Letter 798: There is nothing strange in students being loved by their teachers, just as there is nothing strange in sons being...

To Apollinarius and Gemellus. (363) There is nothing strange in students being loved by their teachers, just as there is nothing strange in sons being loved by their fathers — especially when the students have not proved ungrateful to the one who taught them. For indeed some do prove ungrateful, and have. I know this better than most, having labored much for many and suffered much from many. But you are good men, praising the way of storks rather than that of rams [storks care for aging parents; rams butt theirs]. And so I wish and pray for the best for you. The best course in present circumstances is to carry out what you have planned. I say this knowing that hesitation often obstructs one's advantage. Your homeland is great and your house distinguished — so I fear you may be held back by these enticements.

Ἀπολιναρίῳ καὶ Γεμέλλῳ. (363) Οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν μαθητὰς ὑπὸ διδασκάλων φιλεῖσθαι ὥσπερ οὐδ’ υἱεῖς ὑπὸ πατέρων, ἄλλως θ’ ὅταν οἱ μαθηταὶ μὴ κακοὶ περὶ τὸν παιδεύσαντα γένωνται. γίγνονται γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακοὶ καὶ γεγένηνταί γε. καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἑτέρων οἶδα πολλὰ μὲν περὶ πολλοὺς καμών, πολλὰ δὲ ὑπὸ πολλῶν παθών. ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς γε χρηστοὶ καὶ τὸ τῶν πελαργῶν μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ τῶν κριῶν ἐπαινοῦντες. διόπερ ὑμῖν καὶ συμβούλομαι καὶ συνεύχομαι τὰ βελτίω. βέλτιστον δὲ ἐν τοῖς παροῦσιν ἃ δια- νενόησθε πρᾶξαι. τοῦτο δὲ εἶπον εἰδὼς τὸν ὄκνον πολλά- κὶς ἐμποδίζοντα τὸ συμφέρον. ὑμῖν δὲ ἥ τε πατρὶς μεγάλη ὅ τε οἶκος τοιοῦτος. δέος οὖν μὴ τούτοις κατασχεθῆτε τοῖς φαρμάκοις.