Letter 228: I commend your war on thieves.

To Modestus. (358/59) I praise you for making war on thieves. For by the same means you both punish the wicked and make the just better, since they see that it is possible for a man who is genuinely just to obtain praise. I therefore congratulate Frontinus here on the examination, in which, examined while absent, he carried off the more favorable vote, having gained a possession more precious than much gold: to have been judged by you to be no worthless man. But I too congratulate myself, since a good man has shown himself to be my companion and friend. Now, then, he comes to demonstrate still better how very far he stands removed from taking bribes, and how in the offices entrusted to him he has only labored, while to his existing property he has added not even an obol. Be consistent with yourself, then, and show to all that it is possible to depart from you rejoicing as well.

Μοδέστῳ. (358/59) Ἐγώ σε πολεμοῦντα τοῖς κλέπταις ἐπαινῶ. τῷ γὰρ αὐ- τᾷ τούς τε πονηροὺς κολάζεις καὶ τοὺς δικαίους ἀμείνους ποιεῖς ὁρῶντας ὡς ἔστιν ὄντα δίκαιον ἐπαίνου τυχεῖν. συγχαίρω δὴ Φροντίνῳ τῷδε τῆς ἐξετάσεως, ἣν ἀπὼν ἐξετασθεὶς τὴν βελτίονα ψῆφον ἠνέγκατο πολλοῦ χρυσίου τιμιώτερον κτῆμα κτησάμενος τὸ παρὰ σοὶ κεκρίσθαι μὴ φαῦλος. ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐ- τὸς ἐμαυτῷ συγχαίρω χρηστοῦ φανέντος ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρου μοι καὶ φίλου. νῦν οἶν ἥκει δείξων ἔτ’ ἄμεινον ὡς πλεῖστον ἀφέστηκε λήμματος καὶ ὡς ἐν οἷς ἐπιστεύθη πεπόνηκε μόνον, τοῖς οὖσι δὲ οὐδὲ ὀβολὸν προσέθηκεν. ἀκολούθει δὴ σαυ- τῷ καὶ δείκνυε πᾶσιν ὅτι ἔστι παρὰ σοῦ καὶ χαίροντα ἀπελθεῖν.