Letter 121: Nephalius's gifts matter less than the friendly intention behind them.

Long ago you let loose anger against me in your letter; now by kindness you have surpassed my hopes. To correct what came before and console a man persuaded he has been wronged in friendship: is that not the mark of a wise mind that knows how to heal what causes pain? Only one thing in your letter grieved me: if you think I have suffered so much that I needed gifts to change my mind, as Agamemnon once did with the Thessalian soldier. Still, I received the gifts gladly, admiring not them so much as the intention of the sender. Let the bearer of this letter, who needs your goodwill, receive it in the matters where his request will not trouble you.

Νηφαλίωι Ὅσον ἡμῖν πάλαι τὸν θυμὸν ἐπαφῆκας τοῖς γράμμασι, τοσοῦτον νῦν χρηστότητι τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐλπίδας ἐνίκησας. τὸ γὰρ διορθοῦσθαι τὰ φθάσαντα καὶ παραμυθεῖσθαι τὸν εἰς φιλίαν ἀδικεῖσθαι πειθόμενον πῶς οὐ σοφοῦ τὴν γνώμην ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὸ λυποῦν θεραπεύειν εἰδότος; ἕν με μόνον τῶν ὑμετέρων ἠνίασεν, εἰ τοσοῦτον ἐμὲ πεπονθέναι δοκεῖς, ὡς καὶ δώρων δεῖσθαι μεταβαλλόντων τὴν γνώμην, ὥς που καὶ Ἀγαμέμνων τὸν Θετταλὸν στρατιώτην. πλὴν καὶ τὰ δῶρα δέδεγμαι προθύμως, οὐ ταῦτα ζηλώσας μᾶλλον ἢ τὴν τοῦ πεπομφότος προαίρεσιν. ὁ δὲ φέρων τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐνοίας δεόμενος τυγχανέτω ταύτης ἐν οἷς αἰτῶν οὐ λυπεῖ.