Letter 78: I'm asking you for a favor you're already eager to grant.

To Ambrosius. (359) I ask a favor of you when you are eager to grant it; for when offices are handed over to you young men, you rejoice, because you have it in your power to do a favor to us who are older, and just as it brings teachers a certain pleasure to be needed by students, so it brings students pleasure to be able to do something for their teachers according to their wish. Now then, Cleobulus the educator instructs me as to what I can obtain from you, and I in turn ask of you those things which, by virtue of your office, you are able to grant. Antiphilus is among the foremost of those who serve you, and a kinsman of Cleobulus. His character, by anticipating, has already commended him to me; for he does not know how to make a profit from daring what he ought not. To this Cleobulus bears witness. And I too commend him, being persuaded. The favor is this: that you look kindly upon him; toward you he will not employ greed, but rather, in matters that press urgently, he will instruct boldly and with good cheer carry out whatever you may command.

**To Ambrosius** (359) I ask of you a favor you are eager to grant. For when you young men are entrusted with offices of authority, you take pleasure in having the chance to oblige us older folk — and there is a certain delight for teachers in making requests of their students, just as there is for students in being able to do something that pleases their teachers. Now then, Cleobulus the teacher charges me with what lies in my power with you, and I in turn ask of you what lies in your power by virtue of your office. Antiphilus is among the foremost of your staff and a kinsman of Cleobulus. His character has already commended him to me before any introduction was needed, for he does not know how to profit by daring what he ought not — and this Cleobulus himself attests. So I too commend him, trusting in that testimony. The favor I ask is this: that you look upon him with a kindly eye — which he will not exploit for personal advantage, but will use only to speak up with confidence on urgent matters and to carry out whatever you command with good cheer.

Ἀμβροσίῳ. (359) Χάριν αἰτῶ σε ἐπιθυμοῦντα δοῦναι· ὑμῖν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς νεανίσκοις ὅταν ἀρχαὶ παραδοθῶσιν, ὅτι τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ἡμῖν ἔχετό χαρίζεσθαι, χαίρετε καὶ τοῖς τε διδασκάλοις ἡδονήν τινα φέρει τὸ δεῖσθαι μαθητῶν τοῖς τε μαθηταῖς τὸ τοῖς διδασκάλοις δύνασθαί τι ποιεῖν κατὰ νοῦν. ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν ἐπιτάττει Κλεόβουλος ὁ παιδευτὴς ἃ παρὰ σοὶ δύναμαι, ἐγὼ δὲ αἰτῶ παρὰ σοῦ ταῦτα ἃ διὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν δύνασαι. Ἀντίφι- λος ἐν πρώτοις τέ ἐστι τῶν σοὶ διακονούντων καὶ Κλεοβούλῳ συγγενής. τοῦτον συνέστησε μέν μοι προλαβὼν ὁ τρόπος· οὐ γὰρ οἶδε κερδαίνειν ἀπὸ τοῦ τολμᾶν ἃ μὴ δεῖ. ταυτὶ γὰρ ὁ Κλεόβουλος μαρτυρεῖ. συνίστημι δὲ καὶ ἐγὼ τούτῳ πειθόμε- νος. ἔστι δὲ ἡ χάρις ἡμέρως σε βλέπειν εἰς αὐτόν· ᾧ πρὸς πλεονεξίαν μὲν οὐ χρήσεται, πρὸς δὲ τὸ θαρρούντως ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπειγόντων διδάσκειν καὶ μετ’ εὐθυμίας ὅ τι ἂν κελεύῃς ὑπουργεῖν.