Letter LXIII.492    Of about the same date as the preceding.

To the Governor of Neocæsarea.

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.  Common report, which loudly proclaims your universal benevolence, is, in this instance, the promoter of friendship.  Indeed since I met the highly respectable Elpidius,493    Another reading is Helladius.  cf. Letters lxiv., lxxvii., and lxxviii.  The identification of these Elpidii is conjectural.  The name was common. I have known you as well, and I have been as completely captured by you, as though I had long lived with you and had practical experience of your excellent qualities.  For he did not cease telling me about you, mentioning one by one your magnanimity, your exalted sentiments, your mild manners, your skill in business, intelligence, dignity tempered by cheerfulness, and eloquence.  All the other points that he enumerated in his long conversation with me it is impossible for me to write to you, without extending my letter beyond all reasonable bounds.  How can I fail to love such a man?  How could I put such restraint upon myself as not loudly to proclaim what I feel?  Accept then, most excellent Sir, the greeting which I send you, for it is inspired by true and unfeigned friendship.  I abhor all servile compliment.  Pray keep me enrolled in the list of your friends, and, by frequently writing to me, bring yourself before me and comfort me in your absence.

ΗΓΕΜΟΝΙ ΝΕΟΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ

[1] Τὸν σοφὸν ἄνδρα, κἂν ἑκὰς ναίῃ χθονός, κἂν μήποτ' αὐτὸν ὄσσοις προσίδω, κρίνω φίλον», Εὐριπίδου ἐστὶ τοῦ τραγικοῦ λόγος. Ὥστε, εἰ, μήπω τῆς κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῖν συντυχίας τὴν γνῶσίν σου τῆς μεγαλοφυΐας χαρισαμένης, φαμὲν εἶναι φίλοι σου καὶ συνήθεις. μὴ κολακείαν εἶναι τὸν λόγον κρίνῃς. Εἴχομεν γὰρ φήμην πρόξενον τῆς φιλίας μεγαλοφώνως τὰ σὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις συμβοῶσαν: ἀφ' οὗ μέντοι καὶ τῷ αἰδεσιμωτάτῳ Ἐλπιδίῳ συνετύχομεν, τοσοῦτόν σε ἐγνωρίσαμεν καὶ οὕτω κατ' ἄκρας ἑαλώκαμέν σου, ὡσανεὶ πολὺν χρόνον συγγεγονότες καὶ διὰ μακρᾶς τῆς πείρας τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχοντες. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαύσατο ὁ ἀνὴρ ἕκαστα ἡμῖν τῶν περὶ σὲ διηγούμενος: τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς τῆς ψυχῆς, τοῦ φρονήματος τὸ ἀνάστημα, τῶν τρόπων τὴν ἡμερότητα, ἐμπειρίαν πραγμάτων, σύνεσιν γνώμης, σεμνότητα βίου, φαιδρότητα κεκραμένην, λόγου δύναμιν, τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα αὐτὸς μὲν διὰ πολλῆς τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμιλίας ἀπηριθμήσατο, ἡμῖν δὲ γράφειν οὐκ ἦν δυνατόν, ἵνα μὴ ἔξω τοῦ μέτρου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν προαγάγωμεν. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἔμελλον ἀγαπᾶν τὸν τοιοῦτον; Πῶς γοῦν ἠδυνάμην ἐμαυτοῦ κρατῆσαι πρὸς τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ ἐκβοῶν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐμαυτοῦ πάθος διασημαίνειν; Δέχου τοίνυν τὴν προσηγορίαν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἐκ φιλίας ἀληθινῆς καὶ ἀδόλου σοι προσαγομένην: πόρρω γὰρ θωπείας δουλοπρεποῦς τὰ ἡμέτερα: καὶ ἔχε ἡμᾶς τῷ καταλόγῳ τῶν σεαυτοῦ φίλων ἐναριθμίους, γράμμασι συνεχέσι σαυτόν τε δεικνὺς καὶ παραμυθούμενος τὴν ἀπόλειψιν.