Letter 1392: Gemellus is my relation and my friend and by his manners is no disgrace to his family.
Gemellus is my relation and my friend and by his manners is no disgrace to his family. If he had been possessed of money and a large estate, he would long ago have been employed on some public function. But as his fortune is small he has, by my advice, taken a method which may exempt him from tears and chains, the usual attendants of those whom public employments have reduced to poverty. Happy he is in discharging this office under your inspection; as you never fail to reprobate injustice and to honour what is just and equitable. Many there are who look upon justice and equity as meanness and accordingly despise them. But far different is your conduct; for you were well born, and well instructed, and therefore glory more in being virtuous than in the numerous nations which you govern. Of this Gemellus has proofs; and, that he may have more, let him be obliged for those to you, but for these to me. For if he should receive any greater favours in consequence of my letter, he will certainly be indebted for them to my advice. In the edition of Wolfius this is the 1392th. To this Gemellus Libanius has several letters.
Human translation - Tertullian Project
Latin / Greek Original
Original text not yet available in this corpus.
This letter still needs a Latin or Greek source-text backfill. The source link, when available, is preserved so the text can be checked and added later.
View sourceRevision history
- 2026-03-20v2.1.0-import
Initial corpus import from Tertullian.org.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/libanius_02_16_letters_to_julian.htm
Related Letters
As for the most villainous slave—how he will pay the penalty for both what he said and what he did—that is a matter...
That you would deal gently with the cities I knew well, for such is your nature.
That Alexander was appointed to the government at first, I confess, gave me some concern, as the principal persons...
I was glad to see Ablabius for many reasons, not least because he brought me a letter from you.
I can hardly believe that, than which nothing can be more certain.