Letter CCLXXX.1503    Placed in the episcopate.

To Modestus the Prefect.

I feel my boldness in pressing my suit by letter upon a man in your position; still the honour that you have paid me in the past has banished all my scruples.  Accordingly I write with confidence.

My plea is for a relative of mine, a man worthy of respect for his integrity.  He is the bearer of this letter, and he stands to me in the place of a son.  Your favour is all that he requires for the fulfilment of his wishes.  Deign therefore to receive, at the hands of the aforesaid bearer, my letter in furtherance of his plea.  I pray you to give him an opportunity of explaining his affairs at an interview with those in a position to help him.  So by your direction shall he quickly obtain his desires; while I shall have occasion for boasting that by God’s favour I have found a champion who regards the entreaties of my friends as personal claims to his protection.

ΜΟΔΕΣΤῼ ΕΠΑΡΧῼ

[1] Εἰ καὶ τολμηρὸν ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ διὰ γραμμάτων ἱκεσίας προσάγειν, ἀλλ' οὖν ἡ προϋπάρχουσα περὶ ἡμᾶς παρὰ σοῦ τιμὴ ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν τὸ δειλὸν καὶ καταθαρσοῦμεν ἐπιστέλλειν ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων οἰκείων μὲν ἡμῖν κατὰ γένος, τιμῆς δὲ ἀξίων διὰ τὴν δεξιότητα τῶν ἠθῶν. Ὁ τοίνυν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην ἡμῶν ἐπιδιδοὺς ἐν υἱοῦ μοι τάξει καθέστηκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δεῖται μόνης τῆς παρὰ σοῦ εὐμενείας εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτῷ τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα, καταξίωσον δέξασθαί μου τὸ γράμμα ὃ ἀνθ' ἱκετηρίας προτείνεταί σοι ὁ προειρημένος καὶ δοῦναι αὐτῷ καιρὸν διηγήσασθαι τὰ καθ' αὑτὸν καὶ διαλεχθῆναι τοῖς δυναμένοις αὐτῷ συνεργῆσαι, ἵνα τῷ προστάγματί σου ταχέως τύχῃ τῶν σπουδαζομένων καὶ ἐμοὶ ὑπάρχῃ καλλωπίζεσθαι ὅτι μοι δέδοται τοιοῦτος παρὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ προστάτης ὃς τοὺς ἐμοὶ προσήκοντας ἰδίους ἡγεῖται ἱκέτας καὶ πρόσφυγας.