Letter 910: Libanius thanks Artemius for helping Theotecnus but rebukes him for steering his son away from literary education.

Whatever kindness you have shown to good Theotecnus, count it as kindness shown to me too. Whatever you are doing for him now is being done for me as well, and whatever you do in the future, I will share in that too. I write this because I want to make you still more eager in this work, and because you should know that the same favors benefit not one man, but two. Still, you should also know that these two men are grieved by the decisions you have made about your son. You have taken him away from Homer, Demosthenes, and Plato and turned him toward horses, chariots, and drivers. None of these will make him better or more capable when he has to speak for himself before officials. You honor Theotecnus as an orator, but you do not consider how your other Theotecnus is to become another Theotecnus. You are annoyed if a young man remains young, but you do not see that you are depriving your household of its greatest advantages, and doing so when there is no need for you to spend money. For my part, I count it profit enough if Epiphanius becomes a great benefit both to the city and to its citizens.