Letter 477: My previous letter was carried by the sons of Bassus, whose father is a man of distinction.

To Arabius. (356) The letter before this one was carried by the sons of Bassus, whose father is illustrious; but Malchus here has nothing of that sort, yet he has very many things that are truly good: self-control and fairness and a love of learning and the practice of letters. This man, if he caused trouble, would not think it right to be treated well; but having first been treated well, he would sooner forget the very name by which he is called than the favor. And he is so excellent that, when I told him as he was asking to receive a letter to my acquaintances there that I would give him one to you as well, he bent his face to the ground and blushed, making it clear by his silence that he desired to receive it, but that receiving it was more than he reckoned himself worth. And on this very account he seemed to me all the more deserving to receive it, because he was not unaware of the benefit. Such, then, is Malchus in his character; and that he is also fortunate, the present circumstance makes clear. For he will see the fair city made still fairer under the divine head who governs it, who brings in all good things and drives out all the worse.

Ἀραβίῳ. (356) Τὴν μὲν πρὸ ταύτης ἐπιστολὴν Βάσσου παῖδες ἐκόμιζον, οἷς λαμπρὸς ὁ πατήρ· Μάλχῳ δὲ τούτῳ τοιοῦτον μὲν οὐδέν, τὰ δὲ ὄντως ἀγαθὰ πάνυ πολλά, σωφροσύνη τε καὶ ἐπιείκεια καὶ λόγων ἐπιθυμία καὶ λόγων ἐργασία. οὗτος ἐνοχλήσας μὲν οὐκ ἄν εὑ παθεῖν ἀξιώσαι, παθὼν δὲ εὖ πρότερον ἂν τοῦ ὀνόματος ᾧ καλεῖται ἢ τῆς χάριτος ἐπιλάθοιτο. οὕτω δέ ἐστι βέλτιστος ὥστ’, ἐπειδὴ δεομένῳ γράμματα λαβεῖν πρὸς τοὺς ἐκεῖ μοι γνωρίμους ἔφην, ὅτι καὶ πρὸς σὲ δώσω, κύψας εἰς γῆν ἠρυθρίασε σιγῇ δῆλον ποιῶν ὡς ἐπιθυμοῖ μὲν λαβεῖν, μεῖζον δὲ αὑτοῦ τὸ λαβεῖν ἄγοι. κατ’ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἐδόκει μοι δίκαιος εἶναι λαβεῖν, ὅτι τὸ κέρδος οὐκ ἠγνόει. τὸν μὲν οὖν τρόπον τοιοῦτος ἡμῖν ὁ Μάλχος· ὅτι δὲ καὶ εὐτυχής, δηλοῖ τὸ παρόν. τὴν γὰρ δὴ καλὴν πόλιν ἔτι καλλίω ὄψεται τῆς θείας ἀρχούσης κεφαλῆς, ἣ πάντα μὲν εἰσάγει τὰ χρηστά, πάντα δὲ ἐζελαύνει τὰ χείρω