Letter 109: There were many reasons -- compelling ones -- for Argyrius's son to stay home (he prefers to be called that rather...

To Florentius. (359/60) There were many things that persuaded, or rather compelled, the son of Argyrius to remain at home (for he delights to be called thus rather than by his proper name): first, his father, who has come to such old age as you know and who inspires such apprehension as is fitting for an aged man bearing the olive branch; and next, the son himself, who is partly still performing public service and partly about to do so. For he is leaving off the rearing of chariot-teams, and is already looking toward the wild beasts of the mountains. Or rather, that elder man only looks into books, providing his body merely for the robes that adorn the chorus-master, whereas the deliberations and the toils and the runnings about, all these are the burden of Obodianus; so that the grandfather's part is to take pleasure in what is being done, while the exemption from toil comes to him from his age. And indeed, if his body were to cast its own vote, it ought to keep quiet, since there is fear that in such a stirring an old wound, now at rest, might break open again. But one thing prevailed over the many compulsions: Florentius, the worthy man and lover of virtue. And so this man here, having burst his bonds, runs to you, thinking that there would be no reputation for us in the city if, when envoys of the foremost men used to go for the sake of one who was nothing to us but who now holds the place which you occupy, no embassy were sent on behalf of one of our own citizens—for you will receive the summons graciously. After the one who presided over the care of the imperial palace, the matter then descended to a lesser man. So then, he comes honoring both us and you; and it would be your part to honor both this man and, through him, the city, and to persuade the man that, if he had refused on oath, he would have taken bad counsel.

**To Florentius** (359/60) There were many reasons urging — or rather compelling — the son of Argyrius to remain at home (for he delights in being called that more than by his proper name). First, his father, who has reached the old age you well know, inspiring the kind of fear one naturally feels for a man old enough to carry the olive branch. Then there is the boy, partly still performing his liturgies, partly about to take on new ones: for he is finishing with the chariot-racing sponsorship, but already has his eye on the mountain hunting grounds. Or rather, the boy himself has his eye on his books, lending only his body to the garments that bring honor to the sponsor, while the planning, the toil, the running about — all of that is Obodianus's burden. As for the grandfather, his only task is to enjoy the spectacle, and his exemption from the labor is granted by his years. And indeed, if the body could cast its own vote, he ought to have stayed quiet, since there was real danger that such a journey might rouse again an old wound now at rest. But one thing defeated those many compelling reasons: Florentius, that good man and friend of virtue. And so, breaking his bonds, this man runs to you, believing that our city would have no standing with you if, when a man with no connection to us whatsoever held the post you now hold, ambassadors from the leading citizens went to him — yet when our own fellow citizen (for you will graciously accept the title) presides over the administration of the imperial palace, the matter should then sink to a lower level. He has come, then, honoring both us and you. It would be fitting for you to honor both him and, through him, the city — and to persuade the man that had he refused, he would have made a poor decision.

Φλωρεντίῳ. (359/60) Πόλλα τὰ πείθοντα ἦν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναγκάζοντα μένειν οἴκοι τὸν Ἀργυρίου παῖδα, χαίρει γὰρ οὕτω καλούμενος ἢ ᾗπερ ὀνομάζεται· πρῶτον μὲν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῷ πρὸς γῆρας ἥκων ὁπόσον οἷσθα καὶ παρέχων φόβον ὁποῖον εἰκὸς θαλλοφόρον ἔπειθ᾿ ὁ παῖς τὸ μὶν ἔτι λειτουργῶν, τὸ δὲ μέλλων. λήγει γὰρ ἁρματοτροφίας, βλέπει δὲ ἤδη πρὸς τὰ τῶν ὀρῶν ἔνθηρα. μᾶλλον δέ, ἐκεῖνος μὲν εἰς βιβλία βλέπει τὸ σῶμα δὴ μό- νον τοῖς ἐσθήμασι παρέχων, ἃ κοσμεῖ τὸν χορηγόν, δὲ καὶ βουλαὶ καὶ πόνοι καὶ δρόμοι, ταῦτα πάντα Ὀβοδιανοῦ φορτίον· ὡς τοῦ γε πάππου τὸ ἔργον ἡσθῆναι τοῖς δρωμένοις, ἡ δὲ ἀτέλεια τοῦ πόνου παρὰ τοῦ χρόνου. καὶ μὴν εἰ τό γε σῶμα τὴν αὑτοῦ ἔφερε ψῆφον, ἡσυχάζειν ἔδει ὡς ὄντος δέους ἐν τῇ τοιᾷδε κινήσει παλαιὸν ἕλκος ἠρεμοῦν ἐπαναστῆ- ναι πάλιν. ἀλλ’ ἐνίκησε τὰς πολλὰς ἀνάγκας ἕν, Φλωρέντιος ὁ χρηστὸς καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς φίλος καὶ δεσμοὺς ἀπορρήξας οὑτοσὶ παρ’ ἐκεῖνον τρέχει νομίζων οὐκ ἂν ἡμῶν ὑπάρξαι τῇ πόλει λόγον, εἰ τοῦ μὲν οὐδὲν ἡμῖν προσήκοντος χώραν, ἣν κατέχεις σύ, νῦν ἔχοντος πρεσβευταὶ τῶν ἄκρων ᾔεσαν, πο- λίτου δὲ ἡμετέρου, δέξῃ γὰρ εὐμενῶς τὴν κλῆσιν. τῆς τῶν βασιλείων προεστῶτος ἐπιμελείας ἔπειτα εἰς ἐλάττω κατῄει τὸ πρᾶγμα. ὁ μὲν οὖν ἡμᾶς τε καὶ σὲ τιμῶν ἤκει, σὸν δ’ ἂν εἴη τοῦτόν τε καὶ τὴν πόλιν διὰ τούτου τιμῆσαι καὶ πεῖσαι τὸν ἄνδρα ὡς εἰ ἐξωμόσατο, κακῶς ἂν ἐβουλεύσατο.