Letter CXCVI.947    Placed in 375.

To Aburgius.

Rumour, messenger of good news, is continually reporting how you dart across, like the stars, appearing now here, now there, in the barbarian regions; now supplying the troops with provisions, now appearing in gorgeous array before the emperor.  I pray God that your doings may prosper as they deserve, and that you may achieve eminent success.  I pray that, so long as I live and breathe this air, (for my life now is no more than drawing breath), our country may from time to time behold you.

ΑΒΟΥΡΓΙῼ

[1] Διάττειν σε ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἄλλοτε κατ' ἄλλο μέρος τῆς βαρβαρικῆς ἀνίσχοντα, νῦν μὲν σιτηρέσια τῷ στρατιωτικῷ παρέχοντα, νῦν δὲ Βασιλεῖ φαινόμενον μετὰ λαμπροῦ τοῦ σχήματος, ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἄγγελος φήμη ἀγγέλλουσα ἡμῖν οὐ διαλείπει. Εὐχόμεθα δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, κατὰ λόγον μέν σοι προιοῦσαν τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν, ἐπὶ μέγα σε προελθεῖν, καὶ φανῆναί ποτε τῇ πατρίδι, ἕως ἐσμὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς καὶ τὸν ἀέρα τοῦτον ἀνέλκομεν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ μέτεστιν ἡμῖν τοῦ βίου ὅσον ἀναπνεῖν μόνον.