Letter 1

Symmachus to Ausonius. The writings of your learning brought me pure delight, which I received while staying at Capua. For there was in them a wit steeped in Tullian honey [the honeyed style of Cicero, Marcus Tullius Cicero], and a praise of my own discourse that was not so much true as flattering. And so, uncertain of my judgment, I waver as to which I should admire the more: the ornaments of your speech or of your heart. For you so surpass all others in eloquence that I am afraid to write back; and you so kindly approve my work that it is a pleasure not to keep silent. If I should proclaim more about you, I shall seem to be scratching you in return, and to be more an imitator of your address than an approver of it; and at the same time, since you yourself do nothing for the sake of display, there is reason to fear lest I praise the qualities that are genuinely good in you as though they were affected. Yet this one thing learn from me as undoubted truth: that there is no mortal whom I cherish above you; so have you held me bound by an honorable love. But in this you seem to me excessively modest, in that you accuse me of being the betrayer of your little book. For it is easier to press down glowing embers in one's mouth than to keep the secret of a brilliant work. Once the poem has set out from you, you have laid aside all your rights: a speech once made public is a free thing. Or do you fear the poisons of a rival reader, lest your little book be scorched by the bite of a hard tooth? You alone, up to this point, have had favor grant you nothing and envy take nothing away; whether anyone be perverse or honest, you are praiseworthy in their despite. Therefore from now on shut out your empty fears and indulge your pen, so that you may often be betrayed. At the very least, assign to my name too some didactic or hortatory poem. Make trial of my silence -- which, though I long to display it to you, I nevertheless do not dare to promise; for I know well what an itch there is to blurt out a work that one admires. For in a certain way he who is first to utter another's well-spoken words lays claim to a partnership in the praise. For this reason, in comedies the writers have indeed won the glory only in a general way, yet to Roscius and Ambivius [Lucius Ambivius Turpio, the famous actor-manager who produced Terence's plays] and the other actors fame was not lacking. Therefore spend your leisure on such a task, and sustain my hunger with new volumes; but if, in your flight from boastfulness, you dread a talkative judge, you too grant me silence, so that I may safely pretend that what you have written is mine. Farewell.

Your learned pages, which I received while staving at Capua, brought me sheer delight. For there was in them a certain gaiety overlaid with honey from Tully's hive, and some eulogy on my discourse Mattering rather than deserved. And so I am at a loss to decide which to admire the more—the graces of your diction or of your disposition. Indeed you so far surpass all others in eloquence that I fear to write in reply; you so generously approve my essays that I am glad not to keep silence. If I say more in your praise. I shall seem to be scratching your back and to be copying more than complimenting your address to me. Moreover, since you do nothing consciously for the sake of display, I must beware of praising your natural good qualities as though they were studied. This one thing, however, I must tell you as an absolute fact—that there is no man alive whom I love more than you, so deeply pledged in honest affection have you always held me. But in this I think you are excessively modest, that you complain of me for playing traitor to your book. For it is easier to hold hot coals in one's mouth than to keep the secret of a brilliant work. Once you have let a poem out of your hands, you have renounced all your rights: a speech delivered is common property. Or do you fear the venom of some jealous reader, and that your book may smart from the snap of his rude fangs? You are the one man who up to now has owed nothing to partiality, lost nothing through jealousy. Involuntarily everyone, perverse or honest, finds you admirable. Therefore banish henceforth your groundless fears, and let your pen run on so that you may often be betrayed. At any rate assign some didactic or hortatory poem to my name also. Run the risk of my keeping silence; and though I desire to give you proof of it, yet I dare not guarantee it. Well I know how I itch to give voice to your work when you are so popular. For somehow he secures a partnership in the glory who first pronounces another's neat phrases. That is why in comedy authors have won but slight renown, while Roscius, Ambivius,1 and the other players have had no lack of fame. So spend your leisure in such occupation and relieve my famine with fresh books. But if in your Hight from vainglory you dread a chattering informer, do you also guarantee me your silence, that I may safely pretend that what you have written is mine! Farewell.

SYMMACHUS AUSONIO MERUM mihi gaudium eruditionis tuae scripta tribuerunt, quae Capuae Iocatus accepi, erat quippe in his oblita Tulliano melle festivitas et sermonis mei non tam vera, quam blanda laudatio, quid igitur magis mirer, sententiae incertus addubito, ornamenta oris an pectoris tui. quippe ita facundia antistas ceteris, ut sit formido rescribere: ita benigne nostra conprobas, ut libeat non tacere, si plura de te praedicem, videbor mutuum scabere et magis imitator tui esse adloquii quam probator, simul quod ipse nihil ostentandi gratia facis, verendum est genuina in te bona tamquam adfectata laudare, unum hoc tamen a nobis indubitata veritate cognosce, neminem esse mortalium quem prae te diligam; sic vadatum me honorabili amore tenuisti. Set in eo mihi verecundus nimio plus videre, quod libelli tui arguis proditorem, nam facilius est ardentes favillas ore comprimere quam luculenti operis servare secretum. eum semel a te profectum carmen est, ius omne posuisti: oratio publicata res libera est. an vereris aemuli venena lectoris. Ne libellus tuus admorsu duri dentis uratur? tibi uni ad hoc locorum nihil gratia praestitit aut dempsit invidia, ingratis scaevo cuique proboque laudabilis es. proinde cassas dehinc seelude formidines et indulge stilo, ut saepe prodaris. certe aliquod didascalicum seu protrepticum nostro quoque nomini carmen adiudica. fac periculum silentii mei, quod etsi tibi exhibere opto, tamen spondere non audeo, novi ego. quae sit prurigo emuttiendi operis, quod probaris, nam quodam pacto societatem laudis adfectat, qui aliena bene dicta primus enuntiat. Ea propter in comoediis summatim quidem gloriam scriptores tulerunt, Roscio tamen atque Ambivio ceterisque actoribus fama non defuit. Ergo tali negotio expcnde otium tuum et novis voluminibus ieiunia nostra sustenta, quod si iactantiae fugax garrulum iudicem pertimescis, praesta etiam tu silentium mihi, ut tuto simulem nostra esse, quae scripseris, vale.