Marcus Cornelius Fronto→Unknown|c. 164 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
Fronto to Aufidius Victorinus, greeting.
Antonius Aquila is a learned and eloquent man. You may say, "Have you yourself heard him declaim?" No, by Faith [a mild Roman oath, me dius Fidius], I have not heard him personally, but I have given my trust to men who affirm it of him -- men most learned, most honorable, and very dear to me, whom I know for certain both to be able to judge rightly and to give their testimony according to the true conviction of their minds.
I should wish, my lord, that you assist him, so that he may the more easily be taken on in some city of that province of yours to instruct young men in a public capacity. This I ask of you with great urgency: for I want a favor done for Aquila on account of the honor of those men who labor zealously on his behalf. They would assuredly not be so zealous for him unless they judged him worthy of such zeal; nor, unless they greatly approved his eloquence, would they so insistently demand that he be commended to you -- knowing as they do that you are a most weighty and most discerning judge, both of other matters and indeed above all of eloquence. As for me, I favor the man for the very sake of his name, that he may prove to be the best of orators [Greek: rhetoron aristos], since indeed he is called Aquila.
to Aufidius Victorinus, greeting. Antoninus Aquila is a learned man and an eloquent. But should you say, Have you heard him declaim? no, of a truth, I myself have not, but I take it in trust on the assurance of the most learned and honourable men and very dear friends of mine, who I am perfectly certain are both able to judge correctly, and bear witness to what they really think. I would wish you, honoured son, to use your influence to get him an appointment as public instructor of youth in some state within your province. I ask this earnestly of you, for I would have favour shewn to Aquila for their sake who interest themselves so diligently in his behalf, and they would surely not so interest themselves for him, did they not think him worthy of such great interest; nor unless they greatly approved of his eloquence, would they make such a point of his being recommended to you, knowing you to be a most serious and competent judge as well of other things as especially of eloquence. I however have faith in the man's very name, shewing him to be the prince of orators, since indeed he is called Aquila.
ad amicos 1.7 [176 Hout; 2.168 Haines]
Fronto Aufidio Victorino salutem.
1 Antonius Aquila vir doctus est et facundus. Quod tu dicas “Audistine eum declamantem?”, non me dius Fidius ipse audivi, sed credidi adfirmantibus id doctissimis et honestissimis et mihi carissimis viris, quos et judicare recte posse et ex animi sententia testimonium perhibere certe scio. 2 Velim, domine, ut adjuves eum, quo facilius in civitate aliqua istius provinciae publice instituendis adulescentibus adsciscatur. Impense istud a te peto: Factum enim Aquilae volo honoris eorum causa, qui pro eo studiose laborant. Nec ita ei studerent profecto, nisi dignum tanto studio arbitrarentur; nec nisi facundiam ejus magnopere probarent, tibi eum commendare tantopere postularent quom te gravissimum et prudentissimum judicem cum aliarum rerum tum vel praecipue eloquentiae sciant. Ego vero etiam nomine hominis faveo, ut sit ῥητόρων ἄριστος, quoniam quidem Aquila appellatur.
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Fronto to Aufidius Victorinus, greeting.
Antonius Aquila is a learned and eloquent man. You may say, "Have you yourself heard him declaim?" No, by Faith [a mild Roman oath, me dius Fidius], I have not heard him personally, but I have given my trust to men who affirm it of him -- men most learned, most honorable, and very dear to me, whom I know for certain both to be able to judge rightly and to give their testimony according to the true conviction of their minds.
I should wish, my lord, that you assist him, so that he may the more easily be taken on in some city of that province of yours to instruct young men in a public capacity. This I ask of you with great urgency: for I want a favor done for Aquila on account of the honor of those men who labor zealously on his behalf. They would assuredly not be so zealous for him unless they judged him worthy of such zeal; nor, unless they greatly approved his eloquence, would they so insistently demand that he be commended to you -- knowing as they do that you are a most weighty and most discerning judge, both of other matters and indeed above all of eloquence. As for me, I favor the man for the very sake of his name, that he may prove to be the best of orators [Greek: rhetoron aristos], since indeed he is called Aquila.
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 1.7 [176 Hout; 2.168 Haines] Fronto Aufidio Victorino salutem. 1 Antonius Aquila vir doctus est et facundus. Quod tu dicas “Audistine eum declamantem?”, non me dius Fidius ipse audivi, sed credidi adfirmantibus id doctissimis et honestissimis et mihi carissimis viris, quos et judicare recte posse et ex animi sententia testimonium perhibere certe scio. 2 Velim, domine, ut adjuves eum, quo facilius in civitate aliqua istius provinciae publice instituendis adulescentibus adsciscatur. Impense istud a te peto: Factum enim Aquilae volo honoris eorum causa, qui pro eo studiose laborant. Nec ita ei studerent profecto, nisi dignum tanto studio arbitrarentur; nec nisi facundiam ejus magnopere probarent, tibi eum commendare tantopere postularent quom te gravissimum et prudentissimum judicem cum aliarum rerum tum vel praecipue eloquentiae sciant. Ego vero etiam nomine hominis faveo, ut sit ῥητόρων ἄριστος, quoniam quidem Aquila appellatur.