Letter 534: I wrote to you before urging you not to dishonor your homeland, and I urge the same now: admire Rome, but live in...

To Olympius. (356/57) I wrote to you before, urging you not to dishonor your native city, and now I urge the same things: to admire Rome, but to dwell in your own city. You have a place there, and choruses of young men, and a decree conferring honors—everything is ready and waiting. But my affairs have need of your voice. For if our companions must prevail in the lawcourts, and this is impossible because of the other tongue [i.e., Latin], how is it not necessary that you, being present, take part in tending the flock? Come now, my good fellow, become at last a teacher too, since you have been a noble pupil; both come yourself, and come with your books.

Ὀλυμπίῳ. (356/57) Καὶ πρότερον ἐπέστειλά σοι παρακαλῶν σε μὴ τὴν πα. τρίδα ἀτιμάσαι καὶ νῦν ταὐτὰ παρακαλῶ Ῥώμην μὲν θαυμά- ζειν, οἰκεῖν δὲ τὴν σαυτοῦ. τόπος δέ σοι καὶ χοροὶ νέων καὶ ψήφισμα τιμὰς ἔχον, πάντα εὐτρεπῆ. δεῖ δ’ ἐμοῦ τοῖς πράγμασι τῆς σῆς φωνῆς. εἰ γὰρ δεῖ τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἑταίρους ἐν δίκαις ἰσχύσαι, τοῦτο δὲ ἀμήχανον ὑπὸ τῆς ἑτέρας γλώτ- της, πῶς οὐ χρὴ παρόντα σὲ συνεφάπτεσθαι τοῦ ποιμνίου; ἀλλ’, ὦ γαθέ, γενοῦ ποτε καὶ διδάσκαλος, ἐπειδὴ μαθη- τὴς ἐγένου γενναῖος, καὶ αὐτός τε ἐλθεῖν καὶ μετὰ βιβλίων.