Letter 119
To Trypho
Whatever you did for Diogenes, of all that it is in your nature to
accomplish, you will have done nothing new, but will be adding another deed to those
already achieved by you. He is from Cyrene, and that city owes its continued existence to
you. But you must benefit the citizens not only collectively but also individually.
As to the matter in which Diogenes is implicated, and for which he
stands in need of friends to come to his aid, he will tell you all about this in
conversation much better than I could do in writing, for nothing could be more eloquent
than the man who has suffered. Salute Marcian the philosopher for me; I mean the
ex-governor of Paphlagonia. If he can do anything, and I fancy he can, I beg him to
prevent my relative, my very own cousin, from becoming the victim of calumniating
informers, who are the curse of the whole country. I comment him to your care with this
letter. Treat him like a son, for if we are only two brothers by blood, Euoptius and I,
nevertheless, with Diogenes, we become three by the links of affection.