Letter 295: Pray that many people travel through Bithynia, for then you will have many to sing your praises.

To Alexander. (361?) Pray that many people travel through Bithynia; for in this way you will have many to praise you; for there is no one who, having come through that region, did not come bringing wonder at your administration. And Elpidius, the man who deserted his post, or, if you like, the chorus, for he used to sing along with us and has now come to another chorus, having chosen the law-courts in place of the young, whenever he touches upon the memory of you, leaps up, cries aloud, is simply seized as if by the Corybantes; and it seems to me that now he would most gladly take that famous Pegasus, and, freed from muleteers and posting-stations, be carried to you with winged speed, but that, once there, he would let Pegasus go and seek countless pretexts for slowness; so much is your affair an object of longing and of love to him. And in seeking to see you, he would wish to keep you, not to depart. In all other matters, then, while trusting the noble Elpidius, take care that he does not mislead you with his praises of us. For he will say that I am a great man; but I am that one whom you know, a small man, knowing small things, no better than anyone else.

Ἀλεξάνδρῳ. (361?) Εὔχου πολλοὺς διὰ τῆς Βιθυνίας ὁδοιπορεῖν· οὕτω γὰρ ἕξεις πολλοὺς τοὺς ἐπαινεσομένους· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὅστις δι’ ἐκεί- ἥκων ἥκων οὐ θαῦμα τῆς σῆς ἀρχῆς ἧκε κομίζων. Ἐλπίδιος δὲ ὁ τὴν τάξιν λιπών, εἰ δὲ βούλει, τὸν χορόν, ᾄδων γὰρ μεθ’ ἡμῶν γε καὶ ἐπ’ ἄλλον ἥκει χορὸν τὰς δίκας ἀντὶ τῶν νέων ᾑρημένος, ἐπειδὰν τῆς περὶ σοῦ μνήμης ἅψηται, πηδᾷ, κέκραγεν, ἀτεχνῶς κορυβαντιᾷ καί μοι δοκεῖ νῦν ἥδιστ’ ἂν τὸν Πήγασον ἐκεῖνον λαβὼν καὶ τῶν ὀρεωκόμων καὶ σταθμῶν ἀπαλλαγεὶς πτηνῷ τάχει παρὰ σὲ κομισθῆναι, τὸν δὲ Πήγασον ἀφεῖναι ἂν ἐκεῖ μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ζητῆσαι μυρίας εἰς βραδυτῆτα προφάσεις· οὕτως αὐτῷ τό γε σὸν ἐν πόθῳ καὶ φίλτρῳ. καὶ ζητῶν ἰδεῖν βούλοιτ’ ἂν ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἀπελθεῖν. πάντα δὴ τἄλλα πιστεύων Ἐλπιδίῳ τῷ καλῷ φυλάττου μή σε παρα- κρούσηται τοῖς καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐγκωμίοις. φήσει γὰρ εἶναί με μέγαν, εἰμὶ δ’ ἐκεῖνος ὃν οἶσθα, μικρός, μικρὰ ἐπιστάμενος, οὐδὲν ἑτέρου βελτίων.