Letter 82: It seems you fill the senate [of Constantinople] with new members not only through your own efforts but even in your...

To Themistius. (359) So it is not only by your efforts that you fill the council chamber with councilors, but now even a fish-trap [catches] while you sleep. For Celsus, the best of those among us, and there, after you, the one fit to hear this said of him, comes of his own accord, a good man, to a council of good men. Everything has been set in motion by us to have the man take charge of affairs among us. But he claimed that he was pursuing a country which Themistius had praised. And I am not ignorant of the trick. For the others, longing for the fishy Bosporus, run off to that place; but he has no care for office, and he believes that, if he were to become a fellow citizen of yours, he would live his life with you. And this means to live in [...], a thing of which, having shared no small part in Sicyonia, he above all expects to share at your side. For me, then, my own undertaking will be the worse for the absence of him who helps me, and, having near me no longer this man to whom I used to carry out my griefs and so grow more at ease, I shall be grieved; but let some good come to Celsus, and let my own affairs go wherever they will. At all events, from this man's [good fortune] there is consolation for mine. For now, then, his mother and I and many others hold him back, since it is possible before the winter both to gratify us and to come to you; but the document concerning him has come upon him first, in connection with which you will do the customary things, keeping watch so that the expense may be moderate. For it seemed to us more pleasing for him to go now that he has already become a citizen, rather than as one who is yet to become one.

**To Themistius** (359) So it seems you fill the senate with senators not only through your own exertions, but even while you sleep the net fills itself. For Celsus, the finest man among us here and deserving to be called second only to you among those there, comes of his own accord—a good man to a good council. Every effort has been made on our part to have the man take charge of affairs here. But he kept saying he was pursuing a post that Themistius had praised. And I am not unaware of the real motive. For while others rush to Constantinople out of longing for the "fishy Bosporus," he cares nothing for the office itself—he simply believes that if he becomes a citizen of your city, he will live in your company. And that means living in wisdom, of which he had no small share at Sicyon and now expects to enjoy still more at your side. For my part, then, my situation will be the worse for the absence of the man who came to my aid, and I shall grieve at not having near me the one to whom I used to pour out my troubles and so find relief. But let something good come to Celsus, and let my own affairs go however they will. After all, from his good fortune there will be some consolation for my sorrows. For now, his mother and I and many others are keeping him here, since it is possible for him to do us this kindness before winter and still come to you in time. But this letter about him has gone ahead of him, and upon receiving it you will do what you customarily do—seeing to it that the expense is kept reasonable. For it seemed to us more graceful for him to arrive as one who has already been enrolled as a citizen rather than as one who is yet to become one.

Θεμιστίῳ. (359) Οὐκ ἄρα διὰ σπουδῆς μόνον πληροῖς τὸ βουλευτήριον βουλευτῶν, ἀλλ’ ἤδη καὶ εὕδοντι κύρτος. Κέλσος γὰρ ὁ τῶν μὲν παρ’ ἡμῖν ἄριστος, τῶν δὲ ἐκεῖ μετὰ σὲ τοῦτο ἀκοῦσαι πρέπων, αὐτόματος ἐπ’ ἀγαθῶν συνέδριον ἀγαθός. Μοι πάντα ἡμῖν κεκίνηται τοῦ τὸν ἄνδρα τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν προστῆ- ναι πραγμάτων. ὁ δὲ ἔφασκε χώραν διώκειν ἣν ἐπῄνεσε Θε- μίστιος. καὶ τὸ σόφισμα οὐκ ἀγνοῶ. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι Βόσπορον ἰχθυόεντα ποθοῦντες ἐκεῖσε τρέχουσι, τῷ δὲ τῆς μὲν ἀρχῆς οὐ μέλει, νομίζει δέ, εἰ πολίτης ὑμέτερος νοιτο, μετὰ σοῦ βιώσεσθαι. τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν ἐν βιῶναι, ἧς οὐκ ὀλίγον ἐν Σικυωνίᾳ μετασχὼν μάλιστα προσ- δοκᾷ μετασχήσειν παρὰ σοί ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν ἕξει τοὐμὸν ἐπι- χεῖρον χεῖρον τοῦ παραβοηθοῦντος ἀπόντος, καὶ πρὸς ὃν ἐκφέρων τὰ λυποῦντα ῥᾴων ἐγιγνόμην, τοῦτον ἐγγὺς οὐκ ἔχων ἀνιάσομαι, γιγνέσθω δὲ ἀγαθόν τι Κέλσῳ καὶ τἀμὰ ὅπῃ βούλεται χωρείτω. πάντως ἐκ τῶν τοῦδε παραμυθία τοῖς ἐμοῖς νῦν μὲν οὖν αὐτὸν ἥ τε μήτηρ καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ πολλοὶ κατέχομεν ὡς ἐνὸν πρὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἡμῖν τε χαρίσασθαι καὶ παρ’ ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν, ἔφθη δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ δέλτος, ἐφ’ ᾗ τὰ εἰωθότα πράξεις παρατηρῶν, ὅπως μέτριον ἔσται τὸ ἀνάλωμα. ἐδόκει γὰρ ἡμῖν εἶναι χαριέστερον ἤδη πολίτην αὐ- τὸν γεγενημένον ἢ γενησόμενον ἰέναι.