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Though I have long desired to write and to enjoy the honor that comes from you, reverence for your superiority has restrained me, being cautious lest I should ever be thought to indulge immoderately in boldness. But now, both having received the permission to write from your incomparable genius, and at the same time the need of those who are oppressed has forced me to be bold. If, then, there is any power in supplication from the small for the greatest matters, be entreated, most wonderful sir, with a philanthropic nod to grant salvation to a wretched rural community and to order the tax on iron to be made bearable for those who inhabit the iron-bearing Taurus, so that they may not be utterly ruined at once, but that their service to the public treasury may be lasting; for we are persuaded that this, above all else, is a concern for your admirable philanthropy.

111. TO MODESTUS THE PREFECT

111.1 Otherwise I would not have dared to be a bother to your genius,

knowing both how to measure myself and to recognize authorities. But since I saw a friend in great distress at being summoned, I ventured to give him this letter, so that by presenting it in place of a supplication he might meet with some philanthropy. In any case, even if we are worthy of no account, yet our very lowliness is sufficient to persuade the most philanthropic of prefects and to grant us pardon, so that, if the man has committed no wrong, he may be saved through the truth itself, but if he has erred, he may be forgiven for the sake of us who entreat you. For who knows better than you what the state of affairs is here, you who both observe the weaknesses of each man and hold all things together with your wonderful foresight?

112. TO ANDRONICUS THE GOVERNOR

112.1 If my body were in such a state as to easily endure journeys

and be able to bear the hardships of winter, I would not be writing, but I myself would have come to your magnanimity for two reasons: one, to pay the debt of an old promise (for I know that I agreed to be present in Sebasteia and to enjoy your perfection, which I indeed did, but missed the meeting, having arrived a little after your goodness), and the other, to fulfill in person the embassy which until now I have hesitated to send, judging myself too insignificant to obtain such a favor and at the same time reasoning that one could not persuade either a ruler or a private citizen about anything by letter as well as by being present in person, both clearing oneself of accusations, and supplicating for some things, and asking for pardon for others; none of which could easily be done by letter. Setting one thing, therefore, against all these—you, that divine person, and that it will be sufficient to show you the opinion which we have about the matter, and you will add the rest from yourself—I have not shrunk from the undertaking. 112.2 But you see how I go around in circles, hesitating and shrinking from revealing the reason for which I am making this plea. This Domitianus is a close friend of ours from our parents' time, so as to differ in no way from a brother. For why should one not speak the truth? Then, having learned the reason why he has suffered these things, we said that he deserved to suffer so. For let there be no one who, having slighted your virtue in a small or great matter, should escape punishment. But seeing him living in fear and disgrace and that his salvation rests upon your vote, we judged that he has had sufficient punishment, and we beseech you to think magnanimously and philanthropically concerning him. For to get the resistant under your hand is a mark of a brave and

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Ἐμὲ δὲ καὶ πάλαι ἐπιθυμοῦντα γρά φειν καὶ ἀπολαύειν τῆς παρὰ σοῦ τιμῆς κατεῖχεν ἡ πρὸς τὸ ὑπερέχον αἰδώς, εὐλαβούμενον μήποτε νομισθῶ ἀμέτρως ἐμφορεῖσθαι τῆς παρρησίας. Νῦν δὲ ὁμοῦ μὲν καὶ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἐπιστέλλειν παρὰ τῆς ἀπαρα βλήτου σου μεγαλοφυΐας, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ ἡ χρεία τῶν κατα πονουμένων ἐξεβιάσατό με πρὸς τὸ θαρσεῖν. Εἴ τις οὖν καὶ παρὰ τῶν μικρῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἱκετηρίας ἰσχύς, παρακλήθητι, θαυμασιώτατε, φιλανθρώπῳ νεύματι ἐλεεινῇ ἀγροικίᾳ τὴν σωτηρίαν χαρίσασθαι καὶ τοῖς τὸν Ταῦρον οἰκοῦσι τὸν σιδηροφόρον φορητὴν προστάξαι γενέσθαι τὴν τοῦ σιδήρου συντέλειαν, ὡς μὴ εἰς ἅπαξ αὐτοὺς ἐκτριβῆναι, ἀλλὰ διαρκῆ αὐτῶν εἶναι τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν τοῖς δημοσίοις· οὗ μάλιστα πάντων μέλειν τῇ ἀξιαγάστῳ σου φιλανθρωπίᾳ πεπείσμεθα.

