Letter 242: I think I am about to do something like those people who are so eager to see a friend returning after a long absence...
Φλωρεντίῳ. (360)
Ἀλλ᾿ ἔγωγε παραπλήσιον δοκῶ μοί τι ποιήσειν τοῖς ἐπει-
γομένοις μὲν ἰδεῖν τὸν ἥκοντα χρόνιον, τῇ προσρήσει δὲ κά-
τωθεν ἀπὸ τῆς κλίμακος χρωμένοις πρὶν ἰδεῖν ὃν προσαγο-
ρεύουσιν. ἐκεῖνοί τε γὰρ τῷ λίαν ἐπιθυμεῖν φθάνοντες τοὺς
ὀφθαλμοὺς βοῶσιν ἐγώ τέ σοι μικρὸν ἀπέχοντι τῶν ὅρων ἐν
ἐπιστολῇ δηλῶ τὴν ἡδονήν.
τὸν δὲ ἀνεψιὸν φιλῶ μέν, ἐγ-
γὺς δέ εἰμι <τοῦ> ζηλοτυπεῖν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἀπολέλαυκεν, ἐγὼ
μέλλω. τῆς μέντοι προνοίας εἰ τυγχάνοι μείζονος, οὐκ ἔτι ταύ-
τῃ ζηλοτυπῶ, βουλοίμην δ’ ἂν αὐτὸν Ἀθηνᾶς Διομήδην τυγχά-
νειν, ὅπως ἡμῖν καὶ σώζοιτο καὶ κρατῇ.
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