CHAPTERX
16。IfoundhimatRome，andhewasboundtomewiththestrongestpossibleties，andhewentwithmetoMilan，inorderthathemightnotbeseparatedfromme，andalsothathemightobtainsomelawpractice，forwhichhehadqualifiedwithaviewtopleasinghisparentsmorethanhimself。Hehadalreadysatthreetimesasassessor，showinganintegritythatseemedstrangetomanyothers，thoughhethoughtthemstrangewhocouldprefergoldtointegrity。Hischaracterhadalsobeentested，notonlybythebaitofcovetousness，butbythespuroffear。AtRomehewasassessortothesecretaryoftheItalianTreasury。Therewasatthattimeaverypowerfulsenatortowhosefavorsmanywereindebted，andofwhommanystoodinfear。Inhisusualhighhandedwayhedemandedtohaveafavorgrantedhimthatwasforbiddenbythelaws。ThisAlypiusresisted。Abribewaspromised，buthescorneditwithallhisheart。Threatswereemployed，buthetrampledthemunderfoot——sothatallmenmarveledatsorareaspirit，whichneithercovetedthefriendshipnorfearedtheenmityofamanatoncesopowerfulandsowidelyknownforhisgreatresourcesofhelpinghisfriendsanddoingharmtohisenemies。
EventheofficialwhosecounselorAlypiuswas——althoughhewasunwillingthatthefavorshouldbegranted——wouldnotopenlyrefusetherequest，butpassedtheresponsibilityontoAlypius，allegingthathewouldnotpermithimtogivehisassent。Andthetruthwasthatevenifthejudgehadagreed，Alypiuswouldhavesimplyleftthecourt。
Therewasonematter，however，whichappealedtohisloveoflearning，inwhichhewasverynearlyledastray。Hefoundoutthathemighthavebookscopiedforhimselfatpraetorianrates[i。e。，atpublicexpense]。Buthissenseofjusticeprevailed，andhechangedhismindforthebetter，thinkingthattherulethatforbadehimwasstillmoreprofitablethantheprivilegethathisofficewouldhaveallowedhim。Thesearelittlethings，but”hethatisfaithfulinalittlematterisfaithfulalsoinagreatone。”[164]NorcanthatpossiblybevoidwhichwasutteredbythemouthofThytruth:”If，therefore，youhavenotbeenfaithfulintheunrighteousmammon，whowillcommittoyourtrustthetrueriches？Andifyouhavenotbeenfaithfulinthatwhichisanotherman’s，whoshallgiveyouthatwhichisyourown？”[165]
SuchamanwasAlypius，whoclungtomeatthattimeandwhowaveredinhispurpose，justasIdid，astowhatcourseoflifetofollow。