Letter 123: The verses you sent along with your letter -- you, who are truly both "a fine poet and a mighty orator" [a Homeric...

To Acacius. (359/60) With the verses of the gods that you wrote-for you alone are both at once, "a good poet and a mighty orator" [an adaptation of Homeric phrasing]-these, it seems to me, put eagerness into Hermogenes to dispel our fears. And indeed on the very same day he both had your letter and was being relieved of his office; yet nevertheless, even at the bottom of the jar, he did not neglect your affairs, but he groaned and at the same time, counting it a favor that he was permitted to receive it, and saying that he would crown his office with a fine deed, he gave orders concerning the things we needed. But Andronicus brought word that there will be no escape for you, though in a more favorable form. He said that it is altogether necessary to sail across the mouth of the sea. For that man's uncle, after whom you named your son in imitation of Cimon's example, was to tell the ruler what he knew in your favor, and the ruler was to summon you. And you will then deliberate both about the hopes from that quarter and about your peace and quiet. The one who brought this news was also Priscianus. The former [Andronicus] read out the speeches of Titianus, while Priscianus-for at that time he was busy-now asks for them back, and we shall return them, not having failed to recognize the letter in which you discuss with the boy the matter of the tone of the voice and the modulations here, and the pauses of the breath, and the other things that aid speech. These things seem to me likely to render not only the young man better, but also me, the old man, against whom someone has already even let fly a jibe, to the effect that I am an actor rather than an orator.

**To Acacius** (359/60) Along with the verses you wrote — worthy of the gods, for you alone are truly both "a good poet and a mighty orator" — these seem to me to have inspired in Hermogenes an eagerness to dispel our fears. And yet on the very same day he both received your letter and was relieved of his office. Nevertheless, even at the bottom of the barrel, he did not neglect your requests; rather, he groaned while at the same time counting it a favor — one he was glad to grant — and declared he would crown his term of office with a noble deed by ordering what we needed. But Andronicus has reported that there will be no escape for you, though the circumstances are more favorable: you must in any case sail through the mouth of the Pontus. For that man's uncle — after whom you named your son, imitating the example of Cimon — has spoken to the emperor about your merits, and the emperor now summons you. You must weigh the prospects that await you there against the appeal of a quiet life. The one who brought this news also brought Priscianus. Andronicus read aloud Titianus's speeches; Priscianus, who was busy at the time, now asks for them, and I shall hand them over — not having overlooked that letter of yours in which you instruct your son on vocal pitch, on variations of tone, on pauses for breath, and on all the other elements that give power to oratory. These instructions, it seems to me, will improve not only the young man but even me, the old man — against whom someone has already let fly the jibe that I am more of an actor than an orator.

Ἀκακίῳ. (359/60) Μεθ' ὧν ἔγραψας τὰ ἔπη θεῶν, σὺ γὰρ δὴ μόνος ἀμ- φότερον, ποιητής τ' ἀγαθὸς κρατερός τε ῥήτωρ, οὗ- τοί μοι δοκοῦσιν Ἑρμογένει προθυμίαν ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὸ λῦσαι τοὺς φόβους. καίτοι τῆς αὐτῆς ἡμέρας εἶχέ τε τὰ παρὰ σοῦ καὶ παρελύετο τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἐν τῷ πυθμένι τοῦ πίθου τῶν γε σῶν οὐκ ἠμέλησεν, ἀλλ’ ἔστενεν ἅμα καὶ χάριν ἡγούμενος, ἣν ἐδίδου λαμβάνειν καλῷ τε λέγων ἔργῳ κατα- κλείσειν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐκέλευεν ὧν ἐχρῄζομεν. ἀλλ’ Ἀνδρόνι- κος ἤγγειλεν, ὡς οὐκ ἔσται σοι διάδυσις, ἀλλ’ ἐν βελτίονι μὲν τῷ σχήματι. πάντως δὲ ἀνάγκην εἶναι διαπλεῦσαι τοῦ πόντου τὸ στόμα. τὸν γὰρ ἄνδρα ἐκείνου τὸν θεῖον, ᾧ σὺ τὸν υἱὸν ὁμώνυμον ἐποίησας τὸ τοῦ Κίμωνος μιμησάμενος, εἰπεῖν ἃ συνῄδει σοι πρὸς τὸν κρατοῦντα, τὸν δὲ καλεῖν. σὺ δὲ βου- λεύσῃ περί τε τῶν ἐλπίδων τῶν ἐκεῖθεν καὶ τῆς ἡσυχίας. ὁ δὲ ταῦτα ἀγγείλας καὶ Πρισκιανός. ὁ μὲν ἀνέγνω Τιτιανοῦ τοὺς λόγους, Πρισκιανὸς δέ, τότε γὰρ ἄσχολος ἦν, νῦν ἀπαιτεῖ, καὶ ἀποδώσομεν οὐκ ἀγνοήσαντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐν ᾗ διαλέγῃ τῷ παιδὶ περί τε φωνῆς τόνου καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα μεταβολῶν πνεύματός τε ἀναπαύλης καὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ὅσα βοηθεῖ λόγῳ. ἅ μοι δοκεῖ μὴ μόνον τὸν νεανίσκον ἀμείνω καταστήσειν, ἀλλὰ καἰ ἐμὲ τὸν γέροντα, καθ’ οὗ τις ἤδη καὶ σκῶμμα ἀφῆ- κεν, ὡς εἴην ὑποκριτὴς μᾶλλον ἢ ῥήτωρ.