Letter 8003: I'm glad my recommendation wasn't doubted, and I count it as a personal credit that Auxentius — a fine young man and...

[Letter XVI, conclusion] I am gratified that no doubt was cast upon my testimony, and that Auxentius, our son, a most excellent young man, has been received into your household; I reckon this to my own credit. On this account our friendship draws together into the closer bonds of trust. Longer acquaintance will establish that, when you have come to know the many good qualities in him, you will confess my endorsement of his merit to have fallen short of the bounds of the truth. 2 [The remainder of this letter survives in manuscript P only in these fragmentary words:] ... pollodorus [Apollodorus?] ... a report which ... you from ... care ... if ... I shall be to you ... longing ... of divinity ... there that ... return ... ... your ... they will furnish. BOOK VIII. XVII. TO RUFINUS. The provincial proceeding having run its course, which by a necessary appeal came before the examiner of the sacred court of audience, I was delighted by your good faith and diligence, and I attributed the favorable outcome of the case not to any ignorance on the part of the defense counsel but to the will of the judge. I urge you, therefore, to hold confidence in my friendship, and, content for now with the support of my testimony, to defend with the service of your forensic skill our house, which is barked at by many wrongs. As we declare our gratitude with plain and simple address of our own accord, so we will strive to be equal to returning the favor, should fortune assist. XVIII. TO PATRUINUS. You are astonished that I am in the country. But I am more justly amazed that you, scorning the leisure of the countryside, have returned to our common homeland - except that a renewed lawsuit brought you the occasion of your return. Otherwise, such is your mind, desirous of quiet, that it would prefer to linger among rustic affairs. To me, suffering from an ailment of the feet, the suburban situation is a solace rather than a pleasure. My spirit, made gloomy by sickness, admits no enjoyment. But I hope, if the divine powers regard innocence, both that you will be freed from forensic attendance and that I shall be healed by the restoration of my health. Welcome and easy will be either my return to Rome, or your excursion to the country place in which I am now lodging. XIX. TO PATRUINUS. I prefer you yourself rather than the soothings of words; you, on the contrary, redeem the delays of absence with letters. What if the abundance of the harvest had answered expectation, or the richness of the vintage had smiled? You would be spending the changes of all the seasons in the leisure of the countryside - you who, with famine lording it over the fields, give no thought to your homeland. Or do you take delight in the fowling on your estate alone, a share of which you have bestowed on me? But these enticements of the palate too you could enjoy abundantly, settled at Rome. For at one and the same time both the things bought from the delicacy market and the things brought from your suburban estate would be at your disposal. What of the fact that you even pretended your wife to be afflicted with sickness? If you speak truly, solitude does not suit her health. The more so since the means of health are at Rome, [where there is] a greater number of physicians. See, then, that you do not incur another kind of suspicion, if you have worn down with empty seclusion and unsafe banishment a wife besieged by sickness. XX. [after the year 374.] [*** opening lost ***] Above the other changes of the seasons I delight in summer: not because the longer course of the sun prolongs the daytime hours, nor because our affairs and accounts grow richer with the new produce, but because, navigation being peaceful, frequent traffic brings me your longed-for letters. For what can be furnished either more delightful to the pleasure of the mind or more suited to the duty of friendship than that I should experience you, who love me, by the practice of frequent conversation? Therefore, while the season of the year invites, while the sea is passable, let certain fodder and nourishments of our mutual affection be heaped up, as it were, against the winter. When I was writing this, my health was at my disposal as I would wish, aided no doubt by your prayers. For I think that for no other reason do my wishes succeed than by the favor and love of Carthage. XXI. [year 399.] TO LUCILLUS. I mistakenly supposed you to be indulging in leisure; but you in fact exercise your mind with reading and your body with labor. This your writings and gifts show - the ones engraved by the pen, the others obtained by the hunt. As for me, the Flaminian Way must be traversed to attend