Letter 318: To the same person. (357)

To the same man. Boethus, who is one of us, has said that his father Boethus obtained help from you. And I knew well that it would turn out so; for you were going to grant the favor to your uncle. But if you had known that the matter was of any concern to me, the Boethus who is now fortunate would have been ruined; such great zeal do you employ in not doing the things that I would wish to come about. But even now know that you have gratified me in granting the favor to your uncle, so that it is now time for you to cast Boethus out of the station which you happen to have given him, since your having gratified your uncle brings a favor to me.

Τῷ αὐτῶ. (357) 15 Βοηθὸς ὁ παρ’ ἡμῖν ἔφησεν αὑτοῦ τὸν πατέρα Βοη- θὸν βοηθείας παρὰ σοῦ τυχεῖν. καὶ ᾔδειν γε ὅτι τοῦθ οὕτως ἕξει· τῷ θείῳ γὰρ ἔμελλες δώσειν τὴν χάριν. εἰ δὲ ἐμοί τι τοῦ πράγματος ᾔδεις μέλον, ἀπωλώλει ἂν ὁ νῦν εὐδαίμων Βοηθός· τοσαύτῃ σπουδῇ κέχρησαι μὴ ποιεῖν ἃ βουλοίμην ἂν γενέσθαι. ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ἴσθι μοι κεχαρισμένος ἐν τῷ δοῦναι 5 τῷ θείῳ τὴν χάριν, ὥσθ’ ὥρα σοι τὸν Βοηθὸν ἐκβάλλειν τοῦ σχήματος, ὃ δεδωκὼς τυγχάνεις, ἐπειδὴ τὸ τῷ θείῳ σε κεχαρί- σθαι χάριν ἐμοὶ φέρει.