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and because his house has grown weary over time by the public services, to deem him worthy of the appropriate comfort.

312. To a Censor

312.1 You know the benefits and harms that come to men from the censuses. Therefore, pardon this man for having made a great effort to suffer no harm, and be eager to help him according to your ability towards what is just.

313. To a Censor

313.1 It is not possible to see the economies of God from afar, but out of faint-heartedness we men look at what is at our feet, and often, though being led to a good end, we are displeased, while the Master who governs all things in His own wisdom tolerates our ignorance. For you remember, I suppose, how much we were displeased then at the care imposed upon us, how many of our friends we brought in to thrust away the insolent treatment through them. For so we named the matter. But now you see what the present circumstances are like. For God has given you an opportunity to bring the nobility of your character to light and to leave behind starting points for a good memory for all your future life. For whatever these assessments may be, such is the memory of them that is naturally preserved among succeeding generations; since I am precisely persuaded that not even if they prayed for it would it have been possible for the Galatians to obtain a character more philanthropic. And I have reason not only to congratulate the Galatians on your supervision, but also myself. For I too have a house in Galatia, and with God's help, the most splendid of houses, for which if I might obtain some help from you (and I will obtain it as long as friendship has its proper strength), I shall feel great gratitude to God. If, therefore, my friendship has any account with your Honor, be entreated for our sake to grant some acknowledged benefit to the house of the most admirable governor Ulpicius, so as to subtract something from the present assessment—something especially noteworthy and worthy of your magnanimity, and I will add, also of our intercession as those who love you. But if not, then at least as much as the times allow and the nature of the situation admits, but by all means subtract something and do not leave it at the same amount, so that we may repay this one favor, through your Excellency, for the countless benefits we have from the good governor.

314. Without an address, on behalf of a suppliant.

314.1 And how was I to overlook a suitable occasion for a letter and fail to address your Honor, when this man was arriving to you? He was sufficient, on his own, to speak of our affairs and fulfill the need of a letter, but he wished also to be a servant of our letter because he loves us intensely and is devoted to us with his whole soul. In every way he wishes both to carry back your words and to minister to you. Therefore we gave him the letter, through which we first pray for you all the good things that this life holds and all that preserves the blessing laid up in the promises; and second, we ask the holy God that a meeting with you may be arranged for us a second time, as long as we are above the earth. And I do not doubt that you will multiply your love for the aforementioned brother for our sake. Therefore, be entreated to give him proof of it by deed.

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καὶ διὰ τὸ χρόνῳ κεκμηκέναι αὐτοῦ τὸν οἶκον ἐπὶ ταῖς λειτουργίαις τῆς ἐνδεχομένης αὐτὸν παρακλήσεως ἀξιῶσαι.

312.τ ΚΗΝΣΙΤΟΡΙ

312.1 Οἶδας τὰς ἐκ τῶν κήνσων καὶ ὠφελείας καὶ βλάβας τὰς γινομένας τοῖς

ἀνθρώποις. Ὥστε σύγγνωθι τῷδε πολλὴν ποιησαμένῳ σπουδὴν μηδεμίαν ὑπομεῖναι βλάβην καὶ συνά ρασθαι αὐτῷ κατὰ δύναμιν πρὸς τὸ δίκαιον προθυμήθητι.

313.τ ΚΗΝΣΙΤΟΡΙ

313.1 Οὐκ ἔστι πόρρωθεν ἰδεῖν τὰς οἰκονομίας τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ

