Letter 9022: I would devote a long letter to the merits of our mutual friend Eusebius, if you did not already know more than I...

I would dwell at length on the merits of our mutual friend Eusebius, were it not that you already think highly of his integrity and his service. He, being now anxious about his post, after he learned that a doubt had arisen concerning it, has hastened to support his pleas by the reading of a public document, not by the assertion of words. In this matter he is also a supporter of his children, one of whom your friendship has promised to us, while good faith vouches for the other. For you remember that he was lately transferred to the Gallic school of the palace. We believe that you kept silent about this in his absence for this very reason, lest the recommendation should seem to be made out of favor. Now you will stand by the truth with greater confidence, when you have heard the pleas of one who is present. Farewell. [LVI (LIII). To Geminianus.] When Felix both declared himself a devoted member of your household and requested the kindness of my recommendation through the friends who came forward on his behalf, I did not deny his desire a friendly page; in which I first discharge the foremost duty toward you, that of conveying a greeting, and then I take up the petition I have received, which may grant the said man, if he is not yet known to you, an entrance to your patronage, or, if he is already known, an increase of it. Farewell. [LVII (LIIII). To Quintillianus.] It is my custom to lend my support to men who are well known and approved, and to consider not the persons of men but the merits of their lives. Since, therefore, our household member Asellus, in the affairs of the city [...]

Communis amici Eusebii merita longo sermone prosequerer, nisi de probitate eius atque militia plura sentires. qui nunc de loco suo anxius, postquam de eo conperit esse dubitatum, allegationes suas properavit adstmere lectione publici scripti, non ad- seitione verbomm. qui in re et fautor liberis. quorum alternm no- bis tna amicitia promisit, fides alterum pollicetur. nam dudum eum ad scholam Gal- 15 licam palatii translatum esse meministi. qnod ideo te credimus ipso absente siluisse, ne existimaretnr gratiosa esse suggestio. nunc maiore fiducia aderis veritati, cnm allegationes praesentis aud/eris. vale. LVI (Lin) . GEMINUNO. 20 Felix cnm et domus tuae cultor esse diceret et humanitatem commendationis meae amicis intervenientibus postularet, desiderio eius familiarem paginam nonnegavi; qua principe loco fungor apud te salnte dicenda, dehinc prosequor receptam petitionero, quae supradicto, si nondum tibi cognitns est, praestet clientelae aditum, si iam notus, augmentum. vale. 36 Lvn (Lim). np QVINTILLANO. Moris mei est bene cognitis adprobatisqne ferre sufifragium nec personas homi- nuni sed vitae merita cogitare. cnm igitur Asellus domesticus noster in urbanis ca-