Letter 5037: I would not have you judge the character of the man I am recommending by the standards of the others who handle...

I would not have you weigh the character of this man whom I recommend by the conduct of the others who handle the senatorial census assessments. For he was born in no middling station, nor of the lowest condition, but is one who guards the honorable distinction of his birth with a sense of decency. And therefore I have not thought it unbecoming to support with the testimony of a letter a man well known to me, nor ought your singular nobility to harbor any doubt about your affection for one whom it sees approved with our endorsement. And indeed these things have been said sufficiently on behalf of Ammonius; but as for myself, I ought not to keep silent about my longing for conversation with you, the craving for which the rarity of your writings has all the more vehemently aroused. Farewell.

Nolo ex moribus ceterorum, qui census senatorios tractant, etiam huius ingenium, quem commendo, perpendas. est enim non mediocri loco aut infima sorte progenitus, 30 sed honestatem natalium pudore custodiens. atque ideo nec ego indecorum putavi bene cognitum prosequi testimonio litterarum , nec singularis generositas tua debet de eius amore dubitare, quem videt nobis adstipulantibus adprobari. et haec quidem pro Ammonio satis dicta sunt, ipse autem desiderium sermonis tui silere non debeo, cuius adpetentiam scriptorum tuorum raritas vehementius excitavit. v ius (/*) porfyriae P, porphiriae F, porflriae Af 5 acolumnam V, om, M 6 sutelis] lureH^, tatelis PVM inueteraU] M, inuetera PV ira P quatitnr F, quaeritur M 8 po88/////nis P prodest V mescere P 1 m. 16 porfyriae P, porphiriae V, porphyriae Qusebius M postumius M tri meo F, om. M spercino P 21 curas sensuum quam V 22 conferendis F debui erit /taque P, debuerit itaque F, debuerim itaque M 24 existimatione VM 25 «q* auf. symmachi. uo. ex/licit ad felicem incipit eiusdem ad saUustium P, explicit ad felicem incipit ad salustium F, om. V 27 om. VF 28 censos P 1 m. ///atorios P 29 mediocre V inflrma P, inflrma F, informa V 30 nec ego] non F 33 Ammonia] ammonitione F 34 ad paenitentiam V 18* 1 40 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE LVI (Lini) a. 401.