the new fasces of my high-born son the consul, who has been summoned. O, if only your return might forestall the preparations for my departure! I would believe myself aided with a most ample provision for the journey. But because we are separated by a long road, and neither delay is convenient for me nor haste for you, our page shall perform the office of my words. With the favor of the divine powers first invoked, the urban tribunal will soon receive my praetor Symmachus. I desire that his festivities be attended by the most influential of his friends, among whom you are numbered. Grant this favor to one who will be far away on those same days. The more welcome is that which is offered to the absent. XXII. TO ANDRONICUS. In your mouth dwells the Cecropian [Athenian, Greek] Muse; mine is the tongue of Latium - do not expect equal gifts of my pen. In letters we are surpassed, in affection we contend. But I should rightly write back these things, had you sent me a single letter only; you, however, as you are devoted to your friends, have brought into our library the riches of your poems. What worthy return shall I render you for this, I who am myself slight in eloquence and poor in talent? I shall hand over to public admiration the things you have sent to be read, and, though an unequal praiser, I shall make public this good thing of our age. Nothing will be taken away by this from the glory of your work; for we know that Homer too is proclaimed by men unlike himself. Indeed, the renown of great men would lack celebrity, if it were not content even with lesser witnesses. But why do I draw out these matters at greater length, when your modesty demands brevity? Take care that you keep well, and, if you add anything by your pen, share it with a critic of middling judgment but a not ungrateful reader. XXIII. [year 396.] [text breaks off]

Gratum habeo de testimonio meo non esse dubitatum, receptumque esse in fami- liam tuam Auxentium filium nostrum lectissimum iuvenem in meo aere duco. quo 25 nomine amicitia nostra in artiora fidei iura convenit. praestabit usus longior, ut cum in eo bona plura cognoveris, adstipulationem meam de merito eins infra terminos veritatis stetisse fatearis. 2 supersunt huiiis epistulae in P haee: . . . pollodoru 3 . . . fama quae te ab . . . orfs — cura 4 . . . uit si — ero tibi . . . tor — desidera 5 . . . io — diuinitatis . . . ibi ut — reditns 6 . . . nndet — tna . . . a prestabunt 3 praeuenisse me] ego^ preuenisse V, peruenisse (/7) ^] Py o^' ^ ^ oum fllio] (77), //////io P, dum V est] (/7), sit V sentiae luretus sanciantur P 1 m. ' 14 ut aupplet 2 m. in spatio vacuo P li» religatis P 1 m. 20 his P doctissimum P^ meo aere] uota mea F^ 26 nomine] negotio F^ in artiora] maiora F^ et ante praestabit inser, F^-^, etlam inser. F^ 27 plura bona F^ intra terminos Latinus Latinhu add, F\ ulramque epistulam coniungunt F^'^ LIBER VUI. 219 XVII. AD BVFINVM. P Provinciali actione decursa, quae ad sacri auditorii cognitorem necessaria provo- catione pervenit, delectatuB sum fide ac diligentia tua et fortunam negotii non de- 5 fensoris inscientiae sed voto iudicis inputavi. hortor igitur, ut amicitiae meae fidu- ciam geras et testimonii interim nostri adstipulatione contentus domum nostram. quae multis circumlatratur iniuriis, forensis industriae tuearis officio. nos ut sponte gra- tiam nudo et simplici protestamur adloquio, ita ad referendam vicissitudinem , si fors iuverit, pares esse nitemur. 10 XVIII. AD PATRVINVM. In agro me esse miraris. at ego iustius stupeo ad communem te patriam spreto ruris otio revertisse, nisi quod causam | tibi reditus iterata lis adtulit. alioquin, ut TI est mens tua quietis cupida, mallet negotiis rusticis inmorari. mihi suburbanitas pe- 15 dum aegritudine laboranti magis solacio quam voluptati est. nuUam incunditatem tristis morbo sensus admittit. sed spero , si innocentiam divina respiciunt , et te fo- rensi observatione cariturum et me valetudinis reconciliatione sanandum. gratus et facilis erit aut mihi Komam reditus, aut tibi ad agrum, in quo nunc diversor, ex- cursus. 20 xvim. AD PATRVINVM. F Ipsum te malo quam delenimenta verboi*um; tu contra epistulis absentiae moras redimis. quid si respondisset opimitas segetis aut vindemiae adrisisset ubertas? om- nium temporum vices in otio ruris exigeres, qui patriam fame in agris dominante 25 non respicis. an solo iuvaris aucupio, cuius me parte donasti? sed his quoque gulae inlecebris Romae positus largiter utereris. nam simul tibi et coempta ex foro cupe- dinario et ex suburbano tuo perlata suppeterent. quid quod etiam iactari morbo ma- 2 tronam tuam simuIasV cuius valetudini, si vera praedicas, solitudo non conpetit. plura 13 vnde a voee causam non supersuni in P nisi hnec : 15 bo . . . ti es . . . 10 bo sen . . . centia . . . 