Letter

Name: Letter
Author: Procopius of Gaza

Epistula

Procopius of Gaza (c. 465/475–c. 528 AD) · PG 87

Procopius of Gaza wrote this letter. He was a Christian rhetorician associated with the School of Gaza, and a collection of his letters survives, addressed to friends, persons of rank, and literary opponents.

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Contents4 passages

1Praise of a letter as rational spring and music
2Praise of the wonderful letter
3Procopius likens himself to the Lydians
4Do not make me write out the grief of silence

Author

Procopius of Gaza (c. 465/475–c. 528 AD) — Teacher of rhetoric at Gaza around 500 and a leading Christian scholar of that school. He gathered earlier writers' comments into running commentaries on the Old Testament, and he wrote letters and a reply to the pagan philosopher Proclus.

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About this text

A short thank-you letter from Procopius of Gaza praising a friend's letter as a spring of words and asking him not to fall silent.

The letter responds to an unnamed correspondent whose letter delighted Procopius. He writes to thank the sender and to urge that person not to leave him in silence.

Procopius praises the letter as bringing a rational spring and a musical sound in place of swallows. He admires its wording, thought, harmony, and author, and compares himself to the Lydians, who observed spring only when Dionysus happened to be present. Anticipating that the recipient may laugh and call him a sophist, he insists he cannot help admiring what is beautiful and asks not to be made to represent in writing the grief that comes from silence.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 87 (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.

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Praise of a letter as rational spring and music§1

Procopius opens his letter by thanking the recipient for a letter that has delighted him, and he will go on to defend his enthusiastic praise and ask the recipient not to stay silent.

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1You have done well indeed with your wonderful letter. It has brought us a rational spring, and in place of swallows it sounds something very musical. I am as one transported by pleasure, admiring everything: the wording, the thought, the harmony, the writer. And I suddenly think I am a Lydian, imitating the Lydians, who, devoted to Dionysus, observed spring only when Dionysus happened to be present among them. But perhaps you will laugh at this, since sophistry plainly blooms in it, and perhaps you will call me a sophist as a reproach. Yet I am not able not to admire beautiful things; even if you keep silence, my good friend, we speak the opposite. But do not, while I seek, give me the task of representing in writing the grief that comes from silence.

Greek · §1

The Greek is on each section page: §1

Praise of the wonderful letter§2

Procopius is opening his letter by thanking the recipient for a letter that has delighted him.

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2Well indeed for you, for your wonderful letter! It has brought upon us a rational spring, and in place of swallows it sounds something very musical. I am as one inspired by pleasure, admiring everything: the wording, the thought, the harmony, the writer.

Greek · §2

The Greek is on each section page: §2

Procopius likens himself to the Lydians§3

Procopius is praising the recipient's letter and now compares his own reaction to the Lydians' devotion to Dionysus.

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3And I suddenly think I have become a Lydian, imitating the Lydians, who were devoted to Dionysus and observed spring only when Dionysus happened to be present among them.

Greek · §3

The Greek is on each section page: §3

Do not make me write out the grief of silence§4

Procopius is closing his letter, anticipating that the recipient may mock his praise as sophistry and asking him not to force him to put the pain of silence into writing.

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4But perhaps you will laugh at this, since sheer sophistry blooms all over it, and you might even call me a sophist as a reproach. Yet I am not able not to admire beautiful things. Even if you fall silent, best of men, we speak opposite things. But do not give me trouble, as I seek to present in writing the grief that comes from silence.

Greek · §4

The Greek is on each section page: §4

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