Letter 21

21. To Leontius the sophist

The worthy Julian seems to share something of the common state in his own affairs as well. For he too is dunned and severely charged, since everything now is full of dunnings and charges. Only that what is in arrears with him is not contributions, but letters. And yet whence he has fallen behind I do not know; for he always gave a letter and received one. Unless perhaps with you too that much-talked-of quadruple penalty is held in higher honour. For not even the Pythagoreans honoured the tetrad so much as those who now collect the public revenues honour the quadruple. And yet perhaps the opposite would be reasonable: that you, being a sophist and well supplied with so many words, should be the one liable to pay us the fourfold. And do not think that we write this out of vexation. For I rejoice even in your reproaches, since they say that to the good all things come with the addition of the good, so that even griefs and angers become them. At any rate one would more gladly see the man he loves angry, than another man fawning. So never cease bringing such charges. For these very charges will be letters, and to me no sound is more precious, nor brings greater pleasure.