Letter 358: You know Marcellus, I expect — by his profession and, even before that, by his character, for he is no less a good...

To Anatolius. You know Marcellus, no doubt, from his profession, and still more from before that, from his character; for he is not more a good physician than he is a worthy man. You, for your part, came to know his skill upon the bodies of others, and in that way you may be learning the art of all physicians; but I saw him in the midst of my own afflictions, from which he drew me out when I was already overwhelmed [literally, plunged under]. For if this man had not put to rest the disease of my head, I should either have died, or, living on, should have been mourned for not having died. Each one too of those who dwell in our region would have it in his power to make mention of Marcellus on like grounds. For he has come to every body, setting himself against the assaults of disease; so that, if this man be in health, there are hopes even for the sick; but if he should fall ill, the fear is shared by those who are ailing and those who are not. He who honors this man wins no admiration for it, for he gives small things in return for great; but he who does not honor him would strike even his own father's jaws. For me, then, there is every necessity to repay the old man with good in return; and I would repay him, if I might make use of your power; for my own is but slight. Be eager, then, and show me to be no mean man in the matter of recompense. This, then, is my request. Marcellus has become a father late in life, having greatly longed for this title and having made supplication at the holy places; and he has children, the gifts of Asclepius. For this reason, being a very old man, he is rearing very young sons, whom, just weaned from milk, the emperor has enrolled among the soldiers, over whom now the noble Ausonius presides, securing for them safety for all time. But now proclamations are going about that those whose life this is should make their way to you. But for the sons of Marcellus this is not only not easiest of all, but they cannot even pass beyond the gates. We fear, then, lest this expel them from their standing, and we ask of you to keep them, while absent, in their standing. And it is said that your nod is law to Musonius, and the law is an old one, that the prefect is for those who hold a given charge the arbiter of what is now in that man's keeping [i.e. of those affairs]. Confirm, then, a repute so fair in the matters which we announce, and do not wonder if Marcellus has yoked my letter alongside the writings of Strategius; for report has it that I have very great influence with you.

Ἀνατολίῳ. (358) Οἶσθά που Μάρκελλον ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης καὶ ἔτι γε προ- τερον ἀπὸ τῶν τρόπων· οὐ γὰρ μᾶλλον ἀγαθὸς ἰατρὸς ἢ χρηστὸς ἀνήρ σὺ μὲν οὖν ·αὐτοῦ τὴν τέχνην ἐν ἄλλων ἔγνως σώμασι καὶ οὕτω γε τὰς ἁπάντων ἰατρῶν μανθάνοις· ἐγὼ δὲ αὐτὸν εἶδον ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτοῦ κακοῖς, ἀφ’ ὧι με ἐξίλ- κύσεν ἤδη βεβαπτισμένον. εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὗτος ἐκοίμισε τὸ νό- σημα τῆς κιφαλῆς, ἢ ἐτεθνήκειν ἂν ἢ ζῶν ἂν ἐπενθούμην, ὅτι μὴ ἐτεθνήκειν. ἔχοι δ’ ἂν καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν τὴν ὴμε- τέραν οἰκούντων ἐφ’ ὁμοίοις μνησθῆναι Μαρκέλλου. διὰ γὰρ δὴ παντὸς ἀφῖκται σώματος ἀντιταττόμενος τοῖς προσβολαῖς ὥστ᾿ εἰ μὲν οὗτος ὑγιαίνοι, καὶ τοῖς νοσοῦσιν ἐλπίδες· εἰ δ ἀσθενήσειε, κοινὸς ὁ φόβος κάμνουσί τε καὶ μὴ. τοῦτον ὁ μὲν τιμῶν οὐ θαυμάζεται, μικρὰ γὰρ ἀντὶ μεγάλων δίδωσιν· ὁ δ’ οὐ τιμῶν κἂν πατρὸς πατάξειε γνάθους. ἐμοὶ μὲν δὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη τὸν πρεσβύτην ἀντευποιεῖν·ἀντευποιήσαιμι δ’ ἄν, εἰ τῇ σῇ δυνάμει χρησαίμην· ἡ γὰρ ἐμὴ λεπτή τις. προθυμοῦ δὴ καί με δεῖξον εἰς ἀμοιβὰς οὐ φαῦλον. τοίνυν αἰτοῦ μὲν; Μάρκελλος ὀψέ ποτε γίγνεται πατὴρ μάλα ταύτης ἐπι- θυμήσας τῆς κλήσεως καὶ πρὸς ἱεροῖς ἱκετεύσας καὶ ἔστιν αὐτῷ τὰ τέκνα, Ἀσκληπιοῦ δῶρα. διὰ δὴ τοῦτο πάνυ γέ ρων ὢν πάνυ νέους υἱοὺς τρέφει, οὓς ἄρτι γάλακτος ἀπαλλα- γέντας εἰς στρατιώτας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐνέγραψεν, ὧν νῦν ὁ καλὸς ἡγεῖται ουσώνιος πράττων αὐτοῖς ἀσφάλειαν εἰς ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον. ἀλλὰ νῦν κηρύγματα περιφοιτᾷ χωρεῖν ὡς ὑμᾶς, οἷς οὗτος ὁ βίος. τοῖς δὲ Μαρκέλλου παισὶν οὐχ ὅπως τοῦτο ῥᾷστον, ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὑπερβῆναι τὰς πύλας. δεδοίκαμεν δὴ μὴ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ἐκβάλλῃ τοῦ σχήματος καὶ σοῦ δεόμεθα τη- ρεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀπόντας ἐν τῷ σχήματι. λέγεται δὲ Μουσωνίῳ τὸ σὸν νεῦμα νόμος εἶναι, καὶ παλαιός γε ὁ νόμος τὸν ὕπαρ- χον τοῖς ἔχουσιν ὃ νῦν ἐκεῖνος ὁριστὴν εἶναι τῶν ἔργων. βεβαίωσον δὴ δόξαν οὕτω καλὴν ἐν οἷς ἐπαγγέλλομεν καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς εἰ Στρατηγίου γράμμασιν ἐμὰ Μάρκελλος παρ- έζευξε· φήμη γὰρ ἐμὲ παρὰ σοὶ πλεῖστον ἰσχύειν.