Letter 495: I have never ceased to love you — and indeed to admire you — nor shall I ever.

To Meterius. (356 AD) I have never ceased to love you — and indeed to admire you — nor shall I ever. But a certain reluctance came over me, perhaps not unreasonable, which made me think I would be a nuisance if I wrote. And so I refrained. But now that Clematius has set out, I add writing to my love, remembering your household, remembering you and your character and your devotion to the divine — from which all of us drew confidence. For you are a sufficient remedy against illness, disorder, troubles, grief, and danger. The afflicted run to you and the storm subsides. Even now I remain ill precisely because I lack your company. How much I long to be with you, Clematius knows. Come then, write to me in return. Put aside your suspicions and hold fast to the old ways.

Μητερίῳ. (356) Ἐγὼ τοῦ φιλεῖν μέν σε καὶ προσέτι γε θαυμάζειν οὔτε ἐπαυσάμην οὔτ’ ἂν παυσαίμην· ἐγένετο δέ τις ὄκνος μοι τάχ ἴσως οὐκ ἄλογος, δι’ ὃν ᾤμην γράφων ἐνοχλήσειν· ὅθεν οὐκ ἠξίουν γράφειν. Κληματίου δὲ ἐξελθόντος αὐτῷ τῷ φιλεῖν καὶ τὸ γράφειν προστίθημι μεμνημένος μὲν τῆς ὑμετέρας, μεμνημένος δὲ σοῦ καὶ τοῦ σοῦ τρόπου καὶ τῆς σῆς εἰς τὸ θεῖον σπουδῆς, ἀφ’ ἦς ἅπασιν ἡμῖν ὑπῆρχε θαρρεῖν. σὺ γὰρ καὶ νόσων καὶ ταραχῆς καὶ πραγμάτων καὶ λύπης καὶ κινδύνων ἱκανὸν φάρμακον, καὶ δρόμος ἐπὶ σὲ τῶν πιεζομέ- νων καὶ ὁ χειμὼν ἔληγεν· ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ νοσεῖν μένω παρὰ τὸ μὴ συνεῖναί σοι, συγγενέσθαι δὲ ὡς εὔχομαι, Κλη- μάτιος οἶδεν. ἄγε δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίστελλε καὶ τὰς ὑποψίας ἀφεὶς ἔχου τῶν ἀρχαίων.