149 (377). To Trajan
LETTERS
that the victim has a most pitiable lot, since the very fact of his having fallen into evils sent by God seems somehow to furnish a proof that he has been handed over to afflictions.
But, it is a sufficient consolation for him in his troubles for you to look upon him with kindly eye and to extend to him that very helpful favor, which, although many enjoy, they are not able to exhaust-I mean the favor of your clemency. And we are also all positively convinced that in the courts your support will be a great means toward victory for him. Moreover, this man, who has requested our letter on the ground that it will be of some use to him, is himself the most righteous of all men. May we see him among the rest praising your
Dignity with all the strength of his voice.
149. To Trajan 1 You yourself have seen with your own eyes the misery of the formerly renowned but now most pitiable Maximus, who was governor of our country. Would that he had not been!
For, I think that the government of the peoples will be shunned by many, if governorships are likely to come to such an end. So, why should we report separately each thing which we have seen and which we have heard to a man who is able by the keenness of his intellect to infer from a few incidents what has been omitted? But, at least in saying this, I shall perhaps not appear to you to speak overmuch-that, although there were many horrible outrages committed against him before your arrival, those perpetrated after that were of such a nature as to cause the former ones to be considered kindly deeds. Such excessive insolence and loss of goods and bodily
I The MSS. assign this letter to the Trajan of the preceding letter. It also was written in 373.