Letter 5010: The bearer will deliver to you a gift that our friendship has long promised.

You know Maeonius the copyist.

To the most illustrious Sarapion.

The wise man, even if he dwells far away, even if I never set eyes on him, I count a friend. So says the tragedian Euripides. And so, if, though I have never had the pleasure of meeting your excellency in person, I speak of myself as a familiar friend, pray do not set this down to mere empty compliment.

You need a plan to deal with the scheming of your uncle -- let him keep the title "uncle" in my letters too, so...

You reproach me for my silence — and this when the birds have been stirred to song by spring.