Letter 28

TO THE SAME PONTIUS PAULINUS, A LETTER WRITTEN SOON AFTER The complaint that filled my most recent letter I had believed might be able to bend you, Paulinus, and that my coaxing rebuke might draw out your voice. But you, as though, devoted by sworn rites, you were bound to a deep silence, persist in your law of saying nothing. Is it not permitted? Or are you ashamed that, by a father's right, a friend should still be living for you, and that you should remain his obligated heir? Let such fear harry cowards; but for you let there be no dread, and boldly hold to the custom of greeting sent and greeting received. Or, if a betrayer presses upon you, or some inquisitor's too-heavy censure threatens to put an end to it, meet it with ingenuity, by which hidden things are so often covered over. She whom the savage license of the Thracian king had once made tongueless gave out her laments through woven threads and entrusted the tale of the crime to the silent loom. [Philomela, mutilated by Tereus, who wove her story into a tapestry.] And a bashful maiden committed her own love to an apple, nor did she blush, complicit with a fruit that would tell no tales. [The apple inscribed by Acontius for Cydippe.] To pits dug deep in the ground a servant confided his royal master's defect, and the most faithful earth long covered it over: then a reed, breathed upon by the wind, sang it out. [Midas's ass-ears, betrayed by reeds grown over the hole.] Cut your characters into milk: as it dries the paper will hold them forever unseen; the writing will be brought out by ashes [sprinkled on the page]. Or imitate the Spartan scytale, inscribing strips of Pergamene parchment, wound around a smooth-turned rod, in one continuous line; then, once unwound, it will yield characters that do not match up, scattered out of order, until it is folded back around a rod of the very same kind. [The scytale was a Spartan cipher staff.] I could display countless forms of concealment and unlock the secret modes of speech of the ancients: if you fear, Paulinus, to be betrayed, and dread the charge of being my friend, let your Tanaquil not know of this. [Tanaquil, the masterful wife of Tarquinius Priscus; here, playfully, Paulinus's wife Therasia.] Scorn the others if you will, but do not disdain to address your father in words. I am your foster-father and that teacher of yours, the first to bestow on you the honors of old, the first who led you into the company of the Aonides. [The Muses, dwelling on Mount Helicon in Aonia.]

WRITTEN JUST AFTER THE PRECEDING I hoped that the complaint which filled my latest letter might be able to move thee, Paulinus, and that my caressing reproof might lure thee to reply. But thou, as if after swearing by holy things thou wast vowed to keep deep silenee, abidest obstinately by the rule of speechlessness.1 Is it not allowed? Or art thou ashamed to have a friend still alive who claims a father's rights, whilst thou remainest the dependent heir? Let cowards quake with such dread, but have thou no fear, and boldly keep the custom of giving and returning greeting. Or if an informer is beside thee, and if 'tis an inquisitor's2 too stern rebuke is feared, baffle it with a device whereby secrets are oft eoncealed. She whom the brutal outrage of the Thracian king had robbed of her tongue, revealed her sorrows by means of woven threads and committed the story of her wrongs to the silent loom.3 Also a shamefast maid entrusted the tale of her love to an apple,4 and blushed not to share her secret with fruit which could never speak. To deep-dug pits a servant revealed his royal lord's deformity,5 and long the earth hid the secret most faithfully: thereafter the reed, breathed on by the wind, sang the story. Trace letters with milk: the paper as it dries will keep them ever invisible; yet with ashes the writing is brought to light.6 Or imitate the Spartan scytale, writing on strips of parchment wound about a rounded stick in continuous lines, which, afterwards unrolled, will show characters incoherent because sequence is lost, until they are rolled again about just such another stick.1 I can show thee countless codes of the ancients for concealing and unlocking secret messages 2; it thou, Paulinus, fearest to be betrayed and dread'st the charge of my friendship, let thy Tanaquil 3 know naught of it. Do thou scorn others, but disdain not to address thy father. I am thy nourisher, thy old tutor, the first to lavish on thee the honours of old time,4 the first to introduce thee into the guild of the Aonides.

AD EUNDEM PONTIUM PAULINUM EPISTULA SUBINDE SCRIPTA PROXIMA quae nostrae fuerat querimonia chartae, credideram quod te, Pauline, inflectere posset eliceretque tuam blanda obiurgatio vocem. set tu, iuratis velut alta silentia sacris devotus teneas, perstas in lege tacendi. non licet? anne pudet, si quis tibi iure paterno vivat amicus adhuc maneasque obnoxius heres? ignavos agitet talis timor, at tibi nullus sit metus et morem missae acceptaeque salutis audacter retine, vel si tibi proditor instat aut quaesitoris gravior censura finietur, occurre ingenio, quo saepe occulta teguntur. Thraeicii quondam quam saeva licentia regis fecerat elinguem, per licia texta querellas edidit et tacitis mandavit crimina telis. et pudibunda suos malo commisit amores virgo nec erubuit tacituro conscia pomo. depressis scrobibus vitium regale minister credidit idque diu texit fidissima tellus: inspirata dehinc vento cantavit harundo. lacte incide notas: arescens charta tenebit semper inaspicuas; prodentur scripta favillis. vel Laccdaemoniam scytalen imitare, libelli segmina Pergamei tereti circumdata ligno perpetuo inscribens versu, «pii deinde solutus, non respondentes sparso dabit ordine formas, donec consimilis ligni replicetur in orbem. Innumcras possum celandi ostendere formas et clandestinas veterum reserare loquellas: si prodi, Pauline, times nostraeque vereris crimen amicitiae; Tanaquil tua nesciat istud, tu contemne alios nec dedignare parentem adfari verbis, ego sum tuus altor ei ille praeceptor, primus veterum largitor honorum, primus in Aonidum qui te collegia duxi.