Letter 586: Unless you were well apprised how long ago my friendship with the excellent Macedonius was contracted, and for what...
Libanius→Julian of Antioch|c. 314 AD|Libanius|Human translated
friendshippelagianismproperty economicswomen
Unless you were well apprised how long ago my friendship with the excellent Macedonius was contracted, and for what reasons it has been since improved, of these I would first apprise you; but knowing as you do its foundation, you will not wonder that I, who would decline no danger for my friends, should devote to his service this letter. He has indeed prevailed with me to ask a favour of you, not that you grant favours easily or grant all that are asked; but such as are just and right you willingly confer. And in truth whoever does not oblige his friends in matters thus irreproachable blames the daughter of Jove for retaining the graces in her vestibule. But that you favour those who ask nothing unreasonable is evident to all. Now observe whether my request is such as can be censured. Macedonius married a wife who had a son by a former husband. That son is now dead. I wish therefore that the mother , in preference to the grandfather, may succeed to his estate, if a regard to honour can induce the grandfather to wave his right and to prefer praise to a compliance with the law. Be it therefore your endeavour to convince him that it is more creditable for him to decline than to take the effects. You will be doubly persuasive as, besides the powers of oratory, you possess supreme dominion. And I hear that this old man is vain of a good reputation and had rather accumulate fame than wealth. Delay not, therefore, to send for and confer with him, and thus perform an action more humane than any law. Nor think that we will admit, as an excuse, your alleging that the discussion of such matters does not belong to you, or, by way of subterfuge, that you are unable to persuade him. To be the instrument of conferring wealth on the mother and fame on her father will do you no dishonour. Every word from you makes a strong impression on the hearers. The son of Pelagius of Cyrus, a city in Syria, an orator and a philosopher. Libanius praises him several times in other letters, and addresses three to him, one of which is a congratulation on his marriage. , i.e. justice. Under Roman law mothers had no legal right to any of their childrens' possessions.
Unless you were well apprised how long ago my friendship with the excellent Macedonius was contracted, and for what reasons it has been since improved, of these I would first apprise you; but knowing as you do its foundation, you will not wonder that I, who would decline no danger for my friends, should devote to his service this letter. He has indeed prevailed with me to ask a favour of you, not that you grant favours easily or grant all that are asked; but such as are just and right you willingly confer. And in truth whoever does not oblige his friends in matters thus irreproachable blames the daughter of Jove for retaining the graces in her vestibule. But that you favour those who ask nothing unreasonable is evident to all. Now observe whether my request is such as can be censured. Macedonius married a wife who had a son by a former husband. That son is now dead. I wish therefore that the mother , in preference to the grandfather, may succeed to his estate, if a regard to honour can induce the grandfather to wave his right and to prefer praise to a compliance with the law. Be it therefore your endeavour to convince him that it is more creditable for him to decline than to take the effects. You will be doubly persuasive as, besides the powers of oratory, you possess supreme dominion. And I hear that this old man is vain of a good reputation and had rather accumulate fame than wealth. Delay not, therefore, to send for and confer with him, and thus perform an action more humane than any law. Nor think that we will admit, as an excuse, your alleging that the discussion of such matters does not belong to you, or, by way of subterfuge, that you are unable to persuade him. To be the instrument of conferring wealth on the mother and fame on her father will do you no dishonour. Every word from you makes a strong impression on the hearers. The son of Pelagius of Cyrus, a city in Syria, an orator and a philosopher. Libanius praises him several times in other letters, and addresses three to him, one of which is a congratulation on his marriage. , i.e. justice. Under Roman law mothers had no legal right to any of their childrens' possessions.
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Unless you were well apprised how long ago my friendship with the excellent Macedonius was contracted, and for what reasons it has been since improved, of these I would first apprise you; but knowing as you do its foundation, you will not wonder that I, who would decline no danger for my friends, should devote to his service this letter. He has indeed prevailed with me to ask a favour of you, not that you grant favours easily or grant all that are asked; but such as are just and right you willingly confer. And in truth whoever does not oblige his friends in matters thus irreproachable blames the daughter of Jove for retaining the graces in her vestibule. But that you favour those who ask nothing unreasonable is evident to all. Now observe whether my request is such as can be censured. Macedonius married a wife who had a son by a former husband. That son is now dead. I wish therefore that the mother , in preference to the grandfather, may succeed to his estate, if a regard to honour can induce the grandfather to wave his right and to prefer praise to a compliance with the law. Be it therefore your endeavour to convince him that it is more creditable for him to decline than to take the effects. You will be doubly persuasive as, besides the powers of oratory, you possess supreme dominion. And I hear that this old man is vain of a good reputation and had rather accumulate fame than wealth. Delay not, therefore, to send for and confer with him, and thus perform an action more humane than any law. Nor think that we will admit, as an excuse, your alleging that the discussion of such matters does not belong to you, or, by way of subterfuge, that you are unable to persuade him. To be the instrument of conferring wealth on the mother and fame on her father will do you no dishonour. Every word from you makes a strong impression on the hearers. The son of Pelagius of Cyrus, a city in Syria, an orator and a philosopher. Libanius praises him several times in other letters, and addresses three to him, one of which is a congratulation on his marriage. , i.e. justice. Under Roman law mothers had no legal right to any of their childrens' possessions.
Human translation - Tertullian Project
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