Letter 290: We take refuge at the same Athena on the same kind of business.

To Eusebius. We take refuge with the same Athena over like matters. Recently you snatched a young man out of the fire for us and undertook such labors as one would on behalf of a son. There is need now of the same labors and of equal zeal, or rather of much greater. For this Agroecius here is no different from a child to me, and I have continued up to this present day keeping my house open to them, to many brothers and to poor men. But those who draft decrees so glibly wish to show that, apart from joining my friends in prayer, I could be of no other help. And yet, against your wrath at least, it was not by prayer but by deeds that I defended them and calmed the wave. They, however, remember the favor so very well that, in return for the benefaction, [they repay me with] an Agamemnon. Let them learn, then, that the power is both mine and yours, and that I am not so very easy to treat badly, so long as you have strength. To give instruction about the affairs of Agroecius is my part; but that the man not be swept away belongs to your manly courage.

Εὐσεβίῳ. (359/60) Ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν Ἀθηνᾶν ὑπὲρ ὁμοίων καταφεύγομεν πραγμάτων. πρῴην ἡμῖν ἐξήρπασας νέον ἐκ πυρὸς καὶ πόνους ὑπέστης, οἴους ἄν τις ὑπὲρ υἱέος. τῶν αὐτῶν δεῖ πόνων καὶ τῆς ἴσης προθυμίας, μᾶλλον δέ, πολλῷ μείζονος. Ἀγροίκιος γὰρ οὑτοσὶ παιδὸς οὐδέν μοι διαφέρει κοὶ διαγέγονα μέχρι τῆς τήμερον ἡμέρας ἀνέχων αὐτοῖς τὴν οἰκίαν πολλοῖς ἀδελ- φοῖς καὶ πένησιν. ἀλλ’ οἱ ῥᾳδίως ψηφίσματα γράφοντες δείξαι θέλουσιν ὡς πλὴν τοῦ συνεύξασθαι τοῖς φίλοις οὐδὲν ἄλλο δυναίμην ἂν ὠφελεῖν. καίτοι πρός γε τὴν σὴν ὀργὴν οὐ δι’ εὐχῆς αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ᾿ ἔργοις ἤμυνα καὶ τὸ κῦμα ἐστόρεσα. οἱ δὲ οὕτω σφόδρα μέμνηνται τῆς χάριτος, ὥστ’ ἀντ’ εὐερ- γεσίης Ἀγαμέμνονα. μαθέτωσαν οὖν ὡς δύναμις ἐμή τε καὶ σὴ καὶ οὔκ εἰμι ῥᾷστος παθεῖν κακῶς, ἴως ἂν ἰσχύῃς· τὸ μὲν οὖν διδάξαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων Ἀγροικίου, τὸ δὲ μὴ παρασυρῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα τῆς σῆς ἀνδρείας.