Letter 203: You ask how things stand with us, and I wish I could report only good news.

To Polychronius. (360) You know the eloquence of Hilarius, and you are not unaware of his poverty, and you understand his friendship toward us, and that, having suffered much yet wronging no one, he has been cast out of his own property. But by what sort of men this was done, it is not even safe for me to say; for they are powerful. The income from acting as advocate he would have had a just claim to take, but those whom he would have made superior to their adversaries, had they but seen it, are unwilling to look upon him. There remains, then, one single resource for his livelihood: that which was granted by the emperor for his sustenance. This has now been impaired by the circumstances, but it might be restored, if you should be willing; and you will be willing, I know well. For you are in love with being praised for acting nobly, and all men will praise you. For all men sympathize with this man, and should he obtain some benefit, each of those who have received favors will count it as his own. That there are many troublesome petitioners from many quarters, some on their own behalf, others on behalf of their acquaintances, I have no need to learn from anyone else, but I seem to see for myself both those who clutch at your right hand and the multitude of their letters. But consider that in no one else is the justice of the claim so great-as indeed it ought not to be even in this man-and reckon that you must not yield in the same way to those who employ their zeal on behalf of wealth and to one who dreads famine. For the former would not make their possessions any greater, but the latter would perish. For these reasons, let my own claim be set aside, but let this man's be carried through.

Πολυχρονίῳ. (360) Ἱλαρίου καὶ τοὺς λόγους οἶσθα καὶ τὴν πενίαν οὐκ ἀγνο- εῖς καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπίστασαι φιλίαν καὶ ὅτι πολλὰ πα- θῶν οὐδὲν ἀδικῶν ἐκπέπτωκε τῆς αὑτοῦ. τὸ δ’ ὑφ’ οἴων, οὐδὲ ἐμοὶ λέγειν ἀσφαλές· ἰσχύουσι γάρ. τὸν δ’ ἐκ τοῦ συναγορεύειν πόρον ἦν μὲν δίκαιος φέρειν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐθέλου- σιν αὐτὸν ὁρᾶν οὓς ἐποίησεν ἂν τῶν ἀντιδίκων κρείττους, εἴ- περ ἑώρων. μία δὴ λοιπὴ πρὸς τὸν βίον ἀφορμὴ τὸ παρὰ βασιλέως δεδομένον εἰς τροφήν. ὃ νῦν μὲν τῷ καιρῷ βέβλα- πται, γένοιτο δ’ ἄν, εἰ σὺ βουληθείης, αὐτῷ βουλήσῃ δέ, εὖ οἶδα. τοῦ γὰρ ἐπαινεῖσθαι καλῶς ποιῶν ἐρᾷς, ἐπαινέσον- ται δέ σε πάντες ἄνθρωποι. πάντες γὰρ τῷδε συνάχθονται, κἂν τύχῃ τινὸς ἀγαθοῦ, τῶν εἰληφότων αὑτὸν ἕκαστος ἡγήσε- τᾶι. ὡς μὲν οὖν πολλοὶ πολλαχόθεν οἱ διοχλοῦντες, οἱ μὲ ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν, οἱ δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν γνωρίμων, οὐδὲν δέομαι παρ’ ἄλλου μαθεῖν, ἀλλ’ ὁρᾶν μοι δοκῶ καὶ τοὺς τῆς δεξιᾶς ἁπτο- μένους καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐπιστολῶν. ἐνθυμοῦ δὲ ὡς οὐ- δενὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ δίκαιον — ὡς ἔδει γε μηδὲ τούτῳ — καὶ νόμιζε μὴ ὁμοίως δεῖν ὑπακούειν τοῖς τε ὑπὲρ πλούτου τῇ σπουδῇ χρωμένοις καὶ τῷ δεδοικότι λιμόν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν πλείω τὰ ὄντα ποιήσαιεν, ὁ δὲ ἂν οἴχοιτο. διὰ μὲν ταῦτα τὸ μὲν ἐμὸν ἀφείσθω, τὸ δὲ τοῦδε πραττέσθω.