Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume VIII/The Letters/Letter 110

To the prefect Modestus.

kindly condescending to come down to me you give me great honour and allow me great freedom; and these in like, aye and in greater, measure, I pray that your lordship may receive from our good Master during the whole of your life.&#160; I have long wanted to write to you and to receive honour at your hands, but respect for your great dignity has restrained me, and I have been careful lest I should ever seem to abuse the liberty conceded to me.&#160; Now, however, I am forced to take courage, not only by the fact of my having received permission from your incomparable excellency to write, but also by the necessity of the distressed.&#160; If, then, prayers of even the small are of any avail with the great, be moved, most excellent sir, of your good will to grant relief to a rural population now in pitiable case, and give orders that the tax of iron, paid by the inhabitants of iron-producing Taurus, may be made such as it is possible to pay.&#160; Grant this, lest they be crushed once for all, instead of being of lasting service to the state.&#160; I am sure that your admirable benevolence will see that this is done.