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They were clearly wishing to say more than they were able to report, showing their opinion of you to be greater than their tongue. And I, being crowned by them with many praises—for I made the encomia concerning you my own—gave them the present letter as a reward for their asking. 155 To Orion I would not have thought to receive such a letter from you, nor to be held responsible for silence by those who do not know where on earth or sea they have arrived. But as it seems, fleeing a future accusation, you chose to accuse rather than to be held accountable by me. For you should have been the first to report that "I left the city of Berytus," that "I traversed a great sea," that "sailing past the islands I saw the Hellespont, escorted by the wonders from each continent, and having passed through the Propontis I have arrived at the Bosphorus itself. There I saw a city meeting those sailing in with a marvelous view. For lying on a neck of land, it looks upon Asia, being a projection of Europe, and bounding the Pontus, it sends forth its wonders to the rest of the sea" and all the tasteless nonsense that those who have seen the sights there are accustomed to babble, overwhelming our hearing. If, after you had written such things, we had been silent, then we would have been justly subject to the accusations. But as it is, having been silent and having disregarded the custom of travelers, you are beginning the art with me, moving your tongue like a lawyer. Nevertheless, just write; and even if you write accusations, we will bear them. 156 To John Wise indeed was he who once uttered these words, that the wise man... "even if he dwells on a distant land, even if I never see him with my eyes, I judge him a friend." Such an experience, my good sir, has overtaken me, being ignorant of your appearance, but being terribly possessed by longing. But bravo to fame, through which what is separate is joined together and what is far away seems to be present. For through this, having seen you many times and having been surrounded in my bare mind by your blessed zeal for better things and being joined by a non-bodily love, I have no great need for bodily tokens of recognition, but on receiving your letter sent from Alexandria, I seemed to have you yourselves. For the character of your words and the powerful judgment not to make divine things the token of friendship toward me did not refute the preceding fame, but showed you to be such as I expected to see, and this while associating with law courts by the rule of your art, and being thus able to be sober in the drunkenness of affairs. But may you also come to the end of what you hoped to attain. For this is the end for those who think well, the return to one's own beginning. For it is a powerful thing to have left the rabble within us to return well from where we badly flowed away. 157 To Sosianus The most God-fearing so-and-so has come to us, having suffered very many things from a most wicked brother, but considering it a moderate justice if he might be able to obtain with difficulty what he has been deprived of. Therefore through me he takes refuge in your influence, which is able both to introduce him to the judge and to provide for him those who are very powerful for an alliance and to cut the expenses from the court. For with difficulty does he have enough from collections for his own nourishment. But also arrange for a swift verdict to be brought for him. For he asks for simple things, for his opponent to resolve by oath the matters concerning the alleged crimes. To this your great zeal and most gracious tongue which flows with unhindered force for just causes, contribute sufficient support in place of some collection, which is dear to God, gratifying to those who ask, and sufficient for those in need. 158 To John The one bringing the present letter, being a good man, laments his poverty from the injustice of his brother. Therefore he is coming to Caesarea, if he is able, to recover what is his. But deign to help him, preparing for him the powerful men among you for a sufficient alliance. For he has one hope of consolation, to obtain the aid of the laws, of which he has been deprived for far too long a time, having a most wicked brother who is always contriving newer evasions. Therefore comfort his poverty, cutting the expenses of the courts as much as possible. 159 To Elias the bishop There being many things to say from which one might bewail the events of fortune

