Letter 678: I remember you, for I love you, and I write, for I wish to please you.
Διοδότῳ. (361)
Μέμνημαί σου, φιλῶ γάρ, καὶ γράφω, χαρίζομαι γάρ. σὺ
δ’ ὅτι μὲν φιλεῖς, οἶδά τε καὶ χαίρω· ὅτι δὲ σιγᾷς, τοῦτο
ἐγκαλῶ· ἴν’ οὖν καὶ τῇδε συμβαίνωμεν. ἡσθεὶς τῷ λαβεῖν
εὔφρανον τῷ δοῦναι.
Ἀκακίῳ. (361/62)
Πάλιν ἥκει μοι γράμματα παρὰ τοῦ φιλτάτου διπλῆν
φέροντα τὴν εὐφροσύνην, τοῦτο μὲν ὡς ἐπιστολή, τοῦτο δ’
ὅτι μεταβολὴν ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττω μηνύει.
σιγᾶν δέ με τὸν
πρότερον ἠνάγκαζε χρόνον τὸ μήτε ἔχειν λόγον ἐπιστέλλοντα
πρὸς σὲ τοῦ πάθους ἀμνημονεῖν μήτε συμφέρειν μνημονεύειν
πρὸς σὲ τοῦ πάθους· βλάπτεσθαι γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε τὸν ἀρ-
ρωστοῦντα. ὡς δ’ ἠρρώστεις παῖδες ἔλεγον ἰατρῶν.
οὔτ’
οὖν ὡς ὑγιαίνοντι διαλέγεσθαι ἐνῆν, πάνυ γὰρ ὑβριστικὸν καἰ
οὐκ εἰδότος τὴν τοῦ ἑταίρου τύχην, οὔθ’ ὡς νοσοῦντι γράφειν,
βλαβερὸν γάρ. ἐλείπετ’ οὖν ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ στένειν καὶ εὔχε-
σθαι· ἃ ὅτι διετέλουν ποιῶν, ἴσασι καὶ οἱ θεοὶ καὶ οἱ φίλοι.
καὶ μὴν καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ ταῦτα ἐποίουν ἀμφότερα. καὶ
γὰρ αὐτὸς ἦν τῶν ὑφ’ ὁμοίου κακοῦ πιεζομένων, ὃ μέγα
πάνυ γενόμενον τοῦ θέρους ἠνάγκασεν ἐλλέβορον ὠνεῖσθαι.
νῦν δὲ δὴ τὸ μέν τι πέπαυται, τοῦ παντὸς δὲ οὐκ ἀπήλ-
λαγμαι, χρησταὶ δὲ ἐλπίδες ἱερῶν ἀνεῳγμένων.
Τιτιανὸς
δὲ ὡς μὲν παῖς ἀγαθὸς δυστυχίαν πατρὶ συνδιήνεγκεν, ὡς δὲ
σὸς υἱὸς τοῦ λόγων ἐρᾶν οὐκ ἀπέστη. πειρασόμεθα οὖν ἐγώ
τε καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τὸν παρόντα χρόνον καὶ τὰ τοῦ παρελθόν-
τος ἀγαγεῖν.
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