Letter 325: To Μαξίμῳ. (357)

To Maximus. (357) Now it would be fitting for the household of Gaudentius to write to us about all the kindnesses they have received at your hands; but since they are about to be well treated -- for so must one speak -- we still urge you to look with favor upon Alexander and Pasion, about whom, when we made our remarks to you in your presence, we saw you giving a promise. It would have been reasonable for you, even if you had heard nothing here, yet having learned there to what family they belong by descent, to defend the two men out of respect for the rhetorician; but as it is, one knows that, even though you are willing, it is in your power not to help, for you gave your assent with a nod of your head. For their case up to now, then, I lay the blame on your engagements; but let what is to come be better than what came before. For indeed, if you had risen to your office through some other source, perhaps there would be some excuse for you in neglecting eloquence; but as it is -- since it is these men who set you so high -- show yourself zealous on behalf of those who possess that by which you have become great.

Μαξίμῳ. (357) Νῦν ἔδει τοὺς οἰκείους Γαυδεντίου πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὅσα ὑπὸ σοῦ πεπόνθασιν ἀγαθὰ γράφειν, ἀλλ’ ἐπειδὴ μέλλουσιν εὖ πείσεσθαι, δεῖ γὰρ οὕτω λέγειν, ἡμεῖς ἔτι σε παρακαλοῦμεν ἰδεῖν ἡδέως Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ Πασίωνα, περὶ ὧν πρὸς παρόντα ποιούμενοι λόγους ἑωρῶμεν ὑπισχνούμενον. εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν σε καὶ μηδὲν ἀκούσαντα τῇδε, γνόντα δὲ ἐκεῖ τίνι προσή- κουσι κατὰ γένος, αἰδοῖ τοῦ ῥήτορος ἀμῦναι τοῖν ἀνδροῖν νῦν δὲ οἶδέ βουλομένῳ μὴ βοηθεῖν ἔστι· κατένευσας γὰρ τῇ κεφαλῇ. τῶν μὲν οὖν ἄχρι τοῦδε τὰς ἀσχολίας αἰτιῶμαι, τὰ μέλλοντα δὲ ἔστω τῶν προτέρων βελτίω. καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὶν ἀπ’ ἄλλου του πρὸς τὸ ἄρχειν ἐληλύθεις, ἴσως ἂν ἦν λόγος ἀμελοῦντι τῶν λόγων· νῦν δέ, οὗτοι γάρ σε τοσοῦτον ἔθηκαν, φαίνου σπουδάζων περὶ τοὺς κεκτημένους ὑφ’ οὐ γεγένησαι 5 μέγας.