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to always perceive a more divine inspiration. 148 To Epiphanius Well then did the proverb know the passion of lovers; even if they are willing to break an oath, it promises them forgiveness from the gods. For behold, I have written to you, although I had promised not to write. Thus am I led by longing, and I become a liar for love. But write often and give at least a semblance of an image instead of a sight to your lovers. 149 To John I have envied you your offspring, if you know how to beget such children; for you make happy the children of happy fathers, wisely bringing forth divine things with a certain musical flow. Such a one has come to us, the most eloquent Muselius, whom, wishing to praise and not being able to speak of his qualities, I consider silence alone to be sufficient for praise. But if you would be persuaded by me at all, I will adapt Agamemnon's voice for you, "1Shoot thus,"2 dear Teucer, and do not spare your utterance. 150 To Nestorius Are you still silent? Are you still becoming heavier than fortune? For she has deprived us of the sight for now, but you have grudged us even small syllables, not even imitating this common practice of friends. But I long for you even when you are not present, and I rejoice in remembering you, and now having found an opportunity I do not know how to honor silence, when it is fitting to address you. But if you have not also enjoyed this of your fatherland, namely, not to abide by what I taught you before, at least stand by those who long for you. But if not, imitate the sight with letters, and you will persuade us that the chasm of the country has in no way overcome my teaching. Thus am I lifted up towards a man, clinging to the spirit of a teacher. 151 To Sozomen The wise Caesarius caused us no ordinary pleasure by recounting your zeal. For as a good man and one brought up with letters, he gave us praise that was ungrudging and pure, smiling and at the same time rejoicing with me at your begetting. And I counted you blessed for the praises, him for his disposition, and myself for my fortune, if a good man has testified that those who study with us are held in high repute. But advance toward virtue, being adorned with moderation, and give grounds for greater praises to those who report them. 152 To Pancratius Do you so overlook those who long for you? Do you so hold back the streams of your tongue? But for me, longing paints a picture of you, and I now know what it is to dream while the body is awake. But give yourself to us, at least through letters; for it is a comfort to those who long to see even some small token of their beloved. And remember those words, in which there were promises either to come to us sooner or to make your absence unfelt by frequent letters. And now I am in danger of having you written down among the Muses, as the wise Pancratius was skilled at