Letter 829: The horses of Tros, the horses of Achilles, even winged Pegasus himself — all mean less to me, Dionysius, than the...

To Dionysius. (363) The horses of Tros, the horses of Achilles, even winged Pegasus himself — all mean less to me, Dionysius, than the letter you sent, so full of beauty. They say you also praised the governor with consummate skill, and I believe it — your letter is proof enough. Moreover, word has it that you defeated your opponents in court with the very eloquence you acquired during the time they were wronging you. So you have recovered your land and everything else they seized. And I have gained glory from the fact that you won back what was yours by your own efforts. If you wish to keep the horse, mount up and ride. But if you cannot help but send it to me, I shall accept it gladly — because you sent it as a victor.

Διονυσίῳ. (363) Καὶ τῶν Τρωὸς καἰ τῶν Ἀχιλλέως ἵππων κοὶ αὐτοῦ γε τοῦ τὰ πτερὰ ἔχοντος Πηγάσου μεὶζον ἐμοί, Διονύσιε, τὸ σὲ κάλλους οὕτω γέμουσαν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπεσταλκέναι. φασί δέ σε καὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα ἐγκεκωμιακέναι μετὰ τεχνης ἀπάσης καἰ ἐγὼ πείθομαι μαρτυρεῖ μαρτυρεῖ ἡ ἐπιστολή. καὶ μὴν καὶ κρατῆσαί σε 10 τῶν ἀντιδίκων λόγος οἷς ἐκτήσω λόγοις ἐν ᾧ σε ἠδίκουν χρό- νῷ. σὺ μὲν οὖν γῆν τε ἐκομίσω καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἡρπάκεσαν· ἐμοὶ δὲ δόξα γεγένηται τῷ σὲ τὰ σαυτοῦ διὰ σαυτοῦ πάλιν ἔχειν. εἴτ᾿ οὖν ἔχειν ἐθέλοις τὸν ἵππον, ἀναβαίνων ἔλαυνε, εἴτ’ οὐκ ἂν δύναιο μὴ πέμψαι μοι τὸν ἵππον, λήψομαι χαίρων. 15 ὅτι νικῶν πέπομφας.