LETTER LXXXVIII.
A FRIENDLY letter of commendation of Priscus.
AMBROSE TO ATTICUS.
1. YOU entrusted my friend Priscus with a letter, which he delivered to me, and I now give mine in turn to Priscus. Continue to love Priscus, as you do, and even more than before; this I advise, because I also value my Priscus highly. For I feel towards him that ancient love, which from our childhood upwards has grown together with our years; but it is long since I saw him before, so that not only in name but from so long an interval of time he came to me as truly Priscus.
Farewell: love me your lover, for I also love you.
LETTER LXXXIX.
A BRIEF acknowledgement of letters.
AMBROSE TO ALYPIUS.
1. ANTIOCHUS, a man of consular rank, delivered to me your Excellency’s letter; nor did I neglect to reply to it; for I sent you a letter by my own messenger, and another occasion having offered, I sent, if I mistake not, a second. But since the offices of friendship are rather, I think, to be added to than balanced; it became my duty, especially on his return who had laid upon me such a debt of obligation by your letters, to make some return in the way of my own correspondence, that so I might stand clear with both of you, and he with you, bound as he was to bring you back what he had brought from you.