Ep. CXLII.

Though my desire to meet you is warm, and the need of your petitioners is great, yet my illness is invincible.  Therefore I am bold to commit my intercession to writing.  Have respect to our gray hair, which you have already often reverenced by good actions.  Have respect also to my infirmity, to which my labours for God have in part contributed, if I may swagger a little.  For this cause spare the citizens who look to me because I use some freedom of speech with you.  And spare also the others who are under my care.  For public affairs will suffer no damage through mercy, since you can do more by fear than others by punishment.  May you, as your reward for this, obtain such a Judge as you shew yourself to your petitioners and to me their intercessor.

[142] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Εἰ καὶ ὁ πόθος τῆς σῆς συντυχίας θερμὸς καὶ ἡ χρεία τῶν δεομένων μεγάλη, ἀλλ' ἡ νόσος ἀήττητος. Διὰ τοῦτο γράμμασι πιστεῦσαι ταύτην τὴν πρεσβείαν ἐθάρρησα. Αἰδέσθητι μὲν ἡμῶν τὴν πολιάν, ἣν ᾐδέσθης ἤδη καλῶς ποιῶν καὶ πολλάκις. Αἰδέσθητι δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀρρωστίαν ταύτην ᾗ μέρος τι καὶ οἱ κατὰ Θεὸν ἱδρῶτες συνεισήνεγκαν, εἴ τι δεῖ καὶ νεανιεύσασθαι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φεῖσαι μὲν τῶν πολιτευομένων πρὸς ἡμᾶς βλεπόντων ὡς ἐχόντων ἡμῶν ἐπὶ σοῦ παρρησίαν. Φεῖσαι δὲ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν ἡμετέραν φροντίδα. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδεμία ζημία τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐκ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, ἐπεὶ τῷ φόβῳ πλείονα κατορθοῖς ἢ ταῖς τιμωρίαις ἕτεροι. Σοὶ δὲ ἀντὶ τούτων γένοιτο τὸ τοιούτου τυχεῖν τοῦ κριτοῦ οἷόσπερ ἂν αὐτὸς γένῃ τοῖς δεομένοις καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς πρεσβεύουσιν.