Marcus Aurelius→Marcus Cornelius Fronto|c. 143 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|To Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
Greetings, my best teacher. I know that on each person's birthday his friends undertake vows for the one whose birthday it is. But because I love you as much as myself, I want on this day, your birthday, to pray for myself. So I call upon every god anywhere among the nations who offers people present and ready power, every god who helps and has power through dreams, mysteries, medicine, or oracles. For each kind of vow I place myself in the spot from which the god equipped for that matter may hear more easily.
First I climb the citadel at Pergamum and beg Aesculapius to keep my teacher's health well balanced and strongly protected. From there I go down to Athens and, kneeling before Minerva, beg and pray that, if I ever know anything of literature, it may pass into my heart especially from Fronto's mouth. Now I return to Rome and call on the gods of roads and sea crossings, asking that every journey of mine may be accompanied by your presence, and that I not be worn out so often by such fierce longing for you. Finally, I ask all the guardian gods of all peoples, and Jupiter himself, who makes the Capitoline Hill resound, to grant us this: that I may celebrate with you, in firm health and happiness, the day on which you were born for me. Farewell, my sweetest and dearest teacher. I ask you to care for your body, so that when I come I may see you. My Lady greets you.
? 140–143 A.D. , my best of masters. 1. I knew that on everyone's birthday his friends undertake vows for him whose birthday it is. I, however, since I love you as myself, wish to offer up on this day, which is your birthday, hearty prayers for myself. I call, therefore, with my vows to hear me each one of all the Gods, who anywhere in the world provide present and prompt help for men; who anywhere give their aid and shew their power in dreams or mysteries, or healing, or oracles; and I place myself according to the nature of each vow in that spot where the god who is invested with that power may the more readily hear. 2. Therefore I now first climb the citadel of the God of Pergamum and beseech Aesculapius to bless my master's health and mightily protect it. Thence I pass on to Athens and, clasping Minerva by her knees, I entreat and pray that, if ever I know aught of letters, this knowledge may find its way into my breast from the lips of none other than Fronto. Now I return to Rome and implore with vows the gods that guard the roads and patrol the seas that in every journey of mine you may be with me, and I be not worn out with so constant, so consuming a desire for you. Lastly, I ask all the tutelary deities of all the nations, and the very grove, whose rustling fills the Capitoline Hill, to grant us this, that I may keep with you this day, on which you were born for me, with you in good health and spirits. Farewell, my sweetest and dearest of masters. I beseech you, take care of yourself, that when I come I may see you. My Lady greets you.
ad M. Caesarem 3.10 [43 Hout; 1.50 Haines]
Have mi magister optime.
1 Scio die quojusque pro eo, quojus is dies natalis est, amicos vota suscipere; ego tamen, quia te juxta ut memet ipsum amo, volo hac die, tuo natali, mihi bene precari. Deos igitur omnis, qui usquam gentium vim suam praesentem promptamque hominibus praebent, qui vel somniis vel mysteriis vel medicina vel oraculis usquam juvant atque pollent, eorum deorum unumquemque mihi votis advoco meque pro genre cujusque voti in eo loco constituo de quo deus ei rei praeditus facilius exaudiat. 2 Igitur jam primum Pergamei arcem ascendo et Aesculapio supplico, uti valetudinem magistri mei bene temperet vehementerque tueatur. Inde Athenas degredior, Minerva, genibus nixus obsecri atque oro, si quid ego numquam litterarum sciam, ut id potissimum ex Frontonis ore in pectus meum commigret. Nunc redeo Romam deosque viales et promarinos votis inploro, uti mihi omne iter tua praesentia comitatum sit, neque ego tam saepe tam saevo desiderio fatiger. Postremo omnis omnium populorum praesides deos atque ipsum Jovem, qui Capitolium montem strepit, quaeso tribuat hoc nobis, ut istum diem, quo mihi natus es, tecum firmo te laetoque concelebrem.
3 Cale, mi dulcissime et carissime magister. Rogo, corpus cura, ut quom venero videam te. Domina mea te salutat.
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Greetings, my best teacher. I know that on each person's birthday his friends undertake vows for the one whose birthday it is. But because I love you as much as myself, I want on this day, your birthday, to pray for myself. So I call upon every god anywhere among the nations who offers people present and ready power, every god who helps and has power through dreams, mysteries, medicine, or oracles. For each kind of vow I place myself in the spot from which the god equipped for that matter may hear more easily.
First I climb the citadel at Pergamum and beg Aesculapius to keep my teacher's health well balanced and strongly protected. From there I go down to Athens and, kneeling before Minerva, beg and pray that, if I ever know anything of literature, it may pass into my heart especially from Fronto's mouth. Now I return to Rome and call on the gods of roads and sea crossings, asking that every journey of mine may be accompanied by your presence, and that I not be worn out so often by such fierce longing for you. Finally, I ask all the guardian gods of all peoples, and Jupiter himself, who makes the Capitoline Hill resound, to grant us this: that I may celebrate with you, in firm health and happiness, the day on which you were born for me. Farewell, my sweetest and dearest teacher. I ask you to care for your body, so that when I come I may see you. My Lady greets you.
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 M. Caesarem 3.10 [43 Hout; 1.50 Haines] Have mi magister optime. 1 Scio die quojusque pro eo, quojus is dies natalis est, amicos vota suscipere; ego tamen, quia te juxta ut memet ipsum amo, volo hac die, tuo natali, mihi bene precari. Deos igitur omnis, qui usquam gentium vim suam praesentem promptamque hominibus praebent, qui vel somniis vel mysteriis vel medicina vel oraculis usquam juvant atque pollent, eorum deorum unumquemque mihi votis advoco meque pro genre cujusque voti in eo loco constituo de quo deus ei rei praeditus facilius exaudiat. 2 Igitur jam primum Pergamei arcem ascendo et Aesculapio supplico, uti valetudinem magistri mei bene temperet vehementerque tueatur. Inde Athenas degredior, Minerva, genibus nixus obsecri atque oro, si quid ego numquam litterarum sciam, ut id potissimum ex Frontonis ore in pectus meum commigret. Nunc redeo Romam deosque viales et promarinos votis inploro, uti mihi omne iter tua praesentia comitatum sit, neque ego tam saepe tam saevo desiderio fatiger. Postremo omnis omnium populorum praesides deos atque ipsum Jovem, qui Capitolium montem strepit, quaeso tribuat hoc nobis, ut istum diem, quo mihi natus es, tecum firmo te laetoque concelebrem. 3 Cale, mi dulcissime et carissime magister. Rogo, corpus cura, ut quom venero videam te. Domina mea te salutat.