Letter 7062: ...may he carry back your lasting affection and a greeting in return.

[...] your perpetual affection, and may it bring back to me a salutation in return. CIII (113). A.D. 398-399. To Petronius and Patruinus. I hope that you receive this greeting whole in vigor and glad in prosperous circumstances. It will be delivered, moreover, by an excellent man, Desiderius, on whom his pure life confers the greatest praise; this page of mine, a witness to my service, is destined to report back to me a great deal of good, if it draws you in large measure into friendship with the man who delivers it. For I do not think I must strive to make you deign to reply, given your affection. This is the one concern of my prayer: that he, being commended, may secure your favor and return as a praiser of your kindnesses, whose usefulness will redound to his advantage, and the gratification of it to my own feeling. CIIII (114). A.D. 399. To Petronius and Patruinus. I see that the honor of my son Flavianus has lain in abeyance up to now for this reason, that a better witness might come to it. He had fallen into a favor granted by the tyrant, being one who ought rather to be reserved for the judgment of good times, and the loss of the prefecture was of service to him, because it changed the author of the grant. What words, then, will match so great a gift? Join with us, I beg, in rendering thanks to that most exalted man. For since we are each one overcome by the magnitude of the matter, there is need of many praisers, so that a numerous gift may fulfill the burden of the debt. And indeed the lord of my heart, from whom this kindness proceeded, gathers the measure of his deed not from the words of another but from the joy of his own conscience, nor is he unaware that the things he bestows are such as to surpass the hope of any repayment. We, nonetheless, will repay the turn of his favor with the loyalty of friendship and observance, and we give the affections of this matter as pledges, with which children make satisfaction to the authors of their light [i.e., their parents]. For in pious bonds affection suffices. CV (115). A.D. 399. To Patruinus. The modesty of my words cannot be equal to rendering thanks to the most excellent man, the count of the sacred largesses [comes sacrarum largitionum]. Upon you, therefore, I lay this charge: that concerning the granted travel-warrants [evectiones] in support of the praetorian function you set forth more fully before him the disposition of my mind, and that at the same time you deign to strive that a swift crossing to the Spains be obtained for the men who have been sent on the business. For the time of the praetorian function is approaching, and I fear that the slow purchase and tedious conveyance of the chariot-horses may be hemmed in by anxious straits. Concerning this too I have entreated the sublime man and most preeminent count, confident of obtaining it. I have added besides a reminder, of which you will deign to be the supporter: that, if the petition does not seem troublesome, he attend my household members with letters given to the most powerful of the Spaniards. Enough has been said. If the conversation of my friends should suggest anything else to your ears, I beg that you not be unwilling to take it up into the care of your holy and most faithful heart. CVI. A.D. 399.

10 petuum amorem vestrum, mihi mutuam reportet salutationem. CIII (Cn) a. 398—399. AD PETRONIVM ET PATRVINVM. PVM Opto ut hanc salutationem vigoris integer et prosperis laetus accipias. tradetur autem per optimum virum Desiderium, cui maximam laudem pura vita conciliat, testis 15 haec officii mei pagina relatura ad me plurimum boni, si te plurimum in amicitiam tradentis adtraxerit. nam ut respondere digneris, enitendum mihi prae tuo amore non arbitror. haec una voti mei cura est, ut tuum favorem commendatus adquirat redeatque laudator beneficiorum tuorum, quorum utilitas ad illius commodum, ad meum sensum gratulatio redundabit. 20 CIIII (Cni) a. 399. AD PETRONIVM ET PATRVINVM. Video Flaviani filii mei honorem propterea hucusque iacuisse, ut ei testis melior leveniret. inciderat in tyranni beneficium iudicio bonorum temporum reservandus, et VMTI praestitit illi amissio praefecturae, quod mutavit auctorem. quae igitur verba tantum 25 mnnns aequabunt? coniungite , oro , vos nobis ad referendas praecelso viro gratias. nam cum sin|guli vincamur rei magnitudine, opus est laudatoribus multis, ut nume- PVM Tosnm munus impleat onus debiti. et sane dominus pectoris mei, a quo profectum 2 est beneficium, non ex alterius verbis sed ex gaudio conscientiae mensuram facti sni 1 hls PVM 2 ualere VM 3 suspitatis V sub hac imcriptione eonfusae repertuntur episttUae partim ad Petronium, parthn ad Patruinwn, partim ad utrumque pratrem datae; prima ad utrumque pertinere videtur 6 percognitis VF 8 internos P, inter nos My in nos V^ om, F 9 sibi reduxit F 12 om, VM; epiat. non ad fratrem uirumque^ aed ad unum iantum seripta eat 14 per] pro P 1 m. 17 adquirlt P 1 m, inde ab melior non aervata aunt in P nisi haec: 23 flcium iu . . . uandus sed pre . . . 24 fecturae quod mutai . . . igitur — tantum m&n ... 25 ciungite — nobis a . . . das praecelso — gratias n ... 26 guli uincamur usque ad finem 23 et] ego^ sed PVM 24 amisi K, amisso n praefecturaeque mu- tauit V, prefecturae qoae immntauit M 25 munus] man// P 1 m. 26 uincamus V magni- tudinem V, magnitud/// P uumerosnm] eyo, numerum V, //meru P 1 m., //meri P 3 m. (/7), numerus M 20G SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE PVM colligit nec ignorat, talia esse, quae praestat, ut vincat spem solutioms. nos tamen gratiae vicem fide amicitiae et observantiae rependemus damusque huins rei animos obsides, quibus satisfaciunt liberi lucis auctoribus. piis enim contractibus amor sufficit. CV a. 399. 5 PVMF AD PATRVmVM. Agendis d. m. comiti excellentissimo viro gratiis par esse non potest mediocritas VMF Iverborum meorum. tibi igitur hoc munus iniungo , ut de impetratis evectionibus in adminiculum praetoriae functionis habitum mentis meae apud eum plenius exequaris simulque digneris eniti, ut in rem missis celer ad Hispanias transitus impetretur. 10 PVMF adpetit enim tempus praetoriae functionis, | metusque est mihi, ne equorum curulium 2 tarda emptio et morosa deductio sollicitis artetur angustiis. de hoc etiam sublimem virum et praecellentissimum comitem securus impetrationis oravi. adieci praeterea commonitionem , cuius suffragator esse dignaberis, ut si molesta petitio non videtur, familiares meos datis ad potissimos Hispanorum litteris prosequatur. satis dictum est. i& si quid aliud tuis auribus amicorum meorum sermo suggesserit, oro, ut in curam sancti et fidissimi pectoris tui recipere non graveris. CVI a. 399.