To Themistius.
The wrongs he is suffering, and at whose hands -- my teacher, and your friend and mine, Cleobulus -- he himself has set forth in what he wrote. But he wrote without much confidence; rather, a certain hesitation kept entering his mind, and again and again he drew back from the letter.
When I inquired whence this feeling came, and reminded him of his old familiarity with you and of those just claims between you, he said that on the one hand he knew these things well, but that a certain laziness had come over him with regard to your sojourn here, on account of which he supposed that the bonds formerly existing had grown duller; and that this was why he hung back.
I therefore laughed at his timidity, [asking] whether, after spending so long a time with you, he had so far wronged you as to think that you were vexed with him -- unless Cleobulus, by fleeing his own engagements, had managed to be cut off from you.
For we, on our part, feel no anger toward him, if, living near us, he takes more delight in his own affairs than in being together with us. For this privilege has been granted to him, that no one may charge him with his ease. And on the same principle we honor Palamedes too, no doubt, sparing the man who honors what is his.
Do you also, then, laugh, and considering Cleobulus -- the man who drags [you] into anxieties -- and your own enemy that accursed [...] Severus, persuade him that even those who sit far off are able to ward off from near at hand; for even if you are occupied with many affairs -- for there are many concerns of the city, and you are its guardian -- consider this too among the things advantageous to that city: that the wicked be prevented from making use of their nature.
**To Themistius** (359 AD)
The wrongs done to Cleobulus — my teacher, and a friend to both you and me — and by whom they are done, he himself has made clear in what he wrote. Yet he wrote without much confidence; a certain hesitation crept into his mind, and many times he drew back from the letter.
When I asked him the cause of this reluctance, reminding him of your old familiarity and of those just claims, he said he knew all that well enough, but that during your stay he had been guilty of a certain negligence toward you, and because of this he believed that your former warmth had grown cooler — and so he hesitated.
I laughed at his timidity, and at the thought that after spending so long in your company he had so misjudged you as to imagine you would bear a grudge — if Cleobulus, unable to escape his own preoccupations, had failed to attach himself to you.
For not even I resort to anger against him when, living close by, he amuses himself rather than keeps my company. He has been granted this privilege: that no one may accuse him of his idleness. And by the same token we surely honor Palamedes too, sparing the man who honors what belongs to that hero.
So then, laugh it off yourself, and counting that accursed Severus — the man who drags Cleobulus into troubles — as your own enemy too, convince Cleobulus that even those of us who sit far away have the power to defend him from close at hand. For though you have charge of many affairs — since the city has many needs, and you are its guardian — count this too among the things that serve her interest: that wicked men be prevented from indulging their nature.
The wrongs he is suffering, and at whose hands -- my teacher, and your friend and mine, Cleobulus -- he himself has set forth in what he wrote. But he wrote without much confidence; rather, a certain hesitation kept entering his mind, and again and again he drew back from the letter.
When I inquired whence this feeling came, and reminded him of his old familiarity with you and of those just claims between you, he said that on the one hand he knew these things well, but that a certain laziness had come over him with regard to your sojourn here, on account of which he supposed that the bonds formerly existing had grown duller; and that this was why he hung back.
I therefore laughed at his timidity, [asking] whether, after spending so long a time with you, he had so far wronged you as to think that you were vexed with him -- unless Cleobulus, by fleeing his own engagements, had managed to be cut off from you.
For we, on our part, feel no anger toward him, if, living near us, he takes more delight in his own affairs than in being together with us. For this privilege has been granted to him, that no one may charge him with his ease. And on the same principle we honor Palamedes too, no doubt, sparing the man who honors what is his.
Do you also, then, laugh, and considering Cleobulus -- the man who drags [you] into anxieties -- and your own enemy that accursed [...] Severus, persuade him that even those who sit far off are able to ward off from near at hand; for even if you are occupied with many affairs -- for there are many concerns of the city, and you are its guardian -- consider this too among the things advantageous to that city: that the wicked be prevented from making use of their nature.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.