To Pompianus, Bishop of Emesa, for Celestinianus

I know very well that your means are small and your heart is great, and that in your case limited resources do not stand in the way of generosity. So I introduce to your holiness the admirable and excellent Celestinianus. He once enjoyed great wealth and prosperity, but now he has escaped from the hands of the barbarians with nothing but his freedom, and he has no means of living except the mercy of people like your piety. And cares crowd around him, for his wife, children and servants are traveling with him. He has brought them with him from no motive but humanity, since he cannot think it right to send them away when they refuse to leave him. [a]

I beg you, of your goodness, to make him known to our wealthy citizens. For I think that once your holiness has told them about him, and they see how quickly prosperity can fall away, they will remember our common humanity, and in imitation of your generosity will give him what help they can.