Letter 7: How do you think I felt when a rumor swept through town that you were battling a dangerous — possibly catastrophic —...
To Theodorus and his Sister.
How do you think I felt when a rumor swept through town that you were battling a dangerous — possibly catastrophic — case of ophthalmia, and that you were on the verge of losing your sight? Fortunately, the story turned out to be false. Some scoundrel seized on the word "ophthalmia" and inflated it into a tragedy. May everything he said falsely about you come back on his own head. Thank God we have had better news since.
But honestly — are we supposed to read the stars to find out how you are? Or rely on whatever gossip drifts our way? We ought to have you here with us, but failing that, the least you could do is write. We could learn about your affairs from you instead of from rumor. You really do neglect us. Perhaps God wills it so.
Human translation - Livius.org
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