Procopius of Gaza, Letters

About to set sail, he was lodging with one of his acquaintances, as was natural, until the voyage should take place. And having been trusted by the law of friendship and having received this favor in addition to many others, he broke into the house of his host and stripped him of the money he had. And so that the grounds for suspicion might escape notice, he had a key ready for the plot. And having opened it with this key and taken what he found, he again restored the chest to its former appearance. But when he himself had with difficulty set sail, and need called the owner to the things that were thought to lie there, the deed came to light, and it was not possible to argue against the evidence. Menelaus also enjoyed such acts of hospitality, having had Helen stolen from him as some requital. I was moved to write these things, so that he, being trusted through you, might not do other such things to the one who trusts him, and the victim blame you, and you by all means blame me. 62 To his own brothers Again the time has come demanding a letter to you, and again we have considered ourselves fortunate. For what life could there be for us, deprived of speaking to you and writing? And if we should receive the same from you, by Heracles, how fortunate we will be! Therefore do not delay to put your desire into action, lest, having dishonored the law of Love, you be tested by his arrows; for the god is terrible both at moving his arrows and raising his bow, and he makes a target of those who dishonor a lover. 63 To Athenodorus Having received the book, I naturally acknowledged my thanks to you, and rejoiced with myself that I have had the good fortune of you being such in friendship. And may envy not strike me with a rough stone, as it seems to Pindar. And I was praying to Fortune that I might one day be able to return a fitting favor to you. And she quickly gives the opportunity, such as you wished for and I, having sought for a long time, have now with difficulty obtained; for I have persuaded the one who holds the whole property to sell you this part which you happen to need. If, then, you would come to us, you would more quickly get the property, concerning the price persuading in some things and being persuaded in others, as the law of commerce wishes; but if not, he himself will come to you when the time calls, as he promised us. 64 To Sosianus The wonderful Alphaeus reported to me that you had been such toward him as he himself wished, I expected, and it was fitting for you to be seen to be. And when I heard these things I was pleased, for how could I not be? Yet the matter did not seem wonderful to me; but if you wish, I even anticipated and described, outlining what sort of person you were toward him, so that he, being at a loss for what else to say, fell silent with a laugh and called me blessed in my friendship. But see to it that you contribute equal earnestness concerning the things he asked of you when he was present, so that he might feel gratitude to