Letter 464: The moment has come for you to do a service to all of Hellenism.

To Gorgonius. (355/56) An opportunity has come to you that offers the chance to do good to the whole Hellenic cause. For Himerius's living is teaching, the place of his instruction is Athens, but his property lies in Armenia. The man is worthy of the highest honor, yet he obtains not even a small one; rather, certain Lycurguses have set upon him and drive out Dionysus, and what he has there has become Mysian plunder [a proverb for spoils anyone may seize at will]. And yet, while for him the injury falls upon his possessions, they, in their impiety against the god who gave eloquence, do not perceive what they do. It befits you, therefore, to become one of those who prevent such things, not one of those who do them. And it is easy for you, since you sit beside the governor and share in his office. Show, then, to the enemies of the Muses that there are also friends of the Muses more powerful than their enemies, and by a single act do a favor to the Hellenic gods, and a favor both to the one who writes to you and to the man on whose behalf this letter is sent; and teach your son Aquila that eloquence is not a thing without honor.

Γοργονίῳ. (355/56) Ἥκει σοι καιρὸς παρέχων εὖ ποιῆσαι ἅπαν τὸ Ἑλληνικόν. Ἱμερίῳ γὰρ βίος μέν ἐστι παιδεύειν, τόπος δὲ τῆς συνουσίας Ἀθῆναι, κτήματα δὲ ἐν Ἀρμενίᾳ. τιμῆς δὲ τῆς μὲν ἄκρας ἄξιος ἁνήρ, τυγχάνει δὲ οὐδὲ μικρᾶς, ἀλλ’ ἐπιθέμενοι Δυκοῦρ- γοί τινες ἐλαύνουσι Διόνυσον καὶ γέγονεν αὐτῷ τἀκει Μυ- σῶν λεία. καίτοι τῷ μὲν εἰς χρήματα ἡ βλάβη, οἱ δὲ εἰς τὸν θεὸν ὃς ἔδωκε λόγους ἀσεβοῦντες οὐκ αἰσθάνονται. σοὶ τοίνυν πρέπει τῶν ταῦτα κωλυόντων, οὐ τῶν ποιούντων ἴνα γενέσθαι. ῥᾴδιον δέ σοι παρεδρεύοντι καἰ κοινωνοῦντι τῆς ἀρχῆς. δεῖξον δὴ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τῶν Μουσῶν ὅτι εἰσί τινες καὶ φίλοι ταῖς Μούσαις τῶν ἐχθρῶν δυνατώτεροι, καὶ πράξει μιᾷ χάρισαι μὲν θεοῖς Ἑλληνίοις, χάρισαι δὲ τῷ τε ἐπιστέλ- λοντι καὶ περὶ οἱ, τὰ γράμματα, δίδαξον δὲ τὸν υἱὸν Ἀκύλαν ὡς οὐκ ἄτιμον οἱ λόγοι.