saying things he did not intend to do. 153 To Zosimus and Macarius Those who arrived with the most wise Babylas eagerly recounted to me things which I pray to hear, but which I knew before they spoke. For from the way you, while studying with me, adorned your zeal for letters with moderation of character and the other virtues, it was quite clear, of course, that even when departing for the sake of the laws you would remain yourselves, and would perhaps become more ambitious to strive for the better. But if these things prepare pleasure for me, what must be said—may it be said with God's help—when, set before the courts and pouring forth good law with a prudent tongue, you subdue those present by your experience, and those far absent by your fame? For when these things are spoken of, Polycrates will seem to me small in good fortune, and Croesus with his many talents will seem as nothing. 154 To Zacharias, brother Who the bearers of the letter are, I do not know, but that they admire you, I consider them very much my own. For these men, seeing me and coming to the thought of a kindred character, guessed what was the case, and having said something among themselves and having made each other judges of the matter, concluded that I was the brother of the dearest one. And since they were brought to a single opinion, running up together they both addressed me and looked upon me with benevolent eyes, and they held you in complete admiration, calling you an upright judge and a just ruler and whatever else is venerable, less than your worth perhaps,

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θειοτέρας ἀεὶ τῆς ἐπιπνοίας αἰσθάνεσθαι. 148 Ἐπιφανίωι Καλῶς ἄρα ᾔδει τὸ τῶν ἐρώντων πάθος ἡ παροιμία· κἂν ἐπιορκεῖν ἐθέλω σιν, συγγνώμην αὐτοῖς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπαγγέλλεται. ἰδοὺ γάρ σοι γέγραφα, καίτοι μὴ γράφειν ὑπεσχημένος. οὕτως ἀγόμεθα τῷ πόθῳ καὶ γίνομαι ψεύ στης ἐρωτικός. ἀλλὰ γράφε πολλάκις καὶ δίδου τύπον γοῦν εἰκόνος ἀντὶ θέας τοῖς ἐρασταῖς. 149 Ἰωάννηι Ἐζήλωκά σε τῆς γονῆς, εἰ τοιαῦτα τίκτειν ἐπίστασαι· εὐδαιμόνων γὰρ πατέρων παῖδας ἀποφαίνεις εὐδαίμονας, μουσικῷ τινι νάματι τὰ θεῖα σοφῶς προφερόμενος. τοιοῦτος ἡμῖν ὁ λογιώτατος ἀφῖκται Μουσήλιος, ὃν ἐπαινεῖν ἐθέλων καὶ τὰ προσόντα μὴ λέγειν δυνάμενος μόνην τὴν σιωπὴν ἀρκεῖν ἡγοῦμαι πρὸς ἔπαινον. ἀλλ' εἴ μοί τι πίθοιο, τὴν Ἀγαμέμνονος ἐπὶ σοὶ μεθαρμόσω φωνήν, "1βάλλ' οὕτω"2 φίλε Τεῦκρε, καὶ μὴ φείσῃ φθεγγόμενος. 150 Νεστορίωι Ἔτι σιγᾷς; ἔτι τῆς τύχης γίνῃ βαρύτερος; ἡ μὲν γὰρ τῆς θέας εἰς τὸ νῦν ἀπεστέρησε, σὺ δὲ καὶ μικρῶν ἡμῖν ἐφθόνησας συλλαβῶν, μηδὲ τὸ κοινὸν δὴ τοῦτο τὸ τῶν φίλων μιμούμενος. ἀλλ' ἐγὼ μέν σε καὶ μὴ παρόντα ποθῶ, καὶ μεμνημένος εὐφραίνομαι, καὶ νῦν καιρὸν εὑρὼν οὐκ οἶδα τιμῆσαι σιγήν, ἡνίκα δή σε προσερεῖν ἐπιτήδειον. σὺ δὲ εἴ τι μὴ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς πατρίδος ἀπέλαυσας, τὸ μὴ μένειν ἐφ' οἷς δή σε πρῴην ἐπαίδευσα, μάλιστα μὲν ποθοῦ σιν ἐφίστασο. εἰ δὲ μή, μιμοῦ τὴν θέαν τοῖς γράμμασι, καὶ πείσεις ὡς τὴν ἐμὴν διδασκαλίαν τὸ τῆς χώρας οὐδαμῶς ἐνίκησε βάραθρον. οὕτως ἐπαί ρομαι πρὸς ἄνδρα, διδασκάλου φρονήματος ἀντεχόμενος. 