Letter 6: We're only human, and no better than our neighbors.

To Italicianus. We too are human beings, and no better than our neighbors. Do not, therefore, do violence to the images [exaggerate beyond the truth], nor, when you praise, neglect due measure, nor suppose that you are not loved on the grounds that not many letters reach you from us. For the cause of this is that our affairs are many, whereas a man might love even without writing, since you yourself, during the time when you were not writing, loved us; and even if you had not now sent these very lines, you would love us even so. And yet you spoke fine words and made promises, but no deed followed upon the words; nevertheless I do not take this as a sign of not being loved, but I persuade myself that, though you wished it, you were not able. For I think it better to believe these things than to seek on every side for grounds of complaint.

**To Italicianus** (365?) We are but human, and no better than our neighbors. Do not, then, do violence to the truth with your portraits of me, and when you offer praise, do not neglect all measure. Nor should you suppose yourself unloved simply because you do not receive many letters from me. The cause of that is the press of my affairs — for a man may love even without writing, since you yourself, during all that time you sent no letters, still loved me, and had you not sent even this present one, you would have loved me all the same. And yet, fine words you spoke and fine promises you made, but no deed followed upon them. Still, I do not take this as a sign that I am unloved. Rather, I persuade myself that you wished to act but were unable. For I think it better to believe this than to go looking for grounds for reproach at every turn.

Ἰταλικιανῲ. (365?) Ἡμεῖς καὶ ἄνθρωποι καἰ οὐδὲν τῶν γειτόνων ἀμείνους. μὴ τοίνυν ὕβριζε τὰς εἰκόνας μηδ’, ὅταν ἐπαινῇς, ἀμέλει τοῦ μέτρου μηδ’ οὐ φιλεῖσθαι νόμιζε τῷ μὴ πολλά σοι παρ’ ἡμῶν ἀφικνεῖσθαι γράμματα. τούτου μὲν γὰρ αἴτιον τὸ πολλὰ εἶναι τὰ πράγματα, φιλεῖν δὲ δύναιτ’ ἂν καὶ μὴ ἐπιστέλλων ἄν- θρωπος, ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ ὃν χρόνον οὐκ ἐπέστελλες ἐφίλεις ἡμᾶς καὶ εἰ μηδὲ ταῦτα τὰ νῦν ἐπεπόμφεις, ἐφίλεις ἂν καὶ οὕτω. καίτοι καλὰ μὲν ἔλεγες καὶ ὑπισχνοῦ, τοῖς λόγοις δὲ ἔργον ἠκολούθησεν οὐδέν ἀλλ’ ὅμως οὐ ποιοῦμαι τοῦτο τοῦ μὴ φι- λεῖσθαι σημεῖον, ἀλλ’ ἐμαυτὸν πείθω βουληθέντα σε μὴ δεδυ- νῆσθαι. βέλτιον γὰρ οἶμαι ταῦτα νομίζειν ἢ πανταχόθεν ζη- τεῖν ἐγκαλεῖν.