Letter 707: There is nothing surprising about falling in love with Attica.

To the same man. (362) It is no wonder if someone has fallen in love with Attica; for by nature that region is most dear both to those who have seen it and to those who have not yet. And fathers suppose that their sons will bring back from there either eloquence for themselves, or at least the reputation of possessing eloquence. As for Acacius, since I respect him, I would have praised him even had he sent his son; but since I love him, I would prefer that he not send the boy. For of the teachers in that place, some, on account of old age, would need to sleep softly after a full meal, while the others perhaps need teachers themselves, who would first of all train them to be judged by words and not by arms. But as things now are, they hammer out for us soldiers instead of orators, and I have seen many men bearing scars from the wounds received in the Lyceum. Among such men Titianus perhaps would not have turned out, and it is not even a fine thing to be thought a fellow-student of those who reckon such matters as these. Know, then, that you have helped both parties, both me and them: me, in not allowing another to be adorned by my labors; and them, in that no great amount of time will be expended by them, perhaps over trifling things; for so it is better to put it. Add then to having prevented that journey the urging of him to come to us. Let him come, if he wishes, to acquire eloquence in addition; or, if he prefers, to make use of what he has. In any case the governor will receive the young man with all goodwill. And for men of sound mind, I think, it is good to reap the opportune moment. These matters, then, you will not neglect; but rid us of Alexander's second bond, for before he can catch his breath he is hard pressed, and one wave he has escaped, while with another he wrestles. For to make advance contributions for a man of his standing is not much lighter than the expense connected with the public bath. Provide your help, then, in all things, and let nothing from that quarter trouble the young man.

Τῷ αὐτῶ. (362) Οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν εἴ τις ἠράσθη τῆς Ἀττικῆς· φύσει γὰρ φίλτατον τὸ χωρίον τοῖς τε ἰδοῦσι τοῖς τε οὔπω. κοὶ νομίζουσιν οἱ πατέρες ἢ λόγους αὑτοῖς ἐκεῖθεν τοὺς υἱεῖς κομιεῖν ἡ δόξαν γε τοῦ λόγους ἔχειν. Ἀκάκιον δέ, διότι μὲν αἰδοῦμαι, κἂν πέμψαντα τὸν υἱὸν ἐπῄνουν· διότι δὲ φιλῶ. βουλοίμην ἂν μὴ πέμψαι τὸν παῖδα. τῶν γὰρ αὐτόθι δι- δασκάλων οἱ μὲν διὰ γῆρας δέοιντ’ ἂν τοῦ καθεύδειν μαλακῶς ἐπὶ πλησμονῇ, τοῖς δ’ ἴσως δεῖ διδασκάλων, οἳ τοῦτο πρατὸν αὐτοὺς παιδεύσουσι λόγοις κρίνεσθαι καὶ μὴ ὅπλοις. νῦν δ’ ἡμῖν στρατιώτας ἀντὶ ῥητόρων ἐκκροτοῦσι, καὶ πολλοὺς εἶδον οὐλὰς ἐνηνοχότας ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν Λυκείῳ τραυμάτων. ὧν ἴσως μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐγένετο Τιτιανός, ἔστι δὲ οὐδὲ συμφοιτητὴν τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα λογιζομένων δόξαι καλόν. ἀμφοτέροις οὖν ἴσθι βεβοηθηκώς, καὶ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἐκείνοις· ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ἐάσας ἄλλον τοῖς ἐμοῖς κοσμηθῆναι πόνοις· ἐκείνοις δὲ τῷ μὴ πολὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναλωθῆναι χρόνον ἴσως ὑπὲρ μικρῶν· οὕτω γὰρ εἰπεῖν βέλτιον. πρόσθες δὴ τῷ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην κωλύσαι τὸ τὴν ὡς ἡμᾶς ἐπεῖξαι. ἐρχέσθω δέ, εἰ μὲν βούλεται, προσληψό- μενος λόγων· εἰ δὲ ἐθέλει, χρησόμενος οἷς ἔχει. πάντως ὅ γε ἄρχων πάσῃ δέξεται τὸν νεανίσκον εὐνοίᾳ. σωφρονούντων δέ, οἶμαι, καρποῦσθαι καιρόν. τούτων μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἀμελή- σεις, τὸν δὲ Ἀλέξανδρον ἡμῖν ἀπάλλαττε δεσμοῦ δευτέρου· πρὶν γὰρ ἀναπνεῦσαι πιέζεται καὶ κῦμα τὸ μὲν διαπέφευγε, τῷ δὲ παλαίει. τὸ γάρτοι προεισφέρειν τὸν τηλικοῦτον οὐ πολὺ κουφότερον τῆς περὶ τὸ κοινὸν βαλανεῖον δαπάνης. ποιοῦ δὴ τὴν βοήθειαν διὰ πάντων καὶ μηδὲν τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ταραττέτω τὸν νέον.