Letter 819: This Elpidius is the son of the famous Xiphidius, and no less skilled than his father in his craft.

To Modestus. (363) This Elpidius is the son of Xiphidius, that famous man, and he is in no way inferior to his father in respect to his profession; the gentlest of all men, and having practiced self-respect from youth to old age, he has preserved it, gaining thereby many friends, of whom I am one. That you would gladly see this man come as a helper to the city was to be expected, since indeed the city would publicly honor the man with a statue, should Poseidon grant to make you well-watered. But he hoped to gain something more from the fact that the friendship which exists between me and yourself is not unknown. And perhaps with good reason. For it has been proclaimed who you are toward me, and how anyone who is well-disposed to me is held in honor by you. Come then, confirm his hopes, and make much of the man, honoring him partly on account of the things for which he comes, and partly as our companion.

Μοδέστῳ. (363) Ἐλπίδιος οὑτοσὶ παῖς μέν ἐστι Ξιφιδίου τοῦ πάνυ, τοῦ πατρὸς δὲ οὐ λειπόμενος κατὰ τὴν τέχνην πάντων ἀνθρώπων πρᾳότατος καὶ τὸ αἰδεῖσθαι μελετήσας ἐκ νὲου μέχρι γήρως αὐτὸ τετήρηκε πολλοὺς ἐντεῦθεν κτησάμενος φίλους, ὦί εἷς ἐγώ. τοῦτον ὅτι μὶν ἔμελλες ἡδέως ὄφεσθαι βοηθὸν ἥκοντα τῇ πόλει οἰκεῖον ἦν, ἐπεὶ καὶ δημοσίᾳ τιμήσαιτ’ ἂν εἰκόνι τὸν ἄνδρα, τοῦ Ποσειδῶ διδόντος ποιήσειεν ὑμᾶς καταρ- ρύτους. ἀλλ’ ἤλπισέ τι πλέον ἕξειν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ τὴν οὖσάν μοι πρὸς σαυτὸν ἀγνοεῖσθαι φιλίαι. καὶ ἴσως εἰκότως. κεκή- ρυκται γάρ, ὅστις σὺ πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ ὡς ὅστις ἐπιτήδειος ἐμοί, παρὰ σοὶ τίμιος. ἄγε οὖν, βεβαίου τὰς ἐλπίδας καὶ περὶ πολλοῦ τὸν ἄνδρα ποιοῦ τὰ μὲν ὑπὲρ ὧι ἥκει τιμῶν, τὰ δὲ ὡς ἔταφον ἡμέτερον.