Letter 859: Libanius praises Ursus' reputation and asks him to honor Libanius further by helping Diognetus.

I congratulate you on the reputation that fills the whole city, and I congratulate myself on the honors with which you have honored me out of affection. To receive such treatment from a man outstanding in judgment, a man who knows the right moment both for speech and for silence, who does nothing amid turmoil and everything in calm, as I have received from you - this, I think, is greater than any amount of gold, even if someone names the gold of Gyges. You were not, it seems, going to honor me while present and then neglect me once absent. Wanting to be the same man even from afar, you added the honor of your letters, an honor that may rightly be thought and called double: the act of writing is itself an honor, and writing in so thoughtful and generous a spirit is another honor again. In my eagerness for honor I made everyone know the letter, calling them together, gathering them around, and reading it myself. Honor me also in your treatment of my friend Diognetus: find what is useful for him, gladly take on the labors involved in the matter, and all Greeks will quickly know these things too.

1. Σὲ μὲν εὐδαιμονίζω τῆς δόξης, ἧς μεστὴ πᾶσα πόλις, ἐμαυτὸν δὲ τῶν τιμῶν, αἷς ἐκ τοῦ φιλεῖν με τετίμηκας. τὸ γὰρ ὑπ’ ἀνδρὸς φρονήσει τε διαφέροντος καὶ λόγου τε καὶ σιγῆς καιρὸν εἰδότος καὶ μετὰ μὲν ταραχῆς οὐδέν, μετὰ δὲ γαλήνης πάντα ποιοῦντος τοιούτων τυγχάνειν, οἵων ἐγὼ παρὰ σοῦ, μεῖζον οἶμαι παντὸς χρυσίου, κἂν τὸ Γύγου τις λέγῃ. 2. σὺ δ’ ἄρα οὐκ ἔμελλες παρὼν μὲν τιμήσειν, ἀπὼν δὲ ἡμῶν ἀμελήσειν, ἀλλ’ ὁ αὐτος καὶ ἀπὼν εἶναι βουλόμενος προσέθηκας τὴν τιμὴν τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων, ἣν διπλῆν ἔξεστι καὶ νομίζειν καὶ καλεῖν· αὐτό τε γὰρ τὸ γράψαι τιμὴ καὶ τὸ οὕτω νοερά τε καὶ χρηστὰ καὶ τοῦθ’ ἑτέρα τιμή. οἷς ἐγὼ φιλοτιμούμενος ἅπαντας ἐποίησα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν εἰδέναι καλῶν τε αὐτοὺς καὶ συνάγων καὶ αὐτὸς ἀναγινώσκων. 3. τίμησον δέ με καὶ τοῖς εἰς τὸν ἑταῖρον τὸν ἐμὸν Διόγνητον ἀνευρίσκων τε τὰ συμφέροντα αὐτῷ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ πράττειν πόνους ἡδέως πονῶν, ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ ταχέως ἅπαντες Ἕλληνες εἴσονται.