Letter 366: It was only fitting, dear Paulus, that he should not abolish a rule he himself established.

To Paulus. (358) For it was indeed fitting, my friend Paulus, not to abolish the law which that man himself established. And this was the law: to add writing to remembrance. But to those to whom some good thing comes from the gods, gratitude must be shown not to them alone, but also to the priests. You, therefore, having been ranked among the priests by us, share in those things which are fitting for them. For I am not unaware of this: that you spurred him on, eager though he was himself, and that while he was set upon writing, you were praising the impulse. I trust, then, that you both will abide by what you have done — you in urging him on, and he in writing.

Παύλῳ. (358) Καὶ γὰρ ἦν εἰκός, ὦ φίλε Παῦλε, μὴ τὸν νόμον ἀνελεῖν, ὃν αὐτὸς ἔθηκεν ἐκεῖνος. ἦν δὲ οὗτος ὁ νόμος τῷ μεμνῆσθαι προστιθέναι τὸ γράφειν. οἷς δ’ ἂν ἔλθῃ τι παρὰ θεῶν ἀγα- θόν, οὐκ ἐκείνοις δεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καἰ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰδέναι χάριν. σὺ τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἐν ἱερεῦσι τεταγμένος μετέχεις ὧν ἐκείνους εἰκός. οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοῶ τοῦθ’ ὅτι ὤτρυνας σπεύ- δόντα καὶ αὐτόν, καἰ ὡς ὁ μὲν ὥρμητο γράφειν, σὺ δὲ ἐπῄνεις τὴν ὁρμήν. πιστεύω τοίνυν ἀμφοτέρους ἐμμενεῖν οῑς πεποιήκατε, σὲ μὲν προτρέψειν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἐπιστελεῖν.