Letter 6

To Anysius. This Carnas is taking his time. Neither by choice nor by necessity will he ever become an honest man. Regardless, he will have to appear before us soon. I want to hear what he has to say and see how he looks us in the face — the man who tried to sell us a horse he had stolen from us, on the grounds that "a soldier cannot be without a horse." On top of that, he offered a purely symbolic price and refuses to return the animal, even though we never gave it to him in the first place. The worst part is that he seems genuinely convinced the horse is rightfully his. And this is not some Agathocles or Dionysius [notorious tyrants of Syracuse] whose tyrannical power puts them above the law — this is Carnas of Cappharodis, a man it would not be difficult to bring before a judge. If anyone brings him to you, let me know so I can send witnesses from Cyrene to expose him.

Letter 6: A Horse Thief [1] To Anysius This Carnas is taking his time about it. Neither of his own free will, nor forced by necessity will he ever become an honest man. However that may be, he must come before us soon, that we may hear what he has to say, and see how he will look us in the face, from whom even against our will he wanted to buy a horse which he had stolen, on the ground that a soldier cannot be horseless. [2] Furthermore, he offers me a purely nominal price for it, and refuses to hand it over to us although we had never handed it over to him. The worst of it is that he seems to be under the impression that the horse belongs to him by right and equity; and all this although he is neither an Agathocles nor a Dionysius, note [ Tyrants of Syracuse on Sicily .] men of whom tyrannical powers have made chartered libertines, but merely a Carnas of Cappharodis, whom it would not be difficult to bring to account for his conduct before the law. If anyone, therefore, brings him before you, let me know, that I may bring from Cyrene witnesses who will confound him.