Letter 649: Whatever comes from a loving heart is no small thing to me.

To Flavianus. Everything whatsoever that proceeds from a loving disposition is no small matter, at least in my judgment; and I, examining your earnest goodwill before the gifts that were sent, on this basis judge the things sent to be great as well. With the doves, then, I was delighted; but over the gazelle I wept, having hoped for marvelous things from what you had written, yet, on seeing it slaughtered—either overcome by the heat or betrayed by those who were conveying it—I found fault that it had occurred to you to send it. And for the victory of which you sent word, I am grateful to your namesake; and may he himself, when he comes, instruct us both in the battle and in how he routed the adversaries. And if he shall also display captives, he will be in our eyes greater than Cleon.

Φλαβιανῷ. (361) Πὰν ὅ τιπερ ἀπὸ φιλούσης γίγνεται γνώμης, οὐ μικρὸν 20 παρά γε ἐμοί. σοῦ δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν σπουδὴν πρὸ τῶν πεμφθέντων σκοπῶν ταύτῃ κρίνω καὶ τὰ πεμφθέντα μεγάλα. ταῖς μὲν οὖν περιστεραῖς ἥσθην, τὴν δορκάδα δὲ ἐδάκρυσα θαυμαστὰ μὲν ἐλπίσας ἀπὸ τῶν γεγραμμένων, ἰδὼν δὲ τεθυμένην ἤτοι τοῦ καύματος ἡττηθεῖσαν ἢ προδοθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγόντων, ὥσθ’ ὅτι σοι πέμπειν αὐτὴν ἐπῆλθεν ἐμεμψάμην. τῆς δὲ νίκης, ἣν ἐμήνυες, χάριν ἔχω τῷ ὁμωνύμῳ, καὶ αὐτός γε δι- δάξειεν ἐλθὼν τὴν τε μάχην καὶ ὅπως ἐτρέψατο τοὺς ἐναν- τίους. εἰ δὲ καὶ αἰχμαλώτους δείξει, μείζων ἔσται παρ’ ἡμῖν τοῦ Κλέωνος.