Letter 245: Your letter has imitated the Spartans.

To Caesarius. (358/59) Your letter has imitated the Spartans. For they too, after the deed was done, came to Marathon, having resolved to bring help, but there was no longer any need of help; and so this letter of yours calls upon me to take care of your sons, for whom it lies within our power to furnish such things to others as well. But do not be amazed that they have so quickly grown so strong, being as they are men of such excellence and lovers of the Muses; for whoever comes to me in their company is at once, before all the others, judged worthy and finds me persuaded. And it brings them no small advantage that they are your children, of whom everyone who has made mention has made mention with praises. Do you wish me to mention a fourth thing as well? My fellow-student, the uncle of these young men, Eusebius. And this too I was taught by my own self, having discovered their lineage from the features of the younger one.

Καισαρίῳ. (358/59) Τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους μεμίμηταί σου τὰ γράμματα. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοί τε μετὰ τὸ ἔργον ἧκον εἰς Μαραθῶνα βοηθεῖν ἐγνωκότες, ἴδει δὲ οὐδὲν ἔτι βοηθείας, ταυτί τε παρακαλεῖ με πρὸς ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν σῶν υἱέων, οἷς ἐστι παρ’ ἡμῖν δύναμις ἑτέροις τὰ τοιαῦτα παρέχειν. μὴ θαυμάσῃς δὲ εἰ τοσοῦτον οὕτω τᾳχέως ἴσχυσαν οὕτως ὄντες χρηστοὶ καὶ φιλόμουσοι μετὰ γὰρ τούτων ὅστις ἔρχεται παρ’ ἐμέ, πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων εὐ- θέως κέκριται καὶ πειθόμενον ἔχει. φέρει δὲ αὐτοῖς οὐ μικρὸν καὶ τὸ σοὺς εἶναι παῖδας, οὗ πᾶς ὁ μνησθεὶς σὺν ἐπαίνοις ἐμνή- σθη. βούλει τι καὶ τέταρτον εἴπω; συμφοιτητὴς ἐμός, ὁ τούτων θεῖος, Εὐσεβιος. καὶ τοῦτο ἐδιδάχθην αὐτὸς παρ’ ἐμαυ- τοῦ τὸ γένος εὑρὼν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ νεωτέρου μορφῆς.