Letter 177: I am no prophet, but I can foresee certain things by reasoning.

To Albanius. I am no soothsayer, yet I might be able to foresee by reasoning some of the things that are to come. And so now too I see and I foretell that many good things will come to the two of you, both to you and to this man here, from one another. For you will share in purposes and in labors and in deeds, and you will confound those who do not expect such things concerning you; and I will add that you will also vex them. From what source, then, does it occur to me to say these things? From the fact that not even in the matters in which you contend with one another were you carried away to anything irremediable, but that quarrel of yours became an imitation of a quarrel in play rather than a quarrel. What sort of men, then, will you be when you breathe together in concord, you who, even toward those who set you at odds, did not show every favor? But concerning these matters you will write to me, praising my divination; and you yourself neither cause grief by writing, nor have you yet settled yourself upon any course of life. And a proof to me that you are still being carried along is the fact that the boys still remain with us.

Ἀλβανίῳ. (360) 5 Ἐγὼ μάντις μὲν οὔκ εἰμι, δυναίμην δ’ ἂν ἔνια τῶν μελλόντων λογισμῷ προορᾶν. καὶ νῦν τοίνυν ὁρῶ καὶ προλέ- γω πολλὰ ὑμῖν ἔσεσθαι, σοί τε καὶ τῷδε, παρ’ ἀλλήλων ἀγαθά. καὶ γὰρ βουλήσεων καὶ πόνων καὶ ἔργων κοινωνήσετε καὶ τοὺς οὐ ταῦτα περὶ ὑμῶν προσδοκῶντας ἐκπλήξετε, προσθήσω 10 δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἀνιάσετε. πόθεν οὖν μοι ταῦτα ἔπεισι λέγειν; ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲ ἐν οἷς φιλονεικεῖτε πρὸς μηδὲν ἀνήκεστον ἐξα- χθῆναι, ἀλλὰ γενέσθαι τὴν στάσιν ἐκείνην μίμησιν στάσεως ἐν παιδιᾷ μᾶλλον ἢ στάσιν. τίνες δὴ ἔσεσθε συμπνέοντες, οἵ γε μηδὲ τοῖς συγκρούουσι πάντα κεχάρισθε; ἀλλ’ ὑπὲρ μὲν 15 τούτων ἐπιστελεῖτέ μοι τὴν μαντείαν ἐπαινοῦντες, σὺ δ’ οὔτε ἐπιστέλλων λυπεῖς οὔτ’ ἤδη καταστήσας ἑαυτὸν εἰς ὁδόν τινα βίου. τοῦ δὲ ἔτι φέρεσθαι δεῖγμά μοι τὸ τοὺς παῖδας ἔτι παρ’ ἡμῖν μένειν.