Letter 111: Timotheus's family risks losing an overvalued house to a creditor harsher than Fortune.

The most reverent Timotheus is called by his way of life toward quiet, but the pain of his circumstances brings necessity upon him and tells him to go to you. His father has suddenly fallen into poverty. He has many brothers, and because they are young they look to their father's hands for everything. From this have come many creditors; all but one are humane. That one attacks along with Fortune. The house that fate barely left them, though it is burdened by so many creditors, he alone claims for himself, even though its value exceeds his debt. He ought either to bring in a buyer and receive the proper share of the full price, or accept the part of the house that will make up the amount of the debt. Instead he treats the present shortage of buyers as a windfall and proves harsher than Fortune. Give your tongue as an ally to the man in need, and prepare the judge to be humane toward him. Let the man distressing him be brought under just necessity and a gentler judgment of his own: either to wait for a buyer, or to take only as much of the house as the debt requires. Then I will admire both you for your alliance and the judge for his decision.

Διοδώρωι Τὸν εὐλαβέστατον Τιμόθεον τὸ μὲν σχῆμα πρὸς ἡσυχίαν καλεῖ, τὰ δὲ τῆς τύχης λυπηρὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην ἐπάγοντα καὶ τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἰέναι κελεύει. τούτῳ γάρ ἐστι πατὴρ ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀπορῶν, ἀδελφοὶ δὲ πλήθει καὶ χρόνῳ λυποῦντες· πολλοὶ γὰρ ὄντες καὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν βραχεῖς εἰς τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς χεῖρας ὁρῶσιν. ἐντεῦθεν χρῆσται μὲν πολλοί, ἀλλὰ πλὴν ἑνὸς πάντες φιλάνθρωποι· οὗτος δὲ τῇ τύχῃ συνεπιτίθεται. ἣν γὰρ μόλις αὐτοῖς οἰκίαν ὁ δαίμων κατέλιπε, τοσούτοις χρήσταις ὑποκειμένην, ταύτην μόνος λαβεῖν ἀξιοῖ, νικῶσαν τούτου τὸ χρέος, δέον ἢ τὸν ὠνούμενον ἄγειν καὶ τοῦ παντὸς τιμήματος τὸ προσῆκον λαβεῖν, ἢ δέχεσθαι ταύτης μέρος ὃ τοῦ χρέους ἀναπληρώσει τὸ μέτρον. ὁ δὲ τὴν τῶν ὠνουμένων πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀπορίαν ἕρμαιον ἡγεῖται καὶ τῆς τύχης [ἐστὶ] πικρότερος. ἀλλὰ δίδου τῷ δεομένῳ πρὸς συμμαχίαν τὴν γλῶτταν, τὸν δικαστὴν αὐτῷ παρασκευάζων φιλάν θρωπον. ὁ δὲ λυπῶν αὐτὸν πειράσθω δικαίας ἀνάγκης καὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ γνώ μης ἡμερωτέρας, ἢ περιμένειν τὸν ὠνησόμενον ἢ τῆς οἰκίας μέρος ὅσον ἀπαιτεῖ τὸ χρέος λαβεῖν, ὅπως θαυμάσωμεν καὶ σὲ τῆς συμμαχίας καὶ τῆς ψήφου τὸν δικαστήν.