Letter 817: I knew both things well: that you would remember our shared request, and that you would set to work — being noble...

I knew both things well: that you would remember our shared request, and that you would set to work — being noble yourself, from noble stock, and mindful of where you come from. You have added honor to honor: to the deeds accomplished there on our behalf, you have now added a letter to us. I predict you will do many such things, using the divination of rhetoricians. This does not mean watching birds or slaughtering lambs or heeding omens — rather, the ability to conjecture well places us near Amphiaraos [the mythical seer]. I reflect on how pleasantly you once told me about the portrait that revealed your ancestor would govern us — for you said the man in it was sacrificing to Kalliope, the Muse who presides over us. From those words and that pleasure, I am convinced you will say much and do much, some of it preserving, some of it enlarging this city. In return, you will depart with what sufficed for Romans of old: a good reputation, abundant praise, and the prayer of future governors that they not fall short of you.

Ἀμφότερα εὑ ᾔδειν, καὶ ὅτι μεμνήσῃ κοινῆς δεήσεως καὶ ὅτι ἔργου ἅψῃ γενναῖός τε ὢν κοὶ ἐκ τοιούτων καὶ ὅθεν ἥκεις ἐννοῶν. τιμῇ δὲ ἄρα τιμὴν προσέθηκας, τοῖς ἐκεῖ δι ἡμᾶς πεπραγμένοις τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπεσταλμένα. φημὶ δή σε πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ποιήσειν τῇ τῶν ῥητόρων μαντικῇ χρώμε- νος. αὕτη δέ ἐστιν οὐκ εἰς οἰωνοὺς ἰδεῖν ἢ ἄρνας θῦσαι ἢ φήμαις προσσχεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἰκάζειν καλῶς ἐγγὺς αὐτοὺς Ἀμ- φιαράου καθίστησιν. ἐγὼ τοίνυν ἐνθυμούμενος, ὡς ἡδέως μοι διηγοῦ περὶ τῆς εἰκόνος ἥ σε ἐδίδαξεν ὡς ὁ σὸς πρόγονος ἄρξειεν ἡμῶν — θύειν γὰρ ἔφησθα τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον τῇ ἡμᾶς ἐχούσῃ Καλλιόπῃ — ἀπὸ δὴ τῶν λόγων ἐκείνων καὶ τῆς ἡδονῆς πιστεύω σε πολλὰ μὲν ἐρεῖν, πολιὰ δὲ πράξειν τὰ μὲν σώζοντα, τὰ δὲ αὔξοντα τὴν πόλιν. ἔχων δὲ ἀντὶ τού- των ἄπει τοῦτο ὃ Ῥωμαίοις ἤρκεσε, δόξαν ἀγαθήν, πολλοὺς ἐπαίνους, τὸ τοὺς μετὰ ταῦτα ἄρχοντας εὔχεσθαι μὴ λειφθῆ- νᾶι τῶν σῶν.