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δῆλοι δ' οὖν ἦσαν πλείω λέγειν ἐθέλοντες ὧν ἀπαγγέλλειν ἠδύναντο, τὴν περὶ σὲ γνώμην τῆς γλώττης ἀποφαίνοντες κρείττονα. ἐγὼ δὲ πολλοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἐξ αὐτῶν στεφανούμενος οἰκεῖα γὰρ τὰ καθ' ὑμῶν ἐποιούμην ἐγκώμια[καὶ] μισθὸν αἰτοῦσιν ἐδίδουν τὴν παροῦσαν ἐπιστολήν. 155 Ὠρίωνι Οὐκ ἂν ᾤμην παρ' ὑμῶν τοιαύτην ὑποστῆναι γραφὴν οὐδὲ σιωπῆς ὑπάρχειν ὑπεύθυνος τοῖς ἀγνοουμένοις ὅποι δὴ γῆς ἢ θαλάττης ἀφίκοντο. ἀλλ' ὡς ἔοικε τὸ μέλλον ἔγκλημα φεύγων εἵλου κατηγορεῖν μᾶλλον ἤπερ εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν ἐμοί. σὲ γὰρ ἔδει πρῶτα μηνύειν ὡς "1τὴν Βηρυτίων ἀπέλι πον"2 ὡς "1πολὺ διεμέτρησα πέλαγος"2, ὡς "1τὰς νήσους παραπλεύσας τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον εἶδον, τοῖς ἐξ ἑκατέρας ἠπείρου δορυφορούμενον θαύμασι, καὶ παρελθὼν τὴν Προποντίδα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀφῖγμαι τὸν Βόσπορον. ἔνθα πόλιν εἶδον παραδόξῳ θέᾳ προαπαντῶσαν τοῖς καταπλέουσιν. ἐπ' αὐχένι γὰρ κειμένη τῆς γῆς τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐφορᾷ τῆς Εὐρώπης προβεβλημένην, καὶ τὸν Πόντον ὁρίζουσα τῇ λοιπῇ θαλάττῃ παραπέμπει τὰ θαύματα"2 καὶ ὅσα φλυαρεῖν ἀπειροκάλως εἰώθασιν οἱ τἀκεῖ θεασάμενοι, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀκοὴν καταπλήττοντες. εἰ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράψαντος ἐσιγήσαμεν, τότ' ἂν εἰκότως ὑπεκείμεθα τοῖς ἐγκλήμασι. νυνὶ δὲ σιωπήσας καὶ τὸν τῶν πλεόντων νόμον ὑπεριδών, ἐξ ἐμοῦ τῆς τέχνης ἄρχῃ, δικανικῶς τὴν γλῶτταν κινῶν. πλὴν ἐπίστελλε μόνον· κἂν ἐγκλήματα γράφῃς ὑποίσομεν. 156 Ἰωάννηι Σοφὸς ἦν ὄντως ὁ ταῦτα δήπου φθεγξάμενος, ὡς ἄρα τὸν σοφὸν ... κἂν ἑκὰς ναίῃ χθονός, κἂν μήποτ' ὄσσοις εἰσίδω, κρίνω φίλον. τοιοῦτόν τί με πάθος, ὦ λῷστε, κατείληφε, τὴν μὲν θέαν ἀγνοοῦντα τὴν σήν, τῷ δὲ πόθῳ δεινῶς κατεχόμενον. ἀλλ' εὖγε τῆς φήμης, δι' ἣν καὶ τὰ διεστῶτα συνάπτεται καὶ τὰ πόρρω που παρεῖναι δοκεῖ. ταύτῃ γὰρ ὑμᾶς πολλάκις ἰδὼν καὶ τῆς περὶ τὰ κρείττω μακαρίας σπουδῆς γυμνῇ τῇ διανοίᾳ περιχυθεὶς καὶ ἀσωμάτῳ συναπτόμενος ἔρωτι, οὐδέν τι λίαν σωμα τικῶν προσδέομαι γνωρισμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐπιστολὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἀλεξάνδρου πεμφθεῖσαν λαβὼν αὐτοὺς ὑμᾶς ἔχειν ἐδόκουν. τὸ γὰρ τῶν λόγων ἦθος καὶ τὸ δεινὸν κρίνειν τὸ μὴ τὰ θεῖα ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς ἐμὲ φιλίας τεκμήριον τὴν προλαβοῦσαν οὐκ ἤλεγξε φήμην, ἀλλ' ἔδειξε τοιοῦτον ὁποῖον ἰδεῖν προσεδόκησα, καὶ ταῦτα δικαστηρίοις ὁμιλοῦντα νόμῳ τῆς τέχνης, κἀν τῇ μέθῃ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνανήφειν οὕτω δυνάμενον. ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς πέρας ἔλθοις ὧν τυχεῖν προσεδόκησας. τοῦτο γὰρ τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσι τέλος, ἡ πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀρχὴν ἀναχώρησις. δεινὸν γὰρ τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν δῆμον ἀφέν τας πρὸς τὸ ἐπανελθεῖν καλῶς ἐξ οὗ κακῶς ἀπερρεύσαμεν. 157 Σοσιανῶι Ὁ θεοσεβέστατος ὁ δεῖνα ἀφίκετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς πλεῖστα μὲν ἐξ ἀδελφοῦ πονηροτάτου παθών, δίκην δὲ μετρίαν ἡγούμενος εἰ τυχεῖν δυνηθείη μόλις ὧν ἀπεστέρηται. ὅθεν δι' ἐμοῦ πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν καταφεύγει ῥοπὴν καὶ συστῆσαι δυναμένην τῷ δικαστῇ καὶ τοὺς μέγα δυναμένους πρὸς συμμα χίαν αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν καὶ τὰς ἐκ τοῦ δικαστηρίου περικόψαι δαπάνας. μόλις γὰρ ἐξ ἐράνων ἀρκεῖ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν τροφήν. ἀλλὰ καὶ σύντομον αὐτῷ τὴν ψῆφον ἐνεχθῆναι παρασκευάσατε. ἁπλᾶ γὰρ αἰτεῖ, τὸν ἀντίδικον ὅρκῳ διαλῦσαι τὰ περὶ τῶν ἐπαγομένων ἐγκλήματα. πρὸς ταύτην τὴν πολλὴν ὑμῶν σπουδὴν καὶ χαριεστάτην γλῶσσαν καὶ ῥέουσαν ἐπὶ δικαίοις ἀκω λύτῳ φορᾷ πρὸς συμμαχίαν ἱκανὴν ἀντ' ἐράνου τινὸς εἰσενέγκατε, θεῷ τε φίλην καὶ τοῖς αἰτοῦσι κεχαρισμένην καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις ἀρκοῦσαν. 158 Ἰωάννηι Ὁ τὴν παροῦσαν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπαγόμενος, ἀνὴρ ὢν ἀγαθός, ἐξ ἀδικίας ἀδελφοῦ τὴν ἀπορίαν ὀδύρεται. ὅθεν καταλαμβάνει τὴν Καίσαρος, ἄνπερ οἷός τε ᾖ, τὰ προσήκοντα κομιούμενος. ἀλλὰ συλλαβεῖν καταξίωσον, τοὺς παρ' ὑμῖν δυνατοὺς εἰς συμμαχίαν αὐτῷ παρασκευάζων ἀρκοῦσαν. μίαν γὰρ ἔχει παραμυθίας ἐλπίδα, τῆς ἐκ τῶν νόμων ἐπικουρίας τυχεῖν, ἧς πλεῖ στον ἄγαν ἐστέρηται χρόνον, πονηρότατον ἔχων τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ καινο τέρας διαδύσεις ἀεὶ μηχανώμενον. ὅθεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπορίαν παραμυθήσασθε, τὰς τῶν δικαστηρίων δαπάνας ὡς δυνατὸν περικόπτοντες. 159 Ἠλίαι ἐπισκόπωι Πολλῶν ὄντων εἰπεῖν ἐξ ὧν ἄν τις τὰ τῆς τύχης τραγῳδήσειε