Letter 5058: On the eighth day, after struggling through many difficulties on the road, I finally greeted my home.

On the eighth day at last, having struggled through the many difficulties of the journey, I greeted my ancestral hearth. Straightaway, as friendship demanded, the recollection of your commissions came upon me. For at my departure you had charged me to inquire by faithful investigation into the qualifications of those most excellent young men, Titianus and Helpidius. Concerning them their teacher, a prudent man and incapable of flattery, has assured me that there is in them a knowledge of the law fully suited to every use of judicial and forensic duty. Now it is for you to call forward these excellent young men, whose talent, already prepared for military service or for public honors, ought no longer to be put off by delay.

30 Octavo demum die multa^ eluctatus itineris difficultates larem patrium salutavi. continuo, ut amicitia postulabat, convenit me recordatio mandatorum tuorum. nam 2 comeantis P 1 m. t3 «q* aar. symmavbi. uc. explic ad olybrium et probinum •▼• incip etusdem ad licinium P, om. VM; epi' stulae ad LUinium ct ad LimefUum [cf. 29 etp. 146, 7) ita confusae sunt, ut discemi nequeant 15 om. VM urbem F digrederer] F/T, digrederetur P 29 Symmacbus Limenio (aie)] P, om. VM 30 multas eluctatus] Gruterf multa reluctatus PK, re- luctatus multa M difftcultate^ P, difflcultate VM patrium corr. ex patruum P 31 conuenit] VM{II), periit in P tuorum] VM(IT), periit in P Q. AVABUVS Stmmachvs. 19 146 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE PVM discedenti negotium lectissimoruni iuvenum Titiani atque Helpidi fida ex- ploratione disquirerem. quorum mihi praeceptor vir prudens et nescius gratificationis adseruit, esse in illis scientiam iuris idoneam nimis in omnes usus iudiciarii et forensis officii. nunc tuum est optimos iuvenes advocare, quorum indolem miiitiae vel hono- ribus iam paratam non debet ulterius procrastinare cunctatio. s LXXV (LXXIII; .