Letter 516: Dulcitius belongs to the powerful faction, as you well know, but he would rather earn your esteem through decency...

To Cataphronius. (356) Dulcitius belongs, as you know, to that influential association; but he would prefer to be thought worthy of honor from you on account of his fairness rather than because of his power. Let this be a sign to you: that he has trusted more in the letters that come from us than in all the credentials he brings from the magistracy. This same thing is both a source of strength for him and a measure of praise for you, if you should appear to respect the sophists more than you fear the magistrates. I, then, am grateful to him for this, that he gave me the occasion to address you; and you, if you have it in you to receive the favor, show it by your deed. In any case, it will suffice for Dulcitius that the Egyptians learn that you in fact know him.

Καταφρονίῳ. (356) Δουλκίτιός ἐστι μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ἰσχυούσης ὅσον οἶσθα συμμορίας, βούλοιτο δ’ ἂν ἐπιεικείᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ δύνασθαι δόξαι τῆς παρὰ σοῦ τιμῆς τυγχάνειν. γινέσθω δέ σοι ση- μεῖον τὸ τοῖς παρ’ ἡμῶν αὐτὸν μᾶλλον πιστεῦσαι γράμμασιν ἢ ὅσα τῆς ἀρχῆς ἔρχεται φέρων. τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ τούτῳ τε ἰσχυρὸν καὶ σοί τις ἔπαινος, εἰ φαίνοιο τοὺς σοφιστὰς μᾶλλον αἰδού- μένος ἢ τοὺς ἄρχοντας φοβούμενος. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οἶδα τούτῳ χάριν, ὅτι μοι προσειπεῖν ἔδωκέ σε· σὺ δ’ εἰ τοῦ λαβεῖν ἔχεις, δεῖξον ἔργῳ. πάντως δὲ ἀρκέσει Δουλκιτίῳ γνῶναι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ὡς ἄρα αὐτὸν ἐπίστασαι.