Praise of the wonderful letter

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

Well 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

Epistula (e cod. Barocc. gr. 131)

Εὖ γέ σοι τῆς θαυμασίας ἐπιστολῆς· ὡς ἔαρος ἡμῖν προσέβαλε λογικοῦ, καὶ μουσικόν

τι λίαν ἀντὶ τῶν χελιδόνων ἠχεῖ. ὡς ἔνθους εἰμί τις ὑφ' ἡδονῆς, πάντα θαυμάζων,

τὴν λέξιν, τὸν νοῦν, τὴν ἁρμονίαν, τὸν γράψαντα.

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.

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.

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.