Letter 778: You yourself spoke first of the consolation — which you might rightly call a celebration too — a wife good,...

To Bassianus (362) You yourself were first to name your consolation, which you might fittingly also call a festival: a wife good and beautiful and great; another man would have added wealth as well. As for the cause of my silence, you would do rightly to set truth before everything. For if, after being asked for a letter, I had been reluctant, then I myself would have been in the wrong; but since no one was asking, the wrong done to me, together with you who received nothing, is that I did not write. I marvel, however, that having farmed well and sown and while awaiting the ear of grain, you wrote to others about matters concerning your field, but not to me, who shall have to labor more than the others over the one that is to come. But perhaps you felt shame. I, for my part, used to think it right that you, even if these things had not been done by you, should show reverence to us elders. But as it is, we rejoice with you, since you are near to the title of fathers. Appear to us, then, together with the little child. And let there also follow the man who composed the song for the wedding, so that, in addition to his former pay, he may receive the greater one too: a speech to follow upon the tunic. Theodora will surely not gainsay you when you ask in this way for a favor that is just and also after her own mind.

Βασσιανῷ (362) Αὐτὸς ἔφθης εἰπὼν τὴν παραμυθίαν, ἣν εἰκότως ἂν προσείποις καὶ ἑορτήν, γυναῖκα ἀγαθήν τε καὶ καλὴν καὶ με- γάλην· ἄλλος δ’ ἂν καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον προσέθηκε. τῆς δ’ ἐμῆς σιγῆς τὴν αἰτίαν πρόσθεν ἀληθείας ἄγων ὀρθῶς ἂν ποι- οἶς. εἰ μὲν γὰρ αἰτηθεὶς ἐπιστολὴν ὤκνουν, αὐτὸς ἂν ἠδίκουν· οὐδενὸς δὲ αἰτοῦντος ἠδίκημαι μετὰ σοῦ τοῦ μὴ λαβόντος ὁ μὴ γράψας ἐγώ. θαυμάζω δὲ ὅτι γεωργήσας καλῶς καὶ σπείρας καὶ προσδοκῶν τὸν στάχυν ἄλλοις μὲν ἐπέστειλας τὰ περὶ τὴν ἄρουρα ἐμοὶ δὲ οὔ. ὃν δεήσει πλείω τῶν ἄλλων περὶ τὸν ἐσόμενον πονεῖν. ἀλλ’ ἴσως ᾐδέσθης. ἐγὼ δέ σε ἠξίουν, εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἐπέπρακτό σοι, τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἡμᾶς αἰδεῖσθαι. νῦν δέ σοι συγχαίρομεν ἐγγὺς ὄντι τῆς τῶν πατέ- ρων προσηγορίας. φάνηθι τοίνυν ἡμῖν μετὰ τοῦ παιδίου. παρακολουθείτω δὲ καὶ ὁ τῷ γάμῳ τὸ ᾆσμα πεποιηκώς, ἱν ἐπὶ τῷ προτέρῳ μισθῷ καὶ τὸν μείζω λάβῃ, λόγους μετὰ τὸν χιτῶνα. πάντως οὐκ ἀντερεῖ σοι Θεοδώρα χάριν οὕτως αἰ- τοῦντι δικαίαν τε καὶ αὐτῇ κατὰ νοῦν.