Ep. CVI.

Here is another laying before you a letter, of which, if the truth may be said, you are the cause yourself, for you provoke them by the honour you do them.  Here too is another petitioner for you, a prisoner of fear, our kinsman Eustratius, who with us and by us entreats your goodness, inasmuch as he cannot endure to be in perpetual rebellion against your government, even though a just terror has frightened him, nor does he choose to entreat you by anyone else than me, that he may make your mercy to him more conspicuous through his use of such intercessors, whom at all events you yourself make great by thus accepting their appeal.  I will say one thing, and that briefly.  All the other favours you conferred upon me; but this you will confer upon your own judgment, since once you purposed to comfort our age and infirmity with such honours.  And I will add that you are continually rendering God more propitious to you.

[106] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Ἰδού σοι καὶ ἄλλη γραμμάτων ὑπόθεσις, ἃς σὺ ποιεῖς, εἰ χρὴ τἀληθῆ λέγειν, τῷ τιμᾶν προκαλούμενος. Ἰδού σοι καὶ ἄλλος ἱκέτης φόβου δέσμιος οὗτος, ὁ συγγενὴς ἡμῶν Εὐστράτιος, ὃς μεθ' ἡμῶν καὶ δι' ἡμῶν προσπίπτει τῇ σῇ ἀγαθότητι, οὔτε διαπαντὸς ἀφηνιάζειν τῆς σῆς ἀρχῆς ἀνεχόμενος, εἰ καὶ φόβος δίκαιος αὐτὸν διεπτόησεν, οὔτε δι' ἄλλου σοι προσπεσεῖν ἢ δι' ἡμῶν αἱρούμενος, ἵνα καὶ σεμνοτέραν ἑαυτῷ ποιήσῃ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, τοιούτοις πρεσβευταῖς χρώμενος οὕς, εἰ μή τι ἄλλο, αὐτὸς μεγάλους ποιεῖς, οὕτω τὰς παρακλήσεις δεχόμενος. Ἓν καὶ σύντομον φθέγξομαι. Τὰς μὲν ἄλλας πρώτας χάριτας ἐδίδους ἡμῖν, ταύτην δὲ τῇ σεαυτοῦ κρίσει δώσεις: ἐπειδὴ ἅπαξ ὥρμησας παραμυθεῖσθαι τὸ γῆρας ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν ἀσθένειαν ταῖς τοιαύταις τιμαῖς. Προσθήσω δὲ ὅτι καὶ τὸ Θεῖον ἀεὶ σεαυτῷ ποιεῖς εὐμενέστερον.