Letter 55: A novel kind of theft this is -- to announce in advance where the theft will take place and that you intend to...
**To Acacius** (359 AD)
A novel kind of theft indeed — to announce in advance to the person from whom one intends to steal that one *will* steal, and then to proceed with the robbery! But you, seizing openly, call it "stealing," so that your offense may not seem tyrannical but may share in a certain modest restraint.
For my part, I would have been no less happy to keep Titianus than you are eager to summon him. But I send him back, since whatever you command must be done. And I trust the young man will accomplish the very purpose for which he has been sent back. For you say that you are weary and stripped of your companions, and that you seek from him some consolation.
He will lighten your grief not merely by the pleasure of seeing him — that common gift of all sons — but because he also brings you a certain power in eloquence which you yourself planted and we have nurtured. But mind you remember our agreement regarding the time: before the fair season has fully run its course, give us back our colt. Surely from your own feelings you will forgive me as well. For if you long for a son, we too long for a son — since we have both had the raising of him.
Related Letters
In other things I would yield to you, but in this contest I won long ago by doing what a friend should -- back when...
Come now, move on and do for the Galatians what you did for the Phrygians.
Proxime indeed to the love tuae petentibus his, who to we a fratre and coepiscopo our Timotheo Alexandrinae of the...
so Since our sons illustrious uir Latinus patricius and respectable Madusius for on embassy publiea were being sent,...
Quantum of the priests and from diuersis monasteriis to the Lord serujentium of the monks relatione patefactum is,...