Letter 13: I received your letter with great pleasure, and the pleasure was doubled by its length -- for you are one of the few...

To Zenobius. (352 or 354?) With silence we resolved to repay silence. And yet I knew the penalty fell short of the offenses. For it was not an equal thing that I be deprived of your letters and that no letter from us come to you. But by as much as yours are the finer, by so much is the harm greater than the punishment. To Thalassius. (352 or 353) Fine were the things I myself witnessed when I was with you, but the things I now hear come close to philosophy: a free tongue, and a disposition that hates baseness, and a love of serious pursuits, and the courage both to do good to some and to drive off others, and, what is greatest of all, gold despised—that gold which, mightiest in its power among men, has been overcome. As for Gorgonius, having heard this one thing, that he admires you, I was reduced to wonder. For he would not be so disposed, were he not like you. Bring about for us, then, through him, the things of which I also inquire—the return; for I long to see the things about which I inquire. To Florentius. (365) The one who brings you this letter wrote it. For he who persuaded me to take courage might most justly be thought to have written it. For my part I was held back by hesitation, but the most excellent Tatianus laid his hand upon the paper, declaring that I would not regret the letter. You, therefore, will show whether being persuaded to write is better than not daring.

**To Zenobius** (352 or 354?) We resolved to avenge your silence with silence of our own. And yet I knew full well that the punishment fell short of the offense. For it was not an equal thing for me to be deprived of your letters and for you to receive none from us. On the contrary, the finer yours are, the greater my loss exceeds your penalty. **To Thalassius** (352 or 353) Admirable enough were the qualities I witnessed in you when we were together, but what I hear of you now approaches philosophy itself: a tongue that speaks freely, a character that loathes villainy, a passion for men of merit, and the courage to reward the worthy while driving out the wicked — and, greatest of all, gold held in contempt, that thing which wields the greatest power among men, yet before you stands defeated. As for Gorgonius, when I heard this one thing — that he admires you — I was struck with wonder myself. For he would never feel so unless he were a man much like you. Work then, through him, to secure what I am told is already underway — my recall. For I long to see with my own eyes what I now only hear of. **To Florentius** (365) The man who delivers this letter to you is the one who wrote it. For the man who persuaded me to take heart might most justly be said to have composed it himself. I was held back by hesitation, but the excellent Tatianus laid my hand upon the paper, declaring I would not regret having written. You, then, will show whether yielding to his persuasion and writing was better than not daring to write at all.

Ζηνοβίῳ. (352 vel 354?) Σιγῇ τὴν σιγὴν ἔγνωμεν ἀμύνασθαι. καίτοι γε ἠπιστάμην λειπομένην τῶν ἀδικημάτων τὴν δίκην. οὐ γὰρ ἴσον ἦν ἐμὲ σῶν ἀποστερεῖσθαι γραμμάτων καὶ σοὶ παρ’ ἡμῶν μὴ φοι- τᾶν. ἀλλ’ ὅσῳ καλλίω τὰ σά, τοσούτῳ μείζων ἡ βλάβη τῆς τιμωρίας. Θαλασσίῳ. (352 vel 353) Ἦν μὲν καλὰ καὶ ὅσα παρών σοι συνῄδειν, ἃ δ’ ἀκούω, φιλοσοφίας ἐγγὺς ἥκει, γλῶττα ἐλευθέρα καὶ τρόπος μισοπό- νηρος καὶ τῶν σπουδαίων ἔρως καὶ τὸ μετ’ ἀνδρείας τοὺς μὲν εὖ ποιεῖν, τοὺς δὲ ἐλαύνειν, καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, χρυ- σὸς καταφρονούμενος, ὃς μέγιστον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἰσχύων ἥττη- ται. Γοργονίου δὲ τοῦθ’ ‘ὲν ἀκούσας, ὅτι σε θαυμάζει, πρὸς θαῦμα κατέστην. οὐ γὰρ ἄν, εἰ μή σοι προσόμοιος ἦν, οὕτως εἶχε. πρᾶττε οὖν ἡμῖν δι’ ἐκείνου, ἃ καὶ πυνθάνο- μαὶ, τὴν ἐπάνοδον· ἐπιθυμῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ἃ πυνθάνομαι. Φλωρεντίῳ. (365) Τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην ὁ κομίζων σοι γέγραφεν. ὁ γὰρ θαρρῆσαι πείσας δικαιότατ’ ἂν γράψαι δοκοῖ. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὄκνῳ εἰχόμην, ὁ κράτιστος δὲ Τατιανὸς τῷ χάρτῃ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπέθηκε φήσας οὐ μεταμελήσειν μοι τῶν γραμμάτων. σὺ τοί- νυν δείξεις, εἰ τοῦ μὴ τολμᾶν τὸ πεισθῆναι γράψαι βέλτιον.