Letter 68: I am almost in tears — and yet the very sound of your name ought to bring good fortune.

To Dositheus. I am almost in tears — and yet the very sound of your name ought to bring good fortune. For it reminds me of our noble and wholly admirable father [their shared teacher]. If you make it your aim to imitate him, you will not only be happy yourself but will give the world, as he did, an example to be proud of. But if you are lazy, you will grieve me — and you will blame yourself when blaming no longer helps.

To Dositheus 3 I am almost in tears—and yet the very utterance of your name ought to have been an auspicious sound, —for I recall to mind our noble and wholly admirable father.4 If you make it your aim to imitate him, not only will you yourself be happy but also you will give to human life, as he did, an example of which it will be proud. But if you are indolent you will grieve me, and you will blame yourself when blaming will not avail. 3 Otherwise unknown. 4 If the MS. reading is retained, Julian must be referring to someone who had taught them both. This was a regular usage and the teacher of one's own teacher could be referred to as "grandfather."

[Πρός: Δοσιθέῳ] Μικροῦ μοι ἐπῆλθε δακρῦσαι· καίτοι γε ἐχρῆν εὐφημεῖν τοὔνομα τὸ σὸν φθεγξάμενον· ἀνεμνήσθην γὰρ τοῦ γενναίου καὶ πάντα θαυμασίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ὃν εἰ μὲν ζηλώσεις, αὐτός τε εὐδαίμων ἔσῃ, καὶ τῷ βίῳ δώσεις, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, ἐφ’ ὅτῳ φιλοτιμήσεται· ῥᾳθυμήσας δὲ λυπήσεις ἐμέ, σαυτῷ δὲ ὅτε μηδὲν ὄφελος μέμψῃ.