Letter 313

313. To an assessor of the census

It is not possible to see God's dispensations from afar; rather, through faintheartedness, we men look only to what is at our feet, and often, even when we are being led to a good outcome, we are vexed—the Master, who governs all things in his own wisdom, bearing with our ignorance. For you remember, no doubt, how much we then chafed at the charge laid upon us, and how many friends we took to ourselves in order, through them, to thrust away the imposition. For that is what we called the matter.

But now you see how things stand at present. For God has given you an occasion to bring the nobility of your character into the open, and to leave for all your life thereafter the grounds of a good remembrance. For whatever these assessments may be, of such a kind, too, are the remembrances of them naturally preserved by those who come after. And since not even the Galatians, had they prayed for it, could have obtained a more humane disposition, I am fully persuaded. And I have cause to count happy not only the Galatians for your oversight, but also myself. For I too have a house in Galatia—and, with God's help, the most splendid of houses—on whose behalf, if I should obtain some help from you (and I shall obtain it, so long as friendship keeps its own power), I shall acknowledge a great debt of thanks to God.

If, then, my friendship counts for anything with your honour, be entreated to furnish some acknowledged benefit, for our sake, to the house of that most admirable magistrate, our friend Sulpicius—so as to take off something from the present assessment: best of all an amount considerable and worthy of your magnanimity (and I will add, of our intercession on behalf of those who love you); but if not, then as much as the times allow and the nature of the affairs admits. In any case, take off something, and do not leave it as it stands, so that we, out of the countless benefits we have from that good magistrate, may repay this one favour through your dignity.