Letter 1017: I'd nearly resigned myself to writing you a brief, empty letter — there was nothing worth reporting, and when...

It had almost come about that we should speak with you in compressed brevity, since things worth recording were lacking, and when matters fall short there is no profit in indulging in words; but the declamation of Palladius our rhetorician opportunely enlarged my page. That it had won the approval of the foremost men of letters ought not to be concealed from you. And so, since such a report befitted both my duty and your zeal, scarcely had the gathering broken up, and while the hearing had not yet been winnowed in my ears, that I dictated, with judgment still warm, the assurance of what I myself had heard. The discourse [logos] of our guest from the Athenaeum stirred the Latin assembly by the art of its division, the abundance of its inventions, the weight of its thoughts, the clarity of its words. I speak my own opinion: he is as upright in his oratory as in his character. Then our countrymen, who among themselves often dissent about other matters, held a concordant judgment over the praise of this man. I plainly believe, and the trust is not empty, that this is the lineage of rhetoricians; for a kind full of talent is recognized. It is not countenance alone or complexion that claims descendants to the honor of their parents: nature has surer titles of possession. Heirs of right thinking and right speaking are begotten, not enrolled by writing. What others are taught, this man was born to. These things, my lord, I did not think should be kept silent before you, both because in my love for you I hold nothing of weight, and because in turn I never repent of how much I am esteemed by you, and because I wished it done for Palladius, lest honorable things lie hidden in the telling. Take care that you keep well, and since the means of writing is at hand for you, apply the will to it. Farewell.

Paene evenerat, ut tecnm snccincta brevitate loqneremnr, qnoniam deerant digna memoratn et in defectn remm nihil operae est indnlgere verbis, sed tempestive Palladii 25 rhetoris nostri declamatio anxit paginam meam. ea conplacita summatibns litteramm clam te esse non debnit. itaqne cnm et meo officio et tuo stndio talis relatio con- veniret, vix solnto coetn necdum eventilatam auribns nostris anditionis meae fidem 2 indicio calente dictavi. movit Xoyoc Athenaei hospitis Latiare concilinm divisionis arte, inventionnm copia, gravitate sensnum, Ince verbomm. opinione mea dico : tam probus 30 est oratione qnam moribus. tunc nostrates viri, qui inter se aliamm remm saepe praeterUbitur (iV) me quaeso istius libelli F 4 amusoteros A, amasos VF iudicare] A, di- adicare VF{II} pottem] VFA^^ possim A^ 5 utique 8uie ael moribas plarimam F iproaita V 10 Melone] F^, nilo AfT frigidiorem poH Tanai eoUoe, U scytico VA\ scytbio A^ 11 populari] /ure^tM, popalari tiberi ^4^, popali tiberi A^, popalari facino VF^ papalari fucino (/V) red- disti ii^ masellae (r\2>), mosollae AS^ moseUeo (i7) meata V 12 magna] multa F vX A certo om, A poemata ementaris (/\P) amnioorum] [r)FA^^ amicorum A^V $ed superter, amnico- ram A^ 1 m, 13 qaam nomiiiibus] A, qaae nominibas F, qaae non minas V aaria tam] A^ (t in rai,), uariaU VFA^ ut] et F 14 distanti A^ 15 atqain A praetorio] VUF^r), praetio A», precio A^ 16 etsui subiecta A^ istad genus F dependi A^ 17 nati tunt in Ubro F prestet A adiungam V 19 inberere A^ quoque] qaidem F 20 trabatar F offensi^ parcas F, offentit parcas F(/\P) 23 Symmacbut Ausonio] (//), om, VM 24 penes nenerat V(rfi) 26 ea] VM^ quae (/7) botpes (/7) 30 tensaum grauitate (//) dissentinnt, concordem sententiam super huius laude tenuerunt. credo plane, nec fides VMJI cassa est, rhetorum hanc esse prosapiam; nam [plenum] ingenio genus noscitur. non solus vultus aut colos adserit posteros in honorem parentum: certiores habet natura vindicias. bene sentiendi ac bene loquendi gignuntur non scribuntur heredes. quod & alii docentur, hic natus est. haec apud te, mi domine, silenda non credidi, et quod 3 prae tui amore nihil habeo pensi, et quod vicissim, quanti a te fiam, numquam me paenitet, ei quod Palladio factum yoIo, ne lateant honesta prolatu. cura ut valeas, et quia tibi facultas scribendi praesto est, adhibe voluntatem. vale. XVI (X) a. 376—377.