Letter 31: If cities have souls — and they must, with their divine guardians and spirits — then you can be sure those spirits...

To Aurelian. If cities have souls — and they must, with their divine guardians and spirits — then you can be sure those spirits are grateful to you and remember the good you did for all nations during your great administration [as Praetorian Prefect]. Believe me, those powers stand beside you always, as advocates and allies, begging the universal God to grant you a fitting reward for imitating Him to the best of your ability. Doing good is the one trait that God and human beings share. Imitation creates a kinship between the imitator and the imitated. So consider that by your commitment to righteousness, you have established an intimacy with God himself. Hold on to that thought. Cherish the hopes that belong to a spirit like yours — you whom I honor above all other men. Yours is a rank held by you alone, or shared with very few. Give my warmest regards to your son Taurus, the hope of the Empire. It gives me great pleasure to send them through a father as revered as yourself.

Letter 31: An Adhortation to Remain Just [1] To Aurelian If cities have souls, as they must, divine guardians and spirits, you may be sure that they are grateful to you and remember your good works, those which you brought about for all nations during your great administration [as praetorian prefect ]. Believe me that these divinities are at your side, at all times, as advocates and allies, and that they beg the universal God to grant you a becoming recompense for imitating Him to the utmost of your powers. [2] To do good actions is the only trait which God and men have in common. Imitation is an affinity which joins the imitation to that which is imitated. Wherefore consider that you have established an intimacy with God by a communion in the will to work righteousness. Cherish sweet hopes, hopes suited only to such a spirit as your own, you whom I honor as no other man. Yours is a rank which belongs to you alone, or at least very few share it with you. Give all my most affectionate messages to your son Taurus, the hope of the Empire. It is a great pleasure to me to communicate them to him by the mouth of a father so revered as yourself.