μικροψυχίας οἱ ἄνθρωποι πρὸς τὸ ἐν ποσὶν ἀπο βλέπομεν καὶ πολλάκις ἐπὶ ἀγαθὸν πέρας ἀγόμενοι δυσχε ραίνομεν, ἀνεχομένου ἡμῶν τῆς ἀμαθίας τοῦ πάντα ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ σοφίᾳ διοικοῦντος ∆εσπότου. Μέμνησαι γὰρ δή που ὅσον ἐδυσχεραίνομεν τότε πρὸς τὴν ἐπιτεθεῖσαν ἡμῖν φρον τίδα, ὅσους παρελάβομεν τῶν φίλων εἰς τὸ δι' αὐτῶν ἀπώ σασθαι τὴν ἐπήρειαν. Οὕτω γὰρ ὠνομάζομεν τὸ πρᾶγμα. Ἀλλὰ νῦν ὁρᾷς ὁποῖα τὰ παρόντα. Παρέσχε γάρ σοι ὁ Θεὸς ἀφορμὴν τοῦ τὴν καλοκἀγαθίαν τῶν τρόπων εἰς φανερὸν ἀγαγεῖν καὶ παντὶ τῷ ἐφεξῆς βίῳ ἀγαθῆς μνήμης ἀφορμὰς ἐναφεῖναι. Ὁποῖαι γὰρ ἂν ὦσιν αἱ ἀποτιμήσεις αὗται, τοιαύτη καὶ ἡ ἐπ' αὐταῖς μνήμη παρὰ τῶν ἐπιγινομένων διασώζεσθαι πέφυκεν, ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐδὲ εὐχομένοις Γαλάταις ὑπῆρξεν ἂν φιλανθρωποτέρου ἤθους ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἀκριβῶς ἐγὼ πέπεισμαι. Ἔχω δὲ οὐ Γαλάτας μακαρίζειν τῆς σῆς ἐπιστασίας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτόν. Ἔστι γὰρ κἀμοὶ οἶκος ἐν Γαλατίᾳ καὶ οἴκων γε ὁ λαμπρότατος σὺν Θεῷ, εἰς ὃν εἰ τύχοιμι παρὰ σοῦ τινος βοηθείας (τεύξομαι δὲ ἕως ἂν φιλία τὴν οἰκείαν ἰσχὺν ἔχῃ), μεγάλην εἴσομαι τῷ Θεῷ τὴν χάριν. Εἰ οὖν τις λόγος παρὰ τῇ σῇ τιμιότητι τῆς ἐμῆς φιλίας, ὁμολογουμένην τινὰ ὠφέλειαν παρασχέσθαι τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ θαυμασιωτάτου ἄρχοντος Οὐλπικίου ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν παρα κλήθητι, ὥστε ὑφελεῖν τι τῆς νῦν οὔσης ἀπογραφῆς μάλιστα μὲν ἀξιόλογον καὶ τῆς σῆς μεγαλονοίας ἄξιον, προσθήσω δὲ ὅτι καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας πρεσβείας τῶν ἀγαπώντων σε. Εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλ' ὅσον οἵ τε καιροὶ συγχωροῦσι καὶ ἡ τῶν πραγ μάτων ἐπιδέχεται φύσις, πάντως δὲ ὑφελεῖν καὶ μὴ ἐᾶσαι ἐπὶ τῆς ταὐτότητος, ὥστε ἡμᾶς μυρίων ὧν ἔχομεν παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἄρχοντος εὐεργεσιῶν μίαν χάριν ταύτην διὰ τῆς σῆς σεμνότητος ἀντεκτίσαι.

314.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΙΚΕΤΗ

314.1 Καὶ πῶς ἔμελλον ἐγὼ γραμμάτων οἰκείαν ἀφορμὴν παρό ψεσθαι καὶ

προσερεῖν τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα τοῦδε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀφικνουμένου; Ὃς ἐξήρκει μὲν καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰπεῖν τὰ ἡμέτερα καὶ τὴν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πληρῶσαι χρείαν, ἠβουλήθη δὲ καὶ γραμμάτων διάκονος γενέσθαι διὰ τὸ σφόδρα ἡμᾶς ἀγαπᾶν καὶ ἐξ ὅλης ψυχῆς προσκεῖσθαι ἡμῖν. Παντὶ τρόπῳ καὶ τὰ ὑμέτερα ῥήματα ἐπικομίζεσθαι βούλεται καὶ ὑμῖν διακονεῖσθαι. Ἐδώκαμεν οὖν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν δι' ἧς πρῶτον μὲν ὑμῖν εὐχόμεθα πάντα τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἅ τε ὁ βίος οὗτος ἔχει καὶ ὅσα τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις τὸν μακαρισμὸν ἀποκείμενον φυλάσσει, ἔπειτα καὶ δεόμεθα Θεοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου οἰκονομηθῆναι δεύτερον ἡμῖν τὴν συντυχίαν ὑμῶν, ἕως ἐσμὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς. Τὴν δὲ εἰς τὸν προειρημένον ἀδελφὸν ἀγάπην ὅτι πολυπλασιάσεις ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλω. Ὥστε παρακλήθητι ἔργῳ αὐτῷ παρασχέσθαι τὴν πεῖραν.