Marcus Cornelius Fronto→Unknown|c. 162 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
Fronto to Claudius Julianus, greeting.
1. Somehow it comes about that all the provincials say [...], and that you do many things even more laboriously than the matter itself demands: the records of the hearings, the letters, and finally everything that pertains to the province. These will be a help to you, and, vying with one another, they will comply unfailingly with your wishes and counsels. You will allow them to discharge their offices promptly, and you will treat the provincials in keeping with their dignity, so that the saying of the old Attic writers proves true: "that it belongs to the same man both to play and to be in earnest" [the Greek maxim that one and the same person can be both light-hearted and serious]. By this saying of our teacher Valerianus you will give offense to the wicked and bring protection to the good [...]. Again he says: "and it is necessary to play as well" [...] who practice the priesthood, and I was applying myself, shut away, neither concealed; nor was our friend Valerianus able to see me.
2. I desire to be loved by our lords the emperors for no other reason than this: that they may love you too as a partner sharing in my body and my mind; and, on account of their goodness, you may be as certain as I am that it will be so.
3. When I was writing to you, I was a little better in health. Even now, however, I was at that time still sick from my very long illness, which, against [my] care, [...] equally [...] handled me badly. I read it aloud in the Senate [...] enough [...] that I should repeat it, since it was being asked for.
4. See to it, my dear Naucellius, that you take care of your health, so that you may come to us in strength. The gods will grant that you find me, too, somewhat more robust.
5. Our friend Valerianus has reported to you the great blows that he received from everyone [...]. I treated him more roughly than Stratonabias or Paralius; a linen coverlet, carved [embroidered] for me, which my brothers [...].
to Claudius Julianus, greeting. I know not how it comes to pass . . . . all the provincials say; to do many things also more laboriously than the case itself requires: memoranda of the trials, lastly all letters which relate to the province. They will assist you . . . . that you should diligently perform all your duties . . . . treat the provincials with respect, that the saying of the classic ancients may be verified, that the same man can be both sportive and strenuous. Valerianus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; nor was our friend Valerianus able to see me. I desire not to be loved by our Lords the Emperors on any other terms than that you too the partner of my body and mind should be included in their love: and such is their good nature I feel sure that this will be so. While writing to you, I feel a little better. I am still indeed at this time after my most protracted ill-health, which in spite of care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . roughly handled, I delivered in the Senate . . . . was asked to repeat it. Be sure, my Naucellius, to take care of your health, that you may be strong when you come to us. Please God you will find me too a little stronger. Our friend Valerianus has told you the great blows, which from all (quarters) . . . . I have treated him more firmly than Stratonabia or Pyrallus. A linen covering . . . . . . . .
ad amicos 1.20 [182 Hout; 2.92 Haines]
Fronto Claudio Juliano salutem.
1 Nescio quo pacto fit omnes provinciales loqui multa etiam laboriosus facere te quam ipsa res postulat: Acta cognitionum, epistulas omnis denique ad provinciam adtinentes. Te juvabunt tuisque optatis consiliis certantes obsequerentur adsidue: Propere munera obire permittes, pro honore provinciales tractare, ut verum sit quod Attici veteres dixerunt: “τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἶναι καὶ παίζειν καὶ σπουδάζειν”. Hoc Valeriani magistri dicto offenderis malos, defenderis bonos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iterum ait: “καὶ παίζειν ἀναγκαῖον” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . qui exercent sacerdotium neque obtecta studebam conclusus nec me Valerianus noster videre potuit.
2 A dominis nostris imperatoribus non propter aliud adamari me opto quam, ut te quoque participem mei corporis et animi diligant, et propter bonitatem tam certus tu fueris, quam ego sum, ita fore.
3 Quom tibi scriberem, paulo commodius valebam. Adhuc quoque aeger eo tempore eram ex longissima mea valetudine, quam contra curam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aeque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . male mulcavit, recitavi in senatu satis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . repeterem, postularetur. 4 Fac, mi Naucelli, valetudinis tuae curam agas, ut fortis ad nos venias. Di praestabunt, ut me quoque forticulum invenias. 5 Valerianus noster magnas ad te plagas rettulit, quas ab omnibus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gravius eum tractavi quam Stratonabian aut Paralium; stragula mihi linea sculpta quae germani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
◆
Fronto to Claudius Julianus, greeting.
1. Somehow it comes about that all the provincials say [...], and that you do many things even more laboriously than the matter itself demands: the records of the hearings, the letters, and finally everything that pertains to the province. These will be a help to you, and, vying with one another, they will comply unfailingly with your wishes and counsels. You will allow them to discharge their offices promptly, and you will treat the provincials in keeping with their dignity, so that the saying of the old Attic writers proves true: "that it belongs to the same man both to play and to be in earnest" [the Greek maxim that one and the same person can be both light-hearted and serious]. By this saying of our teacher Valerianus you will give offense to the wicked and bring protection to the good [...]. Again he says: "and it is necessary to play as well" [...] who practice the priesthood, and I was applying myself, shut away, neither concealed; nor was our friend Valerianus able to see me.
2. I desire to be loved by our lords the emperors for no other reason than this: that they may love you too as a partner sharing in my body and my mind; and, on account of their goodness, you may be as certain as I am that it will be so.
3. When I was writing to you, I was a little better in health. Even now, however, I was at that time still sick from my very long illness, which, against [my] care, [...] equally [...] handled me badly. I read it aloud in the Senate [...] enough [...] that I should repeat it, since it was being asked for.
4. See to it, my dear Naucellius, that you take care of your health, so that you may come to us in strength. The gods will grant that you find me, too, somewhat more robust.
5. Our friend Valerianus has reported to you the great blows that he received from everyone [...]. I treated him more roughly than Stratonabias or Paralius; a linen coverlet, carved [embroidered] for me, which my brothers [...].
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ad amicos 1.20 [182 Hout; 2.92 Haines] Fronto Claudio Juliano salutem. 1 Nescio quo pacto fit omnes provinciales loqui multa etiam laboriosus facere te quam ipsa res postulat: Acta cognitionum, epistulas omnis denique ad provinciam adtinentes. Te juvabunt tuisque optatis consiliis certantes obsequerentur adsidue: Propere munera obire permittes, pro honore provinciales tractare, ut verum sit quod Attici veteres dixerunt: “τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἶναι καὶ παίζειν καὶ σπουδάζειν”. Hoc Valeriani magistri dicto offenderis malos, defenderis bonos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iterum ait: “καὶ παίζειν ἀναγκαῖον” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . qui exercent sacerdotium neque obtecta studebam conclusus nec me Valerianus noster videre potuit. 2 A dominis nostris imperatoribus non propter aliud adamari me opto quam, ut te quoque participem mei corporis et animi diligant, et propter bonitatem tam certus tu fueris, quam ego sum, ita fore. 3 Quom tibi scriberem, paulo commodius valebam. Adhuc quoque aeger eo tempore eram ex longissima mea valetudine, quam contra curam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aeque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . male mulcavit, recitavi in senatu satis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . repeterem, postularetur. 4 Fac, mi Naucelli, valetudinis tuae curam agas, ut fortis ad nos venias. Di praestabunt, ut me quoque forticulum invenias. 5 Valerianus noster magnas ad te plagas rettulit, quas ab omnibus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gravius eum tractavi quam Stratonabian aut Paralium; stragula mihi linea sculpta quae germani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .