Letter 866: Libanius reminds Richomeres of old honors and asks him to help Antioch's ambassadors.

I remember the day when I first met you, and the words we exchanged: not many, but excellent. I remember them now, and I will remember them as long as I live, even if I live to the end of my days. I also remember the honors you showed me when you held office, by which you made me brighter in both respects. What, then, can I offer you in return? First, prayers that carry the strength of old age; second, delight in your successes. You rejoiced as you acted, covering the fields with the dead of the enemy; we rejoiced when messengers brought us news of your victories. I rejoiced not alone, but with the whole city. You could rightly repay the city for this, and you could repay it through the ambassadors it has sent, men who imitate the customs and public spirit of their fathers and grandfathers. I think you will send them back to us able to tell the city that, thanks to your goodwill and help, they sailed with a fair wind.

1. Τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, ἐν ᾗ σοι τὸ πρῶτον συνεγενόμην, καὶ τῶν λόγων τῶν οὐ πολλῶν μέν, καλῶν δὲ μέμνημαι καὶ μεμνήσομαι καὶ ζῶν κἂν τελευτήσω. μέμνημαι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἡνίκα ἐλειτούργεις τιμῶν δι’ ἀμφοῖν λαμπρότερος ὑπὸ σοῦ γεγενημένος. 2. τί οὖν ἀντὶ τούτων σοὶ παρ’ ἡμῶν; πρῶτον μὲν εὐχαὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ γήρως ἰσχὺν ἔχουσαι· δεύτερον δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ ταῖς σαῖς εὐπραξίαις ἡδονή. σὺ μὲν γὰρ ἐργαζόμενος ἔχαιρες καὶ κρύπτων τὰ πεδία τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων νεκροῖς, ἡμεῖς δὲ παρ’ ἀγγέλων ἀκούοντες τὰς νίκας. 3. ἔχαιρον δὲ οὐ μόνος, ἀλλὰ μεθ’ ὅλης τῆς πόλεως· ᾗ τούτων εἰκότως ἂν ἀποδοίης χάριν, ἀποδοίης δ’ ἂν διὰ τῶν παρ’ αὐτῆς ἀπεσταλμένων πρέσβεων, ἀνδρῶν μιμουμένων πατέρων τε καὶ πάππων ἔθη τε καὶ πολιτείαν· οὓς μοι δοκεῖς ἀποπέμψειν ἡμῖν ἔχοντας λέγειν πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ὡς παρὰ τὴν σὴν εὔνοιάν τε καὶ βοήθειαν ἐξ οὐρίων ἔπλευσαν.