Letter 289: My companions -- your rhetors -- the men I gave to you and you admired -- these very men who carry this letter are...

To Modestus. (359/60) My companions, your orators, the men given to you by me, the men admired by you, these very men who are carrying this letter, certain men are trying to drag away from your doors by their decrees, men whom I have many times rescued from your just anger. Or rather, they threaten Eusebius, and the other man they are already dragging off to a public service that requires a body in good health. But Agroecius is so very far from being in good health that he has paid out more money to physicians than any other man, being always in need of a physician's hands. Moreover, five sisters sit at home with him, who because of their age are in need of bridegrooms, but who through poverty are without means; for noble birth counts for little now. Considering, then, that it brings shame upon me, if I should not be able to help my friends, and that it is not honorable for you that an ancient law which protects orators should be abolished under your magistracy, persuade the more insolent of those engaged in public affairs that not everything will be permitted to them.

Μοδέστῳ. (359/60) Τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἑταίρους, τοὺς σοὺς ῥήτορας, τοὺς ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ σοι δοθέντας, τοὺς ὑπὸ σοῦ θαυμασθέντας, τούτους δὴ τοὺς φέροντας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῶν σῶν θυρῶν ἀποσπάσαι πειρῶν- ται ψηφίσμασιν ἄνδρες, οὓς ἐξειλόμην πολλάκις τῆς παρὰ σοῦ δικαίας ὀργῆς. μᾶλλον δέ, Εὐσεβίῳ μὲν ἀπειλοῦσι, τὸν δ’ ἤδη πρὸς λειτουργίαν ἕλκουσι δεομένην ἐρρωμένου σώματος. Ἀγροίκιος δὲ οὕτω σφόδρα ἔρρωται, ὥστε πλεῖστον ἀνθρώ- πων ἀργύριον ἰατροῖς ἐτέλεσεν ἀεὶ χρῄζων ἰατροῦ χειρῶν. ἀλλὰ καὶ πέντε αὐτοῖν ἔνδον ἀδελφαὶ κάθηνται δεόμεναι μὶν διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν νυμφίων, ἀποροῦσαι δὲ ὑπὸ πενίας. μικρὸν γὰρ ἡ εὐγένεια νῦν. ἐνθυμηθεὶς οὖν ὡς ἐμοί τε αἰσχύνην ἔχει, τοῖς φίλοις εἰ μὴ δυναίμην βοηθεῖν, σοί τε οὐ καλὸν νόμον παλαιὸν βοηθοῦντα ῥήτορσιν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς λυθῆναι πεῖθε τῶν πολιτευομένων τοὺς θρασυτέρους ὡς οὐ πάντα αὐτοῖς ἐξέσται.