Letter 302.9

To my Lord Aurelius Verus Augustus. I have been worn down by a long illness, unusually severe, and battered besides by sorrows of the heaviest kind, almost without respite, for within a very few months I lost both a most beloved wife and a three-year-old grandson. Yet, struck down as I was by the greater part of these afflictions, I confess I felt somewhat relieved when I learned that you remembered me and had wished for certain things of mine. I have therefore sent what my lord your brother, prompted by your letter, judged ought to be sent. I have added besides the speech on behalf of Demostratus; but when I first laid it before your brother, I learned from him that Asclepiodotus, who is rebuked in that speech, was not disapproved of by you. As soon as I discovered this, I dearly wished I could destroy it. What then, what then, I say, will you decide? That Asclepiodotus, since he is approved by you, should become a most close friend to me as well, just as, by Hercules, Herodes [Herodes Atticus, the famed Greek orator] is now the dearest of my friends, even though the speech [against him] survives. Furthermore, your brother urged upon me, at great pains, the very thing that I myself am far more eager to undertake; and as soon as you have sent the notes, I shall set about it with the fullest resources of my goodwill. As for my ability to do it, you yourself will see to that, since it was you who judged me equal to the task.

To my Lord Verus Augustus. Worn out as I am with long-continued and more than usually distressing ill-health, and afflicted besides with the most distressing and almost uninterrupted sorrows, for in a very few months I have lost both the dearest of wives and a three-year-old grandson —though thus prostrated by these accumulated evils, I confess that I was nevertheless not a little cheered to learn that you had not forgotten me and wished for something of mine. I therefore send what my Lord your brother, acting upon your letter, has decided should be sent. I have added besides the speech for Demostratus, but on submitting this to your brother I learnt from him that Asclepiodotus, though he is taken to task in that speech, is not thought ill of by you. As soon as I was aware of this I was myself anxious to suppress the speech, but it had already been circulated too widely to be called in. What then? What then, I say, is best so be done, except that Asclepiodotus, since he has earned your approbation, should become to me also a very dear friend, just as by heaven Herodes and I are now on the best of terms, in spite of the speech being published. Besides your brother earnestly discussed with me what I am still more earnestly anxious to take in hand and, as soon as you send me your memoranda, I will take the task in hand with the best will in the world: for as to my qualifications, you who have judged me capable of it must see to that yourself.

ad Verum Imp. 1.8 [113 Hout; 2.232 Haines] Domino Aurelio Vero Augusto. 1 Fatigatum me valetudine diutina et praeter solitum gravi ac gravissimis etiam luctibus paene continuis adflictum (nam in paucissimis mensibus et uxorem carissimam et nepotem trimulum amisi), sed his plerisque me malis perculsum, relevatum aliquantum fateor quod te meminisse nostri et quaedam nostra desiderasse cognovi. Misi igitur, quae dominus meus frater tuus litteris tuis admonitus mittenda censuit. Adjunxi praeterea orationem pro Demostrata, quam cum fratri tuo primum obtuli, didici ex eo Asclepiodotum, qui oratione ista compelletur, a te non improbarei. Quod ego ubi comperi, cupivi equidem abolere possem. Quid igitur, quid igitur, inquam, probabis? Asclepiodotum, cum a te probetur, mihi quoque fieri amicissimum, tam hercule quam est Herodes summus nunc meus, quamquam extet oratio. 2 Egit praeterea mecum frater tuus inpense id, quod ego multo inpensius adgredi cupio et, ubi primum commentarium miseris, adgrediar ex summis voluntatis opibus; nam de facultate tute videbis, qui me idoneum censuisti.