Letter 685: Even when you were staging those remarkable spectacles, purchasing glory with money, I considered it an honor to be...

To Auxentius [a magistrate honored for sponsoring beast-hunts]. Even when you were performing those marvelous feats, purchasing renown at the cost of your money, I considered that I myself was being established in a place of honor along with you; and now too I rejoice both in the honor that comes through the hide, and I have come to be not far removed from those who have looked upon the deeds of the wild beasts, judging from the skin what sort of things the leopard did to the huntsmen. I pray, then, to Artemis that she may make the rest splendid for you as well, both by the ferocity of the beasts and by the skill of those who go in against them.

Αὐξεντίῳ. (361/32) Καὶ ὅτε τὰ θαυμαστὰ ἴνα ἐποίεις δόξαν ὠνούμενος χρημάτων, αὐτὸς ἡγούμην ἐν τιμῇ καθίστασθαι μετὰ σαυτοῦ καὶ νῦν χαίρω τε τῇ διὰ τοῦ δέρματος τιμῇ καὶ τῶν τεθεαμέ- νων τὰ ἔργα τῶν θηρίων οὐ πόρρω γεγένημαι τῇ δορᾷ τε- κμαιρόμενος, οἷα ἡ πάρδαλις ἔδρα τοὺς κυνηγέτας εὔχομαι δὴ τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι καὶ τὰ λοιπά σοι θεῖναι λαμπρὰ θηρίων τι χαλεπότητι καὶ τῇ τῶν πρὸς ταῦτα εἰσιόντων σοφίᾳ.