Letter 816: The emperor is no worse than his predecessor — I would say better, if one values complete virtue over reckless daring.

To Demetrius. (363) The present emperor is no worse than the late emperor, and I would even say that he is better, if one were to rank his whole virtue above his reckless audacity; but when you set the one counselor beside the other counselor, take care that you do not seem to be ignorant of how great is the difference between an ass and a horse. Now I, by my supplication, delivered the city from famine, which perhaps, even with no one supplicating, would have come about of its own accord from his judgment; but I undertook to persuade him that he had not been wronged by us, and I went away without having succeeded: such was the orator I wrestled with. It remains, then, to turn to a reconciliation, to which we have set ourselves, and to which we summon you as well.

Δημητρίῳ. (363) Ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς τοῦ βασιλέως οὐ χείρων, φαίην δ’ ἂν ὅτι καὶ βελτίων, εἴ τις τὴν ὅλην ἀρετὴν πρὸ τῆς ἀλογίστου τόλμης ἄγοι· τὸν σύμβουλον δὲ τῷ συμβούλῳ παραβάλλων ὄρα μὴ δόξῃς ἀγνοεῖν, ὅσον ὄνου καὶ ἵππου τὸ μέσον. ἐγὼ δὲ λιμοῦ μὲν τὴν πόλιν ἱκετεύων ἐξειλόμην, ὃ καὶ μηδενὸς ἱκετεύοντος ἴσως ἂν ὑπῆρξεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκείνου γνώμης· πεῖσαι δὲ ὡς οὐκ ἠδίκηται παρ’ ἡμῶν ἐπεχείρησα μέν, ἀπῆλθον δὲ οὐ δυνηθείς· τοιούτῳ ῥήτορι προσεπάλαισα. λείπεται δὴ πρὸς διαλλαγάς, ἐφ’ ὃ ἡμεῖς τετράμμεθα, καὶ σὲ παρακαλοῦμεν.