me, and we both in turn to you. 65 To Zacharias I received the letter from you, which ought to have happened long ago, yet its happening now did not blunt any of the pleasure. Such is the experience of lovers; whenever they are unsuccessful, the matter seems difficult to them and they are not able to bear it; but when they obtain what is longed for, as if having suffered nothing, they forget their previous pains. But see to it that, having learned this now, you do not again distress us with silence before writing something; for I would not wish, after suffering much, then to rejoice again. For not even the Delphians would choose for the Pythian to be away from them at all, even if as soon as he is present they celebrate a festival for the visit of Apollo. 66 To Nestorius We were deceived by a long hope, which was both grievous in its duration because it received no end, but nevertheless brought joy and made us more moderate; for by bringing your letter to mind, it caused us to think that you would indeed more quickly return to us. But now that we have fallen from hope itself, how could we bear it with moderation? But O Fortune, Fortune—for I shall speak a little tragically for the consolation of my grief—why do we, in being distressed, delight you so much? For you ought either not to have brought people together in longing or at least to have let them enjoy one another and not to have rejoiced in their being separated. But it is nothing strange, O dear Nestorius, that we, being human, should experience such things, but we must bend the neck and willingly endure the yoke of necessity; for voluntary toils are more moderate for those who labor. 67 To Nephalius To what a point of perplexity has the

μέλλων ἀνάγεσθαι, κατέλυε μὲν παρά τινι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων, ὥσπερ εἰκός, μέχρι πλοῦς γένηται. πιστευθεὶς δὲ νόμῳ φιλίας καὶ πρὸς πολλαῖς ἑτέραις καὶ ταύτην τὴν χάριν λαβών, τοῦ ὑποδεξαμένου διώρυξε τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ὧν εἶχε χρη μάτων τοῦτον ἐγύμνωσε. καὶ ἵνα λάθῃ τὰ τῆς ὑποψίας, κλεὶς μὲν ἦν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν εὐτρεπής. ταύτῃ δὲ διανοίξας καὶ ἅπερ εὗρε λαβών, πάλιν τῷ κιβωτίῳ τὸ παλαιὸν ἐπέθηκε σχῆμα. ὡς δὲ μόλις αὐτὸς ἀνήχθη, καὶ πρὸς τὰ δοκοῦντα κεῖσθαι χρεία τὸν κεκτημένον ἐκάλει, ἦλθε τὸ δρᾶμα πρὸς ἔλεγχον, καὶ τοῖς τεκμηρίοις ἀντιλέγειν οὐκ ἦν. τοιούτων καὶ Μενέλαος τῶν ξενίων ἀπέλαυσεν, ἀντ' ἀμοιβῆς τινος τὴν Ἑλένην ἀφῃρημένος. ταῦτα γράφειν ἐπήρθην, ἵνα μὴ δι' ὑμῶν πιστευθεὶς ἕτερα τοιαῦτα τὸν πιστεύ σαντα δράσῃ, καὶ μέμψηται μὲν ὑμᾶς ὁ παθών, ἐμὲ δὲ πάντως ὑμεῖς. 62 Τοῖς αὑτοῦ ἀδελφοῖσ Πάλιν ἥκει καιρὸς γράμματα πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπαιτῶν, καὶ πάλιν εὐτυχεῖν νενομίκαμεν. τίς γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν γένοιτο βίος τοῦ λέγειν τι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ γράφειν ἐστερημένοις; εἰ δὲ καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων τύχοιμεν παρ' ὑμῶν, Ἡράκλεις ὅσον ἡμεῖς εὐτυχήσομεν. οὐκοῦν μὴ μέλλετε πρὸς ἔργον ἄγειν τὸν πόθον, ἵνα μὴ νόμον Ἔρωτος ἀτιμάσαντες τῶν ἐκείνου βελῶν πειραθῆτε· δεινὸς γὰρ ὁ θεὸς καὶ βέλη κινεῖν καὶ τόξον αἴρειν, καὶ σκοπὸν ποιεῖται τοὺς ἀτιμάζοντας ἐραστήν. 