151 Σωζομένωι Οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἡμῖν ἡδονὴν ἐνεποίησεν ὁ σοφὸς Καισάρειος τὴν σὴν σπουδὴν ἀφηγούμενος. οἷα γὰρ χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ τοῖς λόγοις συντεθραμ μένος ἀνεπίφθονον ἡμῖν καὶ καθαρὸν ἐδίδου τὸν ἔπαινον, μειδιῶν τε ἅμα καὶ συνηδόμενος ἐμοὶ τῆς γονῆς. ἐγὼ δὲ σὲ μὲν ἐμακάρισα τῶν ἐπαίνων, ἐκεῖνον δὲ τῆς προαιρέσεως, ἐμαυτὸν δὲ τῆς τύχης, εἰ τοὺς παρ' ἡμᾶς φοιτῶντας εὐδο κιμεῖν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν. ἀλλ' ἐπιδίδου πρὸς ἀρετὴν τῇ σωφροσύνῃ κοσμούμενος καὶ μειζόνων ἐπαίνων ὑποθέσεις δίδου τοῖς ἀπαγγέλλουσιν. 152 Παγκρατίωι Οὕτω παρορᾷς τοὺς ποθοῦντας; οὕτω τῆς γλώττης ἐπέχεις τὰ νάματα; ἀλλ' ἐμοὶ καὶ διαγράφει τὴν ὑμετέραν θέαν ὁ πόθος, καὶ νῦν ἔγνων ὀνειρο πολεῖν ἐγρηγορότος τοῦ σώματος. ἀλλὰ δίδου σαυτὸν μέχρι γοῦν γραμμά των ἡμῖν· τοῖς γὰρ ποθοῦσι παραμυθία τὸ καὶ σμικρόν τι σύμβολον τῶν ἐρωμένων ἰδεῖν. μέμνησο δὲ καὶ τῶν λόγων ἐκείνων, ἐν οἷς ὑποσχέσεις ἦσαν ἢ θᾶττον ἐλθεῖν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἢ γράμμασι πυκνοῖς ἀνεπαίσθητον τὴν ἀπουσίαν ποιεῖν. νυνὶ δὲ κινδυνεύω γράφεσθαί σε παρὰ ταῖς Μούσαις, ὡς ὁ σοφὸς Παγκράτιος δεινὸς ἦν λέγειν ἃ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐλογίζετο. 153 Ζωσίμωι καὶ Μακαρίωι Οἱ περὶ τὸν σοφώτατον Βαβύλαν ἀφικόμενοι διηγήσαντό μοι προθύμως ἅπερ ἀκούειν μὲν εὔχομαι, πρὶν δὲ λέγειν αὐτοὺς ἠπιστάμην. ἐξ ὧν γὰρ ἐμοὶ φοιτῶντες τὴν περὶ λόγους σπουδὴν σωφροσύνῃ τρόπων καὶ ταῖς λοιπαῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐκοσμήσατε, δῆλον ἦν δήπουθεν, ὡς καὶ πρὸς νόμων χάριν ἀπαίροντες μενεῖτε πάλιν αὑτοί, καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀναδραμεῖν γένοισθέ που φιλονεικότεροι. εἰ δὲ ταῦτά μοι παρασκευάζει τὴν ἡδονήν, τί χρὴ λέγεινσὺν θεῷ δ' εἰρήσθωὅτε δικαστηρίων προβεβλημένων καὶ σώφρονι γλώττῃ τὴν εὐνομίαν προχέοντες τοὺς μὲν παρόντας χειροῦσθε τῇ πείρᾳ, τοὺς δὲ μακρὰν ἀπόντας τῇ φήμῃ; τούτων γὰρ θρυλουμένων, μικρὸν μὲν Πολυκράτης εἰς εὐτυχίαν ἐμοί, οὐδὲν δέ μοι δόξει μετὰ τῶν πολλῶν ταλάν των ὁ Κροῖσος. 154 Ζαχαρίαι ἀδελφῶι Τοὺς ἄγοντας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν οἵτινες μέν εἰσιν ἀγνοῶ, ὅτι δέ σε θαυμάζου σιν οἰκείους ἄγαν ὁρίζομαι. οὗτοι γὰρ ἰδόντες ἐμὲ καὶ συγγενοῦς χαρακτῆρος ἐλθόντες εἰς ἔννοιαν τοῦθ' ὅπερ ἦν ἐμαντεύοντο, καί τι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς εἰπόντες καὶ κριτὰς ἀλλήλους πεποιημένοι τοῦ πράγματος ὡς ἀδελφὸς τοῦ φιλτάτου καθέστηκα. ἐπεὶ δὲ πρὸς μίαν γνώμην ἐφέροντο, προσδραμόντες ὁμοῦ προσ εῖπόν τε ἅμα καὶ εὐμενέσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑπεβλέποντο, καί σε διὰ παντὸς ἐποιήσαντο θαύματος, δικαστὴν ὀρθὸν καὶ ἄρχοντα δίκαιον καὶ ὅ τι σεμνὸν ὀνομάζοντες, τῆς μὲν ἀξίας ἴσως ἐλάττονα,