Letter 710: The god has raised our hierophant [the chief priest of a mystery cult] from his bed.

To the same man. (362) God has raised up the hierophant [the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries] from his sickbed for us. And so great, it seems, is the power that the god breathes into him, that the old man, who before was being carried about, has played the bacchant [reveled in inspired frenzy] better than men who are vigorous and young. From this same eagerness and strength he is even hurrying to you, to correct from the books in your possession those books among us that are not in proper condition. I have written, not so that this man may gain something from the letter—for the occasions for honor come to him from many quarters—but so that I too may be counted among those who labor on behalf of the sacred rites.

Τῷ αὐτῶ. (362) Τὸν ἱεροφάντην ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς κλίνης ἀνέστησεν ὁ θεός. καὶ τοσοῦτον ἄρα ἐστὶ θεὸς μένος ἐμπνέων, ὥσθ’ ὁ πρὶν φε- ρόμενος ὁ γέρων ἐβάκχευσεν ἄμεινον τῶν ἐρρωμένων καὶ νέων. ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς δὴ προθυμίας τε καὶ ῥώμης καὶ παρ’ ὑμᾶς τρέχει βίβλους τὰς παρ’ ἡμῖν οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐχούσας ἐκ τῶν παρ’ ὑμῖν ἐπανορθώσων. ἐγὼ δ’ οὐχ ἴνα οὗτος κερδάνῃ τι παρὰ τῶν γραμμάτων, ἔγραψα, πολλαχόθεν γὰρ αὐτῷ τιμῆς ἀφορμαί, ἀλλ’ ἕν’ ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἱερῶν πονοῦσι καὶ αὐτὸς ἀριθμῶμαι.