Letter 211: You will have heard the latest attacks on our profession -- the usual complaints from people who think that because...

To Ammianus. (360?) In asking you for a favor I do nothing new, and you will be true to form if you grant it -- for I have asked many times, and you have given. Calliopius has a case: the man is a member of the city council, devoted to his duties, a friend of justice. I ask you to see that his rights are not trampled by those who are stronger.

Ἀμμιανῷ. (360?) Οὔτ᾿ ἐγώ σε χάριν αἰτῶν καινόν τι ποιῶ σύ τε τὰ σαυ- τοῦ μιμήσῃ, τὴν χάριν εἰ καταθεῖο· πολλὰ γὰρ ἐγὼ μὲν ᾔτησα, σὺ δὲ δέδωκας. Καλλιόπιος δὲ οὑτοσὶ καὶ πολίτης ἐμὸς καὶ κοινωνὸς τῶν τε ἐνταῦθα λόγων τῶν τε ἐν Θρᾴκῃ πόνων, οἶδε γὰρ ἐν φίλων φροντίσιν ἀγρυπνεῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι δήπου μοι καλῶς ὑστέρῳ τοῦδε περὶ ταῦτα εἶναι. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐδόκει μοι ἀδικεῖν, ᾐσχυνόμην ἂν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, νῦν δέ, κατ’ ἐπήρειαν γὰρ ἕλκεται, πάνυ ἂν αἰσχυνοίμην, εἰ μὴ βοηθοίην. ἔχω δὲ βοηθεῖν οὐ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ δυνάμει, ἀλλὰ τῇ σῇ. χρῶ- μαι δὲ αὐτῇ κατὰ τὴν φιλίαν. ὅρα δέ, ὅπως σε ἀκριβέστερον ἑτέρων οἴδα. μέλλων οὗτος ἐνθένδε κινεῖσθαι χρημάτων ἐμέμνητο πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὡς ταύτῃ σε προσληψόμενος. ᾤετο γὰρ τὸν ὄντα οὗ νῦν ὢν τυγχάνεις μηδὲν φιλανθρωπίᾳ ποιεῖν, πάντα δὲ ἀργυρίου. ἐγὼ δὲ γελάσας καὶ διεξελθὼν ἃ σύνοιδά σοι, γυμνός, ἔφην, πορεύου καὶ πενίαν οὐ μέμψῃ ἄγε οὖν, ὦ γενναῖε, δέχου τε τὸν ἄνδρα εὐμενῶς καὶ παῦε τῶν κακῶν ὁπόσα ἔξεστί σοι καὶ δεῖξον ἡμῖν ὡς οὐδὲν ἔλατ- τον ἐσχήκαμεν ἢ εἰ γράφειν εἴχομεν τῷ τῆς γνώσεως κυρίῳ.