Letter 643: To Παλλαδίῳ. (361)

To Palladius. (361) Just as I would have been ashamed to write to you, who live for the cause of what is just, on behalf of anyone unjust, so now, being about to make mention of a just case, I considered it shameful to hesitate. Acacius, in order that he may reckon me among those who may be despised, behaves toward me in the same manner as he does toward others. At any rate, having received timber for safekeeping as a deposit, he makes himself master of it; this is now the fourth year, always promising to give it back, but there is no occasion on which he has not broken his word. He wrongs me doubly instead of singly, both by his withholding it and by compelling me to resort to judges. And I am resorting both to the magistrate here and to you, having persuaded the one to send a soldier, and asking of you that you not rescue him from this necessity on the pretext of his serving you.

Παλλαδίῳ. (361) Ὥσπερ ὑπὲρ ἀδίκου τινὸς ᾐσχυνόμην ἂν ἐπιστεῖλαι πρὸς σὲ τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν δικαίων ζῶντα, οὕτω νῦν δικαίου μεμνῆσθαι μέλλων αἰσχρὸν ἡγούμην ὀκνῆσαι. Ἀκάκιος ἴνα με νομίζει τῶν εὐκαταφρονήτων καὶ τῷ πρὸς ἄλλους καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ προσ- φέρεται τρόπῳ. ξύλα γοῦν λαβὼν φυλάττειν τῆς παρακατα- θήκης αὑτὸν ποιεῖ δεσπότην ἔτος τουτὶ τέταρτον ἀεὶ μὲν ὑπισχνούμενος ἀποδώσειν, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ὅτε οὐ ψευσάμενος. ἐμὲ δὲ δύ’ ἀνθ’ ἑνὸς ἀδικεῖ, τῷ τε ἀποστερεῖν καὶ τῷ χρήσασθαι δικαοταῖς ἀναγκάσαι. χρῶμαι δὲ τῷ τε ἐνταῦθα καὶ σοί, τὸν μὲν πείσας πέμψαι στρατιώτην, σοῦ δὲ δεόμενος μὴ τῆς ἀνάγκης αὐτὸν ἐξελέσθαι τῇ τοῦ σοὶ διακονεῖν προ- φάσει.