Letter 35: Procopius asks Ilasius to help Peter quickly, with justice as ally.

If the old saying means that the affairs of friends are common, and the most learned Peter is my friend, then he may reasonably be counted yours as well. If I am right to welcome him, experience will often show it; for now, the sight of him will testify to his character. He needs something from you and wants very much to obtain it, so he has moved me to write this letter, thinking that I have so much influence with you that he could hardly miss anything. If he thinks truly, confirm his opinion still further. If falsely, help him even so, so that I may not be shown to be fabricating, in front of others, the friendship between us. Justice too fights on his side, and justice is dear to you even when no one asks. To overlook an injustice that one has the power to prevent is the same as committing it, and that is foreign to your judgment. Know that you will certainly nod your assent, persuaded either by my letter or by his presence. You will cause only one pain: by delay, you will show virtue made duller.

Ἰλασίωι Εἰ τὰ τῶν φίλων κοινὰ παλαιὸς εἶναι βούλεται λόγος, ἐμοὶ δὲ φίλος ὁ λογιώτατος Πέτρος, καὶ σὸς ἂν εἰκότως νομίζοιτο. εἰ δὲ δικαίως τοῦτον ἀσπάζομαι, δείξει μὲν πολλάκις ἡ πεῖρα, ἡ δὲ θέα σοι τέως μαρτυρήσει τὸν τρόπον. οὗτος ὑμῶν τι δεόμενος καὶ βουληθεὶς πάντως τυχεῖν ἐμὲ πρὸς ταύτην ἐκίνησε τὴν ἐπιστολήν, νομίζων τοσοῦτόν με δύνασθαι παρ' ὑμῖν ὡς μηδενὸς ἂν εἰκότως διαμαρτεῖν. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἀληθῆ νομίζει, βεβαίωσον ἔτι τὴν γνώμην· εἰ δὲ ψευδῆ, καὶ οὕτως ὑπούργησον, ἵνα μὴ δειχθῶμεν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν πλαττόμενοι. ἔχει δὲ καὶ τὸ δίκαιον συμμαχοῦν, ὅπερ σοι καὶ μηδενὸς αἰτοῦντος καθέστηκε φίλον. τὸ δὲ δυνάμενον ἀδικίαν κωλῦσαι περιιδεῖν ἐν ἴσῳ καθέστηκε τῷ ποιεῖν, ὅπερ τῆς σῆς γνώμης ἀλλότριον. ἴσθι δὲ ὡς πάντως ἐπινεύσεις ἢ τοῖς γράμμασι τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἢ τῇ παρουσίᾳ πειθόμενος. ἓν μόνον λυπήσεις, ἀμβλυτέραν τῇ ἀναβολῇ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐνδεικνύμενος.