Letter 718: So why did you sit by the Bosporus if you were only going to do the same thing in Cilicia?

To Rufinus. (362) Why, then, did you no longer linger about the Bosporus, when you were going to do this in Cilicia? For to Celsus you have come back, but to us not yet. And yet I was hoping to hear everything from one who is able both to assess and does not know how to deceive, and to recover again all that gladness which I used to have through you, riding my horse alongside you, when that little one of mine was plotting against you, wanting to kick, while you at once were both on your guard and recounting something of your own affairs, imitating Odysseus in your narration. For indeed you had also escaped a Cyclops, I think -- one who wished to kill someone and had this for his craft, to receive a guest and then to murder him. But it differs in this much: that he was saved against the Cyclops' will, having gouged out his eye, whereas you by dancing overcame the brigand's manner, and you kept as a guard, as far as the borders, the very man who was whetting his sword against you and your servants. I therefore supposed that my head too would enjoy the same remedies; but you keep company with a friend, yet neglect a friend, and you did not apportion your time. I could wish that my little horse understood a little of my voice, after the manner of that horse of Achilles, so that I might spur him on and make him harsher toward you, having taught him how much I have been wronged. But even if this is not within my power, with my accustomed anger at least he will exact justice from you.

Ῥουφίνῳ. (362) Τί οὖν οὐκέτι περὶ τὸν Βόσπορον ἐκαθέζου μέλλων γε τοῦτο ποιήσειν ἐν Κιλικίᾳ; Κέλσῳ μὲν γὰρ ἐπανήκεις, ἡμὶν δὲ οὔπω. καίτοι πάντα μὲν ἤλπιζον ἀκούσεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ δοκιμάζειν τε δυναμένου καὶ φενακίζειν οὐκ εἰδότος, πᾶσαν δὲ ἐκείνην ἀπολήψεσθαι τὴν εὐφροσύνην, ἣν εἶχον διὰ σοῦ μετὰ σοῦ τὸν ἵππον ἐλαύνων, ὅτε σοὶ μὶν οὑμὸς ὁ μικρὸς ἐπεβούλευε λακτίσαι θέλων, σὺ δ’ ὁμοῦ τε ἐφυλάττου καὶ διηγοῦ τι τῶν σαυτοῦ τῇ διηγήσει τὸν Ὀδυσσέα μιμούμενος. καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ Κύκλωπα διεπεφεύγεις, οἶμαι. τινὰ κτεῖναι βουλόμενον καὶ τοῦτο ἔχοντα τέχνην, ξενίζειν, εἶτα φονεύειν διαφέρει δὲ τοσοῦτον, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἄκοντος ἐσώθη τοῦ Κύκλωπος τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐκκόψας αὐτῷ, σὺ δὲ ὀρχήσει τὸν τρόπον ἐνίκησας τοῦ λῃστοῦ καὶ φύλακα μέχρι τῶν ὅρων εἶχες τὸν ἀκονῶντα ξίφος ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας. ᾤμην οὖν μοι τὴν κεφαλὴν τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσεσθαι φαρμάκων· σὺ δὲ φίλῳ μὲν σύνει, φίλου δὲ ἀμελεῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἐμέρισας τὸν χρόνον. ἐβουλόμην μοι τὸν ἵππον τὸν μικρὸν μικρὰ τῆς ἐμῆς συνιέναι φωνῆς κατ’ ἐκεῖνον τὸν Ἀχιλλέως, ὅπως αὐτὸν παροξύναιμι καὶ ποιήσαιμί σοι χαλεπώτερον διδάξας ὅσα ἠδίκημαι. ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῦτο ἔστι μοι, τῷ γε εἰωθό:ι θυμῷ λήψεται παρὰ σοῦ δίκην.