17 si obseru . . . tudinis r . . . gratus et fa . , . 18 reditO aut tibi . . . diuersor excur ... 14 toa] (/"j, tuae (77) 16 morbi (77), ///bo P 18 mihi] Lectius, In (77) contra . . . tiae moras redimqu ... 23 disset — segite . . . mie — oberta ... 24 porii — ruris . . . pa- triam — dom . . . 25 ii — iuuaris . . . cuius — sed . . . gul^ . — largiter . . . p. 220, 2 . . . do . . . iugem ipsom autem de F^ tu contra] P, tuorum F 23 redimqu// P 1 m. quodsi F^ opor- tunitas F^ segite/ P risisset F^ 24 exigeres] 77, ageres F^-S, agens F^ patriam famej PF^, patriae famam F<.2 dominantem F» 25 an] PF3, aut F'.2 ioniaris F^ cuios — 26 otereris om, F^ 1 m. in ante his inser, F^ quoque] quo F3 26 uteris F' simol tibi] simulac F^ cupidenario F^, cupe denario F^ 27 ex om. F^ tua F^ quid quod etiam iactari morbo] 77, quin etiam morbo iactari F^, qoa et morbo lactari F^, qoamquam morbo iac- tari Fi 28 famulas F2 28* 220 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE F enim Romae salubritatis instrumenta snnt , maiof' medentium numerus. vide igitur, ne aliud genus suspicionis ineurras, si obsessam a morbo coniugem vacuo secessu et intuta ablegatione maceraveris. XX post a. 374. PF #•»***♦«* 5 Prae ceteris temporum vicibus aestate delector: non quod diumas horas longior solis meta producit, VLQque quod res rationesque nostrae nova fruge ditescunt, sed quod pacata navigatione desideratas mihi litteras tuas frequens invehit commeatus. quid enim vel animi voluptate iucundius vel ad officium amicitiae adcommodatius 2 praestari potest, quam ut te mei amantem usu crebri sermonis experiar? ergo dum lo anni tempus invit^t, dum pervium mare est, pabula quaedam et nutrimenta mutuae adfectionis veluti in hiemem congerantur. cum haec scriberem , salus mihi ex sen- tentia suppetebat, tuis videlicet adiuta votis. neqne enim nobis alia de causa arbi- tror optata succedere quam iudicio et amore Carthaginis. XXI a. 399. 15 LVCILLO. Indulgere te otio opinionis falsus putabam ; tu vero animum lectione, labore cor- pus exerces. hoc indicant scripta et munera tua stilo exsculpta et parta venatu.. mihi Flaminia emetienda est ad novos fasces generosi consnlis evocato. o si reditus tuus 2 antecaperet profectionis meae molitiones ! iuvari me amplissinio viatico crederem. sed 20 quia multo itinere discemimur et neque mihi mora neque properatio tibi commoda est, .tyerbis meis pagina nostra fungetur. praefata numinum venia praetorem Sym- machnm menm mox urbanum tribunal accipiet. festa eius frequentari a potissimis amicorum, quibus adnumeraris, exopto. da istam gratiam procul afuturo iisdem die- bus. gratius est, quod defertur absentibus. 25 diotina ablegatione F^-^^ diutina abnegatione F^ uale add. Fi*2 delector non quia diurnas (//), de/////////////7/7/na8 P 7 solis meU] F, periU m P producit] F».«, producat F^, ptriit m P neque quod] ego^ ne quod P, nec quod F nostrae noua fruge] f, /////////////uge P 8 quod om, F^ placaU nauigatione ^»-2, pa//////////tione P, placida nauiga- tione F3 litteras tuasj F, lit///////// P 9 quid enimj ///////m P, quid enim mibi FU«, quid raihi F3 uel om, F2 l m. uoluntate F».2 iucundius uelj F, //////////fl P accomo- dantius F2, ///////datus P 2 m, 10 ut te mei amantemj F*.3^ ut te me amanteui F^, /// ////mantem P experiarj F, /xp///// P II annum F2, animum F* perhiemale cst F» quadam P 1 m. karUginis F^, cantatiB F3 uale add. Fi.2 19 flaminiae metienda PF^, flamine metienda F^, familie metienda F3 est om. F3 nouas fa- ces F*.2 euocato o si add. P 1 m. in apatio ante vacuo relicto, o si F*, .03. o si F3, quod si F^ 22 fort, uerbi uices pagina nostraj Fi>2^ ««««*««*«« nfa P, pagina F3 * uenia praetorem] ue- tita precatione F3 syminachum P, simachum F\ siuiaticum F3 23 meum moxjmorum F^ eius] mihi F2 a om. F 24 amicorum om. F^ annumeraueris F^, om. F3 hisdem P, hisdem Pi, isdem F2, hiisdem F3 25 quod] quem F2 / m. diflfertur F2 uale add, F>.2 LIBER Vlll. 221 xxn. AD ANDRONICVM. PF In tuo ore veraat Musa Cecropia, mihi lingua Latiaris est, ne desideraveris ae- qna stili mei munera. litteris vincimur, amore certamus. sed haec merito rescri- 5 berem , si mihi solam epistulam detulisses ; tu vero , ut es diligens amicorum , biblio- thecae nostrae carminum tuorum divitias intulisti. quid tibi pro hoc dignum repen- dam tenuis ipse facundiae et pauper ingenii? tradam publicae admirationi, quae legenda misisti, et quamquam laudator inpar bonum saeculi publicabo. nihil ex hoc 2 derogabitur operis tui gloriae; nam et Homerum novimus a dissimilibus praedicari. 10 careret quippe fama magnorum virorum celebritate, si etiam minoribus testibus con- tenta non esset. sed quid haec longius traho, cum brevitatem verecundia tua postulet? cura, ut valeas, et si quid stilo adieceris, cum mediocri iudice sed non ingrato lec- tore participa. XXni a. 396.