111.τ ΜΟ∆ΕΣΤΩ ΕΠΑΡΧΩ

111.1 Ἄλλως μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐθάρρησα δι' ὄχλου γενέσθαι τῇ μεγα λοφυΐᾳ σου

εἰδὼς καὶ ἐμαυτὸν μετρεῖν καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας γνωρίζειν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδον ἄνδρα φίλον ἐναγωνίως διακείμενον ἐπὶ τῷ μετακληθῆναι, ἀπετόλμησα αὐτῷ δοῦναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην, ἵνα ἀνθ' ἱκεσίας αὐτὴν προβαλλόμενος τύχῃ τινὸς φιλανθρωπίας. Πάντως δέ, εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐδενὸς λόγου ἄξιοι, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τὸ μέτριον ἱκανὸν δυσωπῆσαι τὸν φιλανθρωπότατον τῶν ὑπάρχων καὶ ἡμῖν δοῦναι συγγνώμην, ἵνα, εἰ μὲν μηδὲν πεπλημμέληται τῷ ἀνδρί, σωθῆναι αὐτὸν δι' αὐτὴν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, εἰ δὲ καὶ ἥμαρτεν, ἀφεθῆναι αὐτῷ δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἱκετεύσαντας. Οἷα γὰρ τἀνταῦθά ἐστι τῶν πραγμάτων τίς μᾶλλον ἐπίσταται σοῦ, τοῦ καὶ ἐπιβλέποντος τὰ παρ' ἑκάστου σαθρὰ καὶ τῇ θαυμασίᾳ προμηθείᾳ τὰ πάντα διακρατοῦντος;

112.τ ΑΝ∆ΡΟΝΙΚΩ ΗΓΕΜΟΝΙ

112.1 Εἰ μὲν οὕτως εἶχον σώματος ὥστε ῥᾳδίως ὑπομένειν ὁδοιπορίας

δύνασθαι καὶ τὰ τοῦ χειμῶνος δυσχερῆ φέρειν, οὐκ ἂν ἐπέστελλον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς παρὰ τὴν σὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ἐβάδιζον δυοῖν ἕνεκεν· τοῦ τε παλαιᾶς ὑποσχέσεως ἐκτίσαι χρέος (οἶδα γὰρ ὁμολογήσας παρέσεσθαι τῇ Σεβα στείᾳ καὶ ἀπολαύσειν σου τῆς τελειότητος, ὅπερ ἐποίησα μέν, διήμαρτον δὲ τῆς συντυχίας μικρὸν κατόπιν τῆς σῆς καλοκαγαθίας παραγενόμενος), ἑτέρου δὲ τοῦ τὴν πρεσβείαν δι' ἐμαυτοῦ πληρῶσαι ἣν ἀποστεῖλαι τέως ἀπώκνουν, μικ ρότερον ἐμαυτὸν κρίνων ἢ ὥστε τοιαύτης τυγχάνειν χάριτος καὶ ἅμα λογιζόμενος ὅτι οὔτε ἄρχοντα οὔτε ἰδιώτην ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς ἄν τις λέγων διὰ γραμμάτων πείσειεν οὕτως ὡς αὐτὸς παρὼν καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀπολυόμενος τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, τὰ δὲ ἱκετεύων, τοῖς δὲ συγγνώμην παραιτούμενος ἔχειν· ὧν οὐδὲν ἂν ῥᾳδίως δι' ἐπιστολῆς γένοιτο. Πᾶσιν οὖν τούτοις ἓν ἀντιθείς, σὲ τὴν θείαν κεφαλήν, καὶ ὅτι ἐξαρκέσει τὴν γνώμην ἐνδείξασθαί σοι, ἣν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἔχομεν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ προσθήσεις παρὰ σαυτοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἐγχείρησιν οὐκ ἀπώκνησα. 112.2 Ἀλλ' ὁρᾷς ὅπως κύκλῳ περίειμι ὀκνῶν καὶ ἀναδυό μενος τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκφαίνειν ὑπὲρ ὧν ποιοῦμαι τοὺς λόγους. ∆ομετιανὸς οὗτος ἐπιτήδειος ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν γονέων ἄνωθεν, ὥστε ἀδελφοῦ μηδ' ὁτιοῦν διαφέρειν. Τί γὰρ ἄν τις μὴ τἀληθῆ λέγοι; Εἶτα τὴν αἰτίαν μαθόντες ἀφ' ἧς ταῦτα πέπονθεν ἄξιον εἶναι τοῦ παθεῖν οὕτως ἔφαμεν. Μηδὲ γὰρ ἔστω μηδείς, ὃς μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον εἰς τὴν σὴν ἀρετὴν ἀμελήσας, τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐκφύγοι. Ἀλλ' ὁρῶντες τοῦτον περιδεῶς καὶ ἀδόξως ζῶντα καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ ψήφῳ κειμένην αὐτοῦ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἀρκοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἔχειν τὴν δίκην ἐκρίναμεν, μεγαλόψυχόν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ φιλάνθρωπον διανοηθῆναί σε περὶ αὐτοῦ ἱκετεύομεν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς ἀντιτείνοντας ὑπὸ χεῖρα λαμβάνειν ἀνδρείου τε καὶ