Letter 698: I see no need for a preamble when asking a favor from a friend.

To Apollinaris. (362) I think there is no need for any preamble when one is asking a favor from a friend. So I will say at once what you must do. This man Megistus was formerly one of those serving Chryseis, but now he discharges the same duty for Bassiane, and if anyone were to take him away, it would do harm to the business. Let him therefore be set in charge of the affairs; for this is what I am asking, and you have the authority to grant it. At any rate, an abundance of resources, long desired, has now arrived. So, I beg you, steal Megistus away for me and release him. But if even this is a great matter for Arcadia, then do not avoid the second course, but let him be assigned among those who convey grain from Egypt, and we shall be grateful to you for this too. Whichever of the two you decide to grant, agree to it in writing, and let your letter become the pledge of what is to come.

Ἀπολιναρίῳ. (362) Οὐδὲν οἶμαι δεῖν προοιμιάζεσθαι χάριν αἰτοῦντα παρὰ φίλου. οὐκοῦν εὐθύς, ὃ δεῖ σε ποιεῖν, ἐρῶ. Μέγιστος οὑτοσὶ πρότερον μὲν ἦν τῶν διακονούντων Χρυσηίδι, νῦν δὲ ταὐτὸ Βασσιανῇ πληροῖ, κἂν ἀφέλῃ τις αὐτόν, τὰ πράγματα ἔβλαψεν. ἴστω τοίνυν ἰπὶ τοῖς πράγμασι· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐγὼ μὶν δίομαι, σὺ δὲ δοῦναι κύριος. πάντως δὲ ἀφθονία βουλευμάτων πάλαι μὲν ποθουμένη, νῦν δὲ ἥκουσα. σὺ δή μοι τὸν Μέγιστον ἐκκλέψας ἄφες· εἰ δ’ Ἀρκαδία τοῦτο καὶ μέγα, μήτοι τὸν δεύ- τερον φύγῃς πλοῦν, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς κομίζουσιν ἀπ’ Αἰγύπτου σῖτον τετάχθω, καί σοι χάριν εἰσόμεθα καὶ τοῦδε. ὁπότερον δ’ ἂν δοῦναι γνῷς, ἐν γράμμασιν ὁμολόγει, καὶ πίστις τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐπιστολὴ γενέσθω.