Letter 147

147. To Aburgius

I used to think the tale of Homer a fable, when I went through that part of his poetry in which he relates the sufferings of Odysseus. But the misfortune that has befallen the most excellent Maximus has taught us to consider as credible even those things, until now mythical and quite incredible. For he too became governor of a nation by no means the least, just as that man was general of the Cephallenians. And as the one came home stripped, though he had carried off much wealth, so this man too his calamity has so reduced that he is in danger of being seen by those at home in another man's rags. And he has suffered these things, having perhaps provoked the Laestrygonians against himself, and having fallen in with a Scylla in woman's form possessing a dog's inhumanity and savagery. Since, then, it has scarcely been granted him to swim through this inescapable surge, he supplicates you through us, asking you to respect our common nature, and, grieving at his undeserved misfortunes, not to hide his case in silence, but to make it known to those in power, so that, best of all, some help may come to him against the contrived injury; or, if not, that at least the purpose of the one who insolently wronged him may be made public. For it is sufficient comfort to the wronged man that the wickedness of those who plotted against him be brought to light.