Letter 8010: The public interest is well served by your elevation to higher office, and I offer my congratulations — briefly, so...

[...end of a preceding letter...] let yourself be moved by the example. Since, then, I have fulfilled my part of religious observance, I wait for you likewise to discharge your share of the exchange. [The remainder of the page is lost: the second column of the page has been cut away.] [Editorial apparatus, recording manuscript variants:] From here onward what you received has perished. The other column of the page has been cut away. "et" before "stili" omitted in F; "etiam" in F2; "suadait" in F2; "quoque" before "munia" inserted by F2; "quaeso" in F; "cogites" in F, "quaeras" in F2 and F3; "parte" in F by the first hand; "assiduitate" in F, "assiduam" in F; "quae" omitted in F by the first hand; "promittit" in F, "permittit" in F; "rariutis" in F; "uale" omitted in F. [Subscription:] Quintus Aurelius Symmachus. [Page 226: THE LETTERS OF SYMMACHUS] XXXVII. TO CHRYSOCOMAS. Having lately returned to my own household, even now I look back upon you in mind and thought, and that whole delightfulness which, in your presence, I used hitherto to draw from your conversation, [...] I make up for with the pleasure [of remembering it]. And if a mutual concern answers to mine in return, then, since the act of writing has already bestowed upon me so great a favor of friendship conveyed, how much more will it confer when that friendship is returned! XXXVIII. TO ROMULUS. The welfare of our shared pledge [the child dear to us both] is safe, and his studies, entrusted to my anxious care, are making good progress. Be also free of worry about my own health, and, in exchange for such news, discharge your concern for me with like replies. XXXIX. TO DYNAMIUS. You cannot complain of my silence, you who have so far granted me nothing in writing. But if you are waiting for a like prompting of the pen, take the example of a dutiful office of devotion, which you ought to emulate. I shall thereafter be more ready to exercise my pen, if you enliven me with the fruit of an exchanged conversation. XL.

provoceris exemplo. cum igitur ego partes religionis inpleverim, expecto, ut ipse etiam vicissitudinis solutione fungaris. n inde ab accepisti periit P eolumna altera paginae abacisa et rP stili om. F» etiem F^ 25 suadaiit F2 26 qnoqne ante mnnia inser. F2 qiiaeso F^ cogites] F*, qnaeras F2.3 27 parte F^ 1 m. assidnitate F^, assidnam F^ quae om, F^ 1 m. promittit] /7, permittit F rariUtis F^ uale om. F^ Q. ATRELrys Stmmaouts. 29 226 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE xxxvn. n CHRYSOCOMAE. Proxime penatibus meis redditus etiam nunc te mente et cogitatione respicio at- que omnem illam iucunditatem , quam coram de sermone tuo hucusque capiebam . . . . . . voluptate conpenso. cui si rautua cura responderit, cum tantam mihi delata ami- 5 citiae scriptio gratiam tribuat, quanto amplius relata praestabitl XXXVIII. AD ROMVLVM. Salus pignoris communis in tuto est, cuius studia sollicitudini meae delegata proficient. meae quoque valetudinis esto securus et ad \icem talium nuntiorum cu- to ram de te meam similibus absolve responsis. xxxvnn. AD DYNA^flVM. Queri de silentio meo n^jn potes, qui nihil scriptorum mihi hucusque tribuisti. sed si simile stili opperiris auspicium , sume exemplum religiosi officii , quod debeas 1 5 aemulari. ero deinceps ad exercendum stilum promptior, si me fructu mutui sermonis animaveris. m xxxx.