Letter 627: That you love and miss both us and our city — well done.

To Gerontius. (361 AD) That you love and miss both us and our city — well done. But do not rail against Egypt or seek to be relieved of your office. If we call blessed those who, as private citizens, have seen the Nile and the Nile's wonders, Egypt and Egypt's marvels, where should we place the governor of such things? With a great retinue you may traverse the land and cities and lakes and river and canals and river-mouths, and everywhere implant proofs of your own virtue and foresight. Moreover, the people of Alexandria would carry a good governor on their heads. And you are such a man — having reached the heights of intelligence, eloquence, knowledge of law, and desire for what is noble. So I believe that everything that came before will seem small compared to the good things the Egyptians will receive from you. If you are distressed at not seeing us, know that we feel the same. But console yourself for our absence with a finer friend. That finer friend is Eudaemon the poet, who knows friendship no less than he knows the beauty of verse. He will make the deeds of your administration immortal.

Γεροντίῳ. (361) Ὅτι μὲν καὶ φιλεῖς καὶ ποθεῖς καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν ἡμε- τέραν πόλιν, εὖ ποιεῖς· Αἰγύπτου δὲ μὴ καταβόα μηδ’ ὅπως ἀπαλλάξῃ τῆς ἀρχῆς, ζήτει. εἰ γὰρ οἷς ὑπῆρξεν ἐν ἰδιώτου σχήματι Νεῖλόν τε ἰδεῖν καὶ τὰ Νείλου κοὶ Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὰ Αἰγύπτου μακαρίους καλοῦμεν, ποῦ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῶν τοιού- των θετέον, ᾧ μετὰ θεραπείας μὲν μεγάλης ἔστιν ἐπιέναι καὶ γῆν καὶ πόλεις καὶ λίμνας καὶ ποταμὸν καὶ διώρυχας καὶ στόματα, πανταχοῦ δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς αὑτοῦ καὶ προ- νοίας ἐγκατοικίζειν ἀποδείξεις; ἀλλὰ μὴν ὅ γε δῆμος ὁ τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων κἂν ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν ἄρχοντα ἀγαθὸν περιφέροι σὺ δὲ τοιοῦτος φρενῶν τε ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἥκων καὶ λόγων καὶ νόμων καὶ τοῦ τῶν καλῶν ἐπιθυμεῖν, ὥστ’ ἔγωγε πιστεύω πάντα τὰ πρὸ τοῦ σμικρὰ φανεῖσθαι πρὸς τὰ παρὰ σοῦ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἐσόμενα ἀγαθά. εἰ δὲ τῷ μὴ ἡμᾶς ὁρᾶν ἀνιᾷ, νόμιζε μὲν καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς ταὐτὸν ἥκει παραμυθοῦ δὲ καλλίονι φίλῳ τὴν ἀπουσίαν ἡμῶν. καλλίων δὲ φίλος Εὐ- δαίμων ὁ ποιητὴς οὐχ ἧττον τοῦτο εἰδὼς ἢ κάλλος ποιημάτων. οὗτός σοι καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀθάνατα καταστήσει.