Letter 553: I had wanted to write to you before -- everything people sing about your character encouraged it.
Μουσωνίῳ. (357)
Ἐπῄει μέν μοι καὶ πρότερον ἐπιστεῖλαί σοι, τὰ γὰρ ᾀδό-
μενα περὶ τῆς σῆς φύσεως καὶ τοῦτο ἀνέπειθε, κατειχόμην
δὲ τῷ νομίζειν εἶναι θρασὺ πρὶν ἐντυχεῖν ἐπιστεῖλαι.
Σπε-
κτάτου δὲ γεγραφότος ὡς ἔνι τις παρὰ σοὶ χώρα τῇ περὶ ἐμοῦ
μνήμῃ καὶ ὡς, εἰ γράψαιμι, πρὸς ἐπιθυμοῦντα τοῦτο ἔσται,
ταχέως ὑπήκουσα κέρδος μὲν ἡγούμενος, εἰ μή μου καταγνοίης
προπέτειαν, βλάβος δὲ οὐδέν, εἰ καταγνοίης· Σπεκτάτον γὰρ
εἶναι τὸν δώσοντα τὴν δίκην.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἐλπίζειν χρὴ τὰ
βελτίω. σὺ γὰρ δήπουθεν ὁ τήν τε Ἑλλάδα σεσωκὼς καὶ νῦν
ἀνοίξας τὰ βασίλεια τοῖς λόγοις. εἰμὶ δέ που καὶ αὐτός, εἰ
μὴ τῶν ποιούντων λόγους καλούς, τῶν γε ἐρώντων λόγων
καλῶν, ὥστ’ εἰκὸς ἡμέρου σου τεύξεσθαι τήν τε ἐπιστολὴν
καὶ τὸν φέροντα τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
καίτοι γελοῖον μὲν ὑπὲρ
ἄλλου γράφειν πρὶν ὅπως ἐκβήσεταί μοι τὸ γεγραφέναι μα-
θεῖν, τετολμήσθω δ’ οὖν ὅμως, καὶ γενοῦ Λητοίῳ τὰ πάντα
δι’ ἐμὲ τὸν θρασύν.
Related Letters
The Lord orders all things in measure and weight, Wisdom 11:20 and brings on us the temptations which do not exceed our power to endure them, but tests all that fight in the cause of true religion by affliction, not suffering them to be tempted above that they are able to bear. He gives tears to drink in great measure to all who ought to show ...
The labours of the field come as no novelty to tillers of the land; sailors are not astonished if they meet a storm at sea; sweats in the summer heat are the common experience of the hired hind; and to them that have chosen to live a holy life the afflictions of this present world cannot come unforeseen. Each and all of these have the known and ...
The greatness of the calamities, which have befallen our native city, did seem likely to compel me to travel in person to the court, and there to relate, both to your excellency and to all those who are most influential in affairs, the dejected state in which Cæsarea is lying. But I am kept here alike by ill-health and by the care of the Churche...
Epistle 16. To Eusebius, Bishop of Cæsarea. Since I am addressing a man who does not love falsehood, and who is the keenest man I know at detecting it in another, however it may be twined in skilful and varied labyrinths; and, moreover, on my own part I will say it, though against the grain I do not like artifice, either, both from my natural co...
You've redeemed two offenses against friendship in a single letter, with wit as your payment: you'd been away too...