63 Ἀθηνοδώρωι ∆εξάμενος τὸ βιβλίον ὑμῖν μὲν χάριν ὡμολόγουν εἰκότως, ἐμαυτῷ δὲ συν ηδόμην εἰ τοιούτους ὄντας ὑμᾶς πρὸς φιλίαν ηὐτύχησα. καὶ μή με βαλέτω λίθῳ τραχεῖ φθόνος, ὡς τῷ Πινδάρῳ δοκεῖ. ηὐχόμην δὲ καὶ τῇ Τύχῃ δύνασθαί μέ ποτε πρέπουσαν ὑμῖν ἀνταποδοῦναι τὴν χάριν. ἡ δὲ ταχέως δίδωσι τὸν καιρόν, οἷον σύ τε ἐβούλου κἀγὼ πάλαι ζητῶν νῦν μόλις ἐτύγχανον· τὸν γὰρ ἔχοντα τὴν καθόλου πέπεικα τοῦτό σοι τὸ μέρος ἀποδόσθαι οὗ καὶ τυγχάνεις δεόμενος. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔλθοις ὡς ἡμᾶς, θᾶττον ἂν λάβοις τὸ κτῆμα περὶ τῆς τιμῆς τὰ μὲν πείσας τὰ δὲ πεισθείς, ὡς ὁ τῆς ἐμπορίας βούλεται νόμος· εἰ δὲ μή, αὐτὸς ἥξει πρὸς σὲ καιροῦ καλοῦντος, ὡς ἡμῖν ἐπηγγείλατο. 64 Σοσιανῶι Ὁ θαυμάσιος Ἀλφαῖος ἀπήγγειλέ μοι τοιοῦτόν σε περὶ αὐτὸν γεγενῆσθαι, οἷον αὐτὸς μὲν ἐβούλετο, ἐγὼ δὲ προσεδόκων, σὲ δὲ προσῆκεν ὀφθῆναι. ἐγὼ δὲ τούτων ἀκούσας ἥσθην μέν, πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον; οὐ μὴν ἤδη μοι καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἐδόκει τὸ πρᾶγμα· εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ προλαβὼν διηγούμην ὑπογράφων οἷος περὶ τοῦτον ἐγένου, ὡς ἐκεῖνον ἀποροῦντα λοιπὸν ὅ τι καὶ λέγοι ἅμα γέλωτι σιωπᾶν καὶ εὐδαίμονά με τῆς φιλίας ἀποκαλεῖν. ἀλλ' ὅπως τὴν ἴσην σπουδὴν εἰσενέγκῃς περὶ ὧν ὑμῶν ἐδεήθη παρών, ὅπως αὐτὸς μέν μοι χάριν εἰδείη, ἀμφότεροι δὲ πάλιν ὑμῖν. 65 Ζαχαρίαι Τὴν παρ' ὑμῶν ἐδεξάμην ἐπιστολήν, ὅπερ ἔδει μὲν καὶ πάλαι γενέσθαι, ὅμως δ' οὐδὲ νῦν γενόμενον ἀπήμβλυνέ τι τῆς χάριτος. τοιοῦτόν τι τῶν ἐρώντων τὸ πάθος· ἐπειδὰν μὲν ἀτυχῶσι, δυσχερὲς αὐτοῖς τὸ πρᾶγμα δοκεῖ καὶ φέρειν οὐ δύνανται· ἡνίκα δὲ λάβωνται τοῦ ποθουμένου, ὡς μηδὲν παθόντες τῶν προλαβόντων πόνων ἐπιλανθάνονται. ἀλλ' ὅπως μὴ νῦν τοῦτο μαθὼν πρίν τι γράφειν αὖθις ἡμᾶς ἀνιάσῃς τῇ σιωπῇ· οὐδὲ γὰρ βουλοίμην ἔγωγε πολλὰ παθὼν εἶτα πάλιν εὐφραίνεσθαι. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν οἱ ∆ελφοὶ ὅλως αὐτῶν ἀπεῖναι τὸν Πύθιον ἕλοιντο, εἰ καὶ παρόντος εὐθὺς ἑορτὴν ἄγουσι τὴν ἐπιδημίαν Ἀπόλλωνος. 66 Νεστορίωι ∆ιεψεύσθημεν ἐλπίδος μακρᾶς μὲν καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ λυπούσης, ὅτι μὴ τὸ πέρας ἐδέχετο, ηὔφραινε δὲ ὅμως καὶ μετριωτέρους ἐποίει· τὴν γὰρ σὴν ἐπιστολὴν εἰς μνήμην ἄγουσα παρεῖχεν ἐννοεῖν ὅτι δὴ θᾶττον ἡμῖν ἐπαν έλθοις. νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτῆς ἐκπεσόντες πῶς ἂν ἔχοιμεν φέρειν μετρίως; ἀλλ' ὦ Τύχη, Τύχη, τραγῳδήσω γάρ τι μικρὸν εἰς παραμυθίαν τῆς λύπηςτί σε τοσοῦτον εὐφραίνομεν ἀνιώμενοι; ὤφελες γὰρ ἢ μὴ συναγαγεῖν εἰς πόθον ἀνθρώπους ἢ γοῦν ἀπολαύειν ἀλλήλων ἐᾶν καὶ μὴ χωριζομένοις ἐφήδεσθαι. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ξένον οὐδέν, ὦ φίλε Νεστόριε, ἀνθρώπους ὄντας ἡμᾶς τοιούτων πειρᾶσθαι, ἀλλ' ὑποκύπτειν δεῖ τὸν αὐχένα καὶ ζυγὸν ἀνάγκης ὑπομένειν ἑκόντας· οἱ γὰρ ἑκούσιοι πόνοι τοῖς κάμνουσι μετριώτεροι. 67 Νηφαλίωι Εἰς ὅσον ἥκει τῆς ἀπορίας ὁ