Letter 95: By now, Olympius's business should have been settled through you, with letters coming to us from there announcing it...

By now, Olympius's business should have been settled through you, with letters coming to us from there announcing it was done, and letters going from us to you praising your eagerness. But as you can see, here we are again writing about the same matters. How is this possible? You're not lazy when friends need help, and you certainly have the power. Nor would you invoke the proverb that says it's foolish to do favors for ungrateful men -- because Olympius is nothing of the sort. If anyone is good at remembering a kindness, watching for the right moment to repay it, and making sure the repayment outshines the original favor, it's him. So let it be done now, even if it wasn't done before. You have two guides to the facts: that earlier letter of mine, in which I explained who he is and how you came to know the man, and my conversation with you about how he's been wronged and what you need to prevent. And if you've lost the letter and can't remember what was in it, you have Olympius's brother right there. Learn the details from him, and then make justice prevail.

**To Themistius** (359/60) By now the favor for Olympius should have been accomplished through you, and letters should have been arriving to us from there announcing that the deed was done, while from us to you there should have come letters praising your eagerness. But, as you see, here again are letters on the same matters. How has this come about? For you are certainly not idle when friends are in need, nor do you lack the power to help. And you would say there is no cause to fear the proverb that declares it foolish to do good for cowards — for Olympius is not one of that sort. Rather, if anyone is, he is a man well suited to remember a kindness, to watch for the right moment to repay it, and to hasten to return it more generously than he received it. So let the thing be done now, even if it was not done before. You have two guides to the matter: that earlier letter of mine, in which I explained who the man belongs to and how you came to acquire him, and in which I also set out how he is being wronged and what you must do to prevent it. But if you no longer have the letter, nor any memory of what was in it, you have Olympius's brother, from whom you may learn every detail and then make justice prevail.

Θεμιστίῳ. (359/60) Νῦν ἔδει πεπληρῶσθαι τὴν σπουδὴν Ὀλυμπίῳ διὰ σοῦ καὶ γράμματα πρὸς μὲν ἡμᾶς ἐκεῖθεν φοιτᾶν μηνύοντα τὸ ἔργον, πρὸς δὲ σὲ παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐπαινοῦντα τὴν προθυμίαν, ἀλλ’, ὁρᾷς, πάλιν ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιστολαί. πόθεν δὴ τοῦτο; οὔτε γὰρ σύ γε ἀργὸς ἐν φίλων χρείαις οὔτε ἄπεστι τὸ δύνασθαι τήν τε παροιμίαν οὐκ ἂν δεῖσαι φαίης, ἥ φησιν ἀνόητον εἶναι δειλοὺς εὖ ἔρδειν οὐ γὰρ τούτων γε Ὀλύμ- πιος, ἀλλ’, εἴπερ τις, ἀγαθὸς χάριτός τε ἀπομνημονεῦσαι καἰ τηρῆσαι καιρὸν ἀμοιβῶν καὶ σπεῦσαι λαμπρότερον ἀποδοῦναι. πραττέσθω δὴ νῦν, εἰ καὶ μὴ πρότερον. δύο δέ σοι τῶν πραγμάτων διδάσκαλοι, γράμματά τε ἐκεῖνα, ἐν οἷς διηγού- μην τίνων τε ἦν καὶ πῶς ἐκτήσασθε τὸν ἄνδρα, διείλεγμαι δὲ καὶ πῶς ἀδικεῖται καὶ τί δεῖ σε κωλῦσαι. εἰ δὲ μήτε τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔτ᾿ ἔχεις μήτε τῶν ἐν αὐτὴ τὴν μνήμην, ἔχεις τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ὀλυμπίου, παρ’ οὗ μαθὼν ἕκαστα τὸ δίκαιον ἰσχυρὸν ποιήσεις.