Letter 134: Here's how it happened: Hermogenes didn't slam the door shut like some savage -- he just fell idle.
Libanius→Demetrius|c. 326 AD|Libanius|AI-assisted
diplomatic
To Demetrius. (359/60?)
The matter, then, stands thus: Hermogenes had shut his doors not as some savage man would, but out of idleness. For this reason he treated us coldly afterwards as well, though at first we were on familiar terms.
I accordingly gave the document to those who had been appointed to the embassy, for whom there was admittance by virtue of their serving as envoys.
In that affair you obtained nothing less than what you suppose, except that you held a position equal to that of inferior men.
Argyrius then received the letters from his own servant, and, while asserting that he had them, when the time came to hand them over, he searched for them, but he could not produce them; instead, slaves were accusing slaves and free men, and free men in turn were accusing slaves and one another, and there was shouting and uproar, but the letters were nowhere to be found.
How, do you imagine, was my soul stung by this? Yet I did not see fit to ask for pardon while the wound remained, but, hastening toward the cure, I made use of Hermogenes' hand. After the beginning, these things too followed.
As for you, the date-fruit that you sent was sweeter than the honey you sent, which, when I saw it, I despised, but, when I had eaten it, I marveled at; and sweeter again than this fruit are the discourses of Celsus that you have dispatched.
To Demetrius. (359/60?)
Here, then, is how the matter stands: Hermogenes has not barred his doors like some savage — it was mere laziness. This was how he later behaved toward me as well, though at first we were on close terms.
So I gave the letter to the men appointed to the embassy, who had access by virtue of their ambassadorial role.
In that affair you received no less than you suppose — except that you received only as much as your inferiors.
Now, Argyrius took the letters from his own slave, and though he claimed to have them, when the time came to hand them over, he searched and searched but could not produce them. Slaves accused slaves and free men alike, and free men in turn accused slaves and one another — shouting and uproar everywhere, but the letters were nowhere to be found.
How deeply stung do you think my soul was? Yet I did not see fit to beg forgiveness while the wound still stood open. Instead, pressing toward a cure, I made use of Hermogenes' hand. These things came after his term of office.
As for you — the dates you sent were sweeter than honey. When I first saw them I thought nothing of them, but upon tasting them I was amazed. And sweeter still than those dates are the speeches of Celsus that you have sent me.
The matter, then, stands thus: Hermogenes had shut his doors not as some savage man would, but out of idleness. For this reason he treated us coldly afterwards as well, though at first we were on familiar terms.
I accordingly gave the document to those who had been appointed to the embassy, for whom there was admittance by virtue of their serving as envoys.
In that affair you obtained nothing less than what you suppose, except that you held a position equal to that of inferior men.
Argyrius then received the letters from his own servant, and, while asserting that he had them, when the time came to hand them over, he searched for them, but he could not produce them; instead, slaves were accusing slaves and free men, and free men in turn were accusing slaves and one another, and there was shouting and uproar, but the letters were nowhere to be found.
How, do you imagine, was my soul stung by this? Yet I did not see fit to ask for pardon while the wound remained, but, hastening toward the cure, I made use of Hermogenes' hand. After the beginning, these things too followed.
As for you, the date-fruit that you sent was sweeter than the honey you sent, which, when I saw it, I despised, but, when I had eaten it, I marveled at; and sweeter again than this fruit are the discourses of Celsus that you have dispatched.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.