1. YOU have obtained a harmless victory, enjoying the security of
victory without the bitterness of entreaty; for Rufinus from being
Master of the Offices[235], has been made in his consulate a Prætorian
Præfect. By this he has acquired more power for himself, but to you
he can be hurtful no longer, for he is become the Præfect of another
district. I greatly rejoice both with him, as a friend, in having thus
received an increase of honour, and at the same time a relief from
odium, and also with you, as a son. And this, because you are delivered
from him whom you deemed would be too rigid a judge to you, so that if
you shall have arranged your business with your grand-daughter, it will
have arisen from your affection, not from fear.
2. Exert yourself, therefore, to obtain an adjustment, both the hope
and profit of which are now greater: the hope, because the father of
your grand-daughter, who promised himself much from the sentence of
Rufinus, has no longer anything to hope from him; for Rufinus is now
concerned about other things, and neglects the past, or has laid it
aside together with the office which he then held; the father now looks
rather to the merits of his cause, than to a patron of his sentiments;
the fruit too of an adjustment will be sweeter, for the credit of it
must be ascribed to yourself; for you might have scorned it, and have
not done so, regarding the pious claims of kindred, rather than the
angry suggestions of injury.
Farewell: love me as a son, for I love you as a parent.
LETTER LIII.
A.D. 392.
S. AMBROSE here writes to Theodosius to express his grief at
the death of Valentinian II, and mentions the preparations
made for his burial. S. Ambrose spoke his funeral oration,
which is extant, and is full of expressions of deep attachment.
Valentinian had been slain by Arbogastes, who put Eugenius on
the throne.