Letter 521: Other men take pride in various things, but Severus takes pride in being my friend.
Ἀνατολίῳ. (356)
Ἄλλοις μὲν ἄλλος φιλοτιμεῖται, Σευῆρος δὲ τῷ φίλος
ἐμὸς εἶναι. καὶ δῆλον ὡς εὐθὺς ἥκων πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοῦτο κη-
ρύξει.
ἔδεισα δὴ μὴ τὸ μὲν ἀκούων, γράμματα δὲ ἐμὰ διὰ
τοῦ ταῦτα λέγοντος οὐ λαβὼν ἢ ψεύστην ἐκεῖνον ἢ κακὸν ἐμὲ
περὶ τὸν φίλον ἡγήσῃ. τί γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν ἠδίκησα μεῖζον ἢ
τῆς σῆς ῥοπῆς ἀποστερῶν; τὸ γὰρ μὴ δοῦναι παρὸν εἰς τὸ
ἀποστερεῖν ἔγωγε ἂν θείην.
ὧν μὲν οὖν δεῖται, τῶν πάνυ
ῥᾴστων ἐστί· φοβοῦμαι δὲ μὴ τοῦτό σε κωλύσῃ συμμαχεῖν,
ὡς πρέπον σοι τὴν ῥώμην ἐν μεγάλοις δεικνύειν. ἀλλ’, ὦ
δαιμόνιε, χάριν ἐμὴν ἅψαι καὶ τῶν μικρῶν.
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