα πεποιηκώς, ἱν ἐπὶ τῷ προτέρῳ μισθῷ καὶ τὸν μείζω λάβῃ, λόγους μετὰ τὸν χιτῶνα. πάντως οὐκ ἀντερεῖ σοι Θεοδώρα χάριν οὕτως αἰ- τοῦντι δικαίαν τε καὶ αὐτῇ κατὰ νοῦν.