Letter 845: Libanius thanks Mardonius for loyal support and defends his own loyalty to the emperor.

It is no wonder that, loving you and loved by you, I received help. If it belongs to enemies to attack one another, friendship has as its law mutual alliance. I did not ask you for this favor in my letters, because I knew I would have it from you. Just as we do not have to bring a spur to horses that are eager to run, I thought there was no need to beg someone to stand with us when he was sure to do so. I am glad, then, that I did not seem to you to be in the wrong; but I am far more glad that this was your just judgment. Only such a judgment lets one rejoice without reserve. A man who escapes the penalty he deserved has gained only the escape; he has not gained innocence. As for my prayers on behalf of the emperor, everyone in my house who lives with me knows them, and so do all the gods. In that way, at least, I joined him in the campaign against the tyrant. I prayed for these things as a loyal man to the emperor, honored by him in many ways and especially in the great matter concerning my son. I could never forget such favors; and remembering them, I must count the giver most dear, wish his rule firmly established, and wish his sons, when they reach their prime, to receive the thrones from him in extreme old age. Indeed, one is already his partner, and the other soon will be. For myself, illness makes life otherwise not especially pleasant; yet I would gladly live until that day which will show me the father beside the Dioscuri [Castor and Pollux, divine twin patrons of shared honor].

1. Οὐ θαυμαστὸν εἰ φιλῶν τε σὲ καὶ φιλούμενος ὑπὸ σοῦ βοηθείας ἔτυχον. εἰ γὰρ δὴ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὸ ἀλλήλοις ἐπιτίθεσθαι, τῆς φιλίας ὁ νόμος τὰς συμμαχίας ἔχει. 2. καί σε τὴν χάριν ταύτην οὐκ ἤτουν ἐν ἐπιστολαῖς εἰδὼς ὅτι μοι τοῦτο ἔσται παρὰ σοῦ. ὥσπερ οὖν ἵπποις, ἐν οἷς ἐπιθυμία δρόμου, τὸ κινῆσον οὐ προσάγομεν, οὕτως οὐδὲν ᾤμην δεῖν δεῖσθαι μεθ’ ἡμῶν εἶναι τοῦ πάντως ἐσομένου. 3. χαίρω μὲν οὖν οὐ δόξας ὑμῖν ἀδικεῖν, χαίρω δὲ πολὺ πλέον τῷ δικαίως δόξαι. τῷ γὰρ δὴ τοιούτῳ συμβαίνει καὶ τὸ χαίρειν καθαρῶς. ὁ δ’ ἣν ὤφειλε δίκην οὐ δοὺς τὸ μὴ δοῦναι μὲν ἔσχε, τὸ δ’ οὐκ εἶναι δίκης ἄξιος οὐκ ἔχει. 4. τὰς δ’ ἐμὰς εὐχὰς 〈τὰς〉 ὑπὲρ τοῦ βασιλέως οἴκοι πάντες μὲν ἴσασιν οἱ συνόντες ἡμῖν ἄνθρωποι, πάντες δὲ οἱ θεοί, καὶ ὡς ταύτῃ γε ἐπὶ τὸν τύραννον συνεστράτευον αὐτῷ. καὶ ταῦτα εὐχόμην ἐγὼ χρηστὸς ὢν βασιλεῖ πολλοῖς τε ἄλλοις τετιμημένος καὶ μεγίστῳ δὴ τῷ περὶ τὸν παῖδα. 5. ὧν οὔτ’ ἂν ἐπελαθόμην μεμνημένον τε πᾶσα ἀνάγκη περὶ πλείστου ποιεῖσθαι παρ’ ὅτου ταῦτα καὶ βούλεσθαι μὲν αὐτῷ πεπηγέναι τὴν βασιλείαν, βούλεσθαι δὲ τοὺς υἱεῖς εἰς ἀκμὴν ἐλθόντας πάνυ γέροντος παραλαβεῖν τοὺς θρόνους, μᾶλλον δ’ ὁ μὲν ἤδη κοινωνός, ὁ δὲ αὐτίκα ἔσται. 6. ἐμοὶ δὲ ἄλλως μὲν οὐχ ἥδιον διὰ τὸ νοσεῖν τὸ ζῆν, βουλοίμην δ’ ἂν μέχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, ἥ μοι δείξει τὸν πατέρα μετὰ τῶν Διοσκόρων.