Letter 432: I hear you praise me and never stop doing so, and it seems to me you are doing what is both just and in your own...

To Eusebius. (355) I hear that you praise me and do not cease from doing so, and you appear to me both to act justly and to do what is to your own advantage. For the man who came to me as if to a feast, speaking, both renders to his teacher what is fitting and at the same time exalts himself by showing of what sort of springs he has enjoyed the benefit. It was necessary, however, that there should be added to the praises also the writing of letters, so that no part of your conduct toward me should be left idle. But it seems to me that, fearing lest we should demand favors from you, and lest, having received the first, we should announce a second, you keep silent, shutting off from us the road to making fitting use of you. But if you say that I speak falsely, refute me; and you will refute me, if you write. But if you will not write, I would have been deceived by Clematius, who both reported those things and persuaded me of this, namely to write to you.

Εὐσεβίῳ. (355) Ἀκούω σε ἐπαινεῖν με καὶ μὴ λήγειν τοῦτο ποιοῦντα, καὶ μοι φαίνῃ δίκαιά τε δρᾶν καὶ σαυτῷ συμφέροντα. ὁ γὰρ ὡς παρὰ ἄριστον ἐφοίτησε λέγων τῷ διδασκάλῳ τε τὸ εἰκὸς ἀπο- δίδωσι καὶ ἅμα αὑτὸν ἐσέμνυνε δεικνύς, οἴων ἀπολέλαυκε τῶν πηγῶν. χρῆν μέντοι προσεῖναι τοῖς ἐπαίνοις καὶ τὸ ἐπι- στέλλειν, ὅπως μηδὲν μέρος ἀργὸν εἴη σοι τῶν πρὸς ἐμέ. ἀλλά μοι δοκεῖν δεδιὼς μή σε χάριτας ἀπαιτῶμεν καὶ λαβόντες πρώτας ἐπαγγέλλωμεν δευτέρας, σιγᾷς ἀποκλείων ἡμῖν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ χρῆσθαί σοι τὰ εἰκότα. εἰ δὲ ψεύδεσθαί με φής, ἔλεγ- ξον· ἐλέγξεις δέ, εἰ γράψαις. εἰ δὲ οὐ γράψεις, ὑπὸ Κληματίου εἰην ἂν ἠπατημένος, ὃς ἐκεῖνά τε ἀπήγγειλε καὶ τοῦτο ἔπεισεν ἐπιστεῖλαί σοι.