Letter 9031: ...bears will shortly be brought from overseas.

[136 (XIIII.X)] ...bears will shortly be brought across from regions beyond the sea; assign suitable safeguards for them, so that this further service may be added to your earlier good offices. Farewell. [136a (XIIII.X), continued] We are delighted by your diligence and by the vigor of your judgment; but the want, or rather the destitution, of the town council of Formiae cannot endure even a remedy. For just as bodies afflicted by long-standing illness cannot bear harsher medicine, so the harshness of an excessive correction is extinguished by a council weakened in numbers and in poverty. Gladly, therefore, accept the counsel of a parent, who does not defend the council's fault but asks for moderation in its correction. Account must be taken of the public revenues, and the restoration of the summer bath-house must be weighed against the resources of the commonwealth, so that, if anything is left over after the other expenses, it may be applied to the cost of the work; more generous time must also be granted for the restoration, lest a hasty repair detract anything from its solidity. Nothing is taken away from your glory by this delay; for the fault of the old curia does not reach the present judge. I could string together more, but since the consideration of all matters thrives in your wisdom, I refrain from being more long-winded, content with a single admonition: that good men must take great care to ensure that your arrival brings relief rather than burden to councils that are already exhausted. [137 (XV.XI), A.D. 399–400] If we were seeking a new favor concerning the procuring of bears, a longer roundabout approach would have to be employed; but since promises are being claimed again, it is fitting that you be reminded rather than entreated. This, then, is the sum of my letter: that you not find it burdensome to assist with your support my men, to whom we have already entrusted the purchase of the wild beasts, so that our show, which under God's auspices we shall hasten on behalf of my son, may be furnished by your help and at my expense. Farewell. [138 (XVI)] Suessa is the homeland of honorable citizens, so that I may rightly say that even men of the smallest fortune there are to be reckoned free of plebeian vices. I wish you therefore to believe that no one from that city would have advanced to the clamor of the forum, had not bitter oppression compelled it. Of that oppression my letter will not speak; for the public voice will support their grief more forcefully than a private one could have. They desire only to obtain through me an easy access to a hearing; but whatever must be hastened for the despoiled and the harassed, your favor and the standard of the laws will provide. Farewell. [LIBER IX (X)] [138a (XVII.XII)] The pleas of the people of Suessa are commended to you by the public magistrate, to me by private compassion; and so the aid of judicial vigor is sought from you, and words are sought from me. I therefore discharge my part, and in a friendly way I ask you that, having heard the lamentations of the unfortunate, you may be moved toward that side which is friend to justice and to compassion. Farewell. [139 (XVIII.XIII)] My first reason for writing is that I may show you the honor of a greeting; the second, that I may approach your modesty, which I have found commendable, with a just petition. For very many of the household of my house, having slipped away in flight, are lurking in those places that have been entrusted to you. These men, when you have heard the pleas of my agent, I beg you to restore; for it befits your character both to show regard for our friendship and to deny refuge to slavish worthlessness. Farewell. [140 (XVIIII.XIIII), A.D. 400–401] After I received your letter from the Sicilian strait, roused to the care of reciprocity, I report that my health is improving, and I wish that yours may be sufficient; thereafter I give a reminder about the equipment for our show, although a scrupulous mind requires no other monitor. But above the other things which the Roman spectacles require, the theatrical performance demands crocodiles. Concerning these I hold your faithful pledge, whose fulfillment will follow easily, if the exertion of your support, applied personally to the matter, assists those sent for it. Farewell. [141 (XX), A.D. 400–401] The trustworthiness of the messengers asserts that several bears from Dalmatia are shortly to come for the equipment of our house, and we ought, even at private expense, to provide for their conveyance by arranging vehicles. Your diligence, proven by experience, promises me the accomplishment of this concern. I beg you, therefore, that you take up this responsibility at once [...]. [142 (CXXIIII.CXIIII)] ...the document, that the account was settled. For as to the other matters which you indicate followed afterward, I suppose they arose against his own will, and we ought to hope that in the rest he will prove such an arbiter as the first hearing showed him to you. I, however, for the encouragement of justice, which I judge ought to be granted to your merits, have sent a friendly letter, which, if reason demands, you will cause to come into his hands; for the circumstances of the times do not permit any other kind of remedy to be applied. But I wish you to know—and of your own accord, for the sake of our friendship, you ought to recognize—that my concern for you does not require a prompter, but that nothing more can be done than that our petition should win for you the goodwill of the arbiter. [143 (CXXV.CXV), A.D. 398–400] We are preparing praetorian games, whose adornment requires exotic animals, so that the Roman show may shine with novel display. I earnestly desire, therefore, that antelopes and pygargi [white-rumped gazelles] be furnished to me, an abundance of which the frontier neighboring you supplies. Deign, therefore, to seal our friendship with a longed-for pledge; I shall not be unequal to repaying the exchange, if your own need too should require anything. [144 (CXXVI.CXVI)] I had long been promising myself the hope of your arrival; you, even now, demand from me the exchange of writings and in a manner threaten a long absence. For what does the request for mutual consolation mean, if your return is being arranged? If, then, my counsels have any weight with you, I advise you to revisit the city, to which both civic love and the care of the quaestorship summon you—the equipment of which, even if it has the resources of a rich man, nevertheless requires the diligence of the candidate. Farewell. [145 (CXXVII.CXVII)] We have recognized the affection which you repay us by the series of your recent letters, but we bear ill the rarity of this gift, and therefore we exhort you to seize frequently the occasion of a token of friendly service. Your petition concerning the inheritance of the most renowned man A[u]r[e]lius seemed creditable neither to me nor to others who take care for your interests. For things that are left by law and by the statutes cannot be alienated by a grant. That this is so, Valentinianus, our common friend, learned by experience, who labored greatly to extract something, if it could be done; but, justice resisting, the outcome of his labor abandoned him. Accordingly, if you trust me at all, remove from yourself the odium of this petition, which I wish to be urged also upon the partner of your petition. For I prefer that your reputation remain intact rather than that a petition of this kind be charged against you. That I urge this with a friendly and kindly disposition toward you, you will acknowledge in keeping with our mutual regard; for you understand that I ought to care for nothing more than the good name of our friends. [146 (CXXVIII.CXVIII)] By the custom and institution of our ancestors, the inquiry of the presiding officer of our college recently detected at Alba the unchastity of the Vestal Primigenia; and that she fell—both by the confessions of the woman herself, who defiled her sacred chastity, and of Maximus, with whom she committed the abominable crime—the records bear witness. It remains that against those who polluted the public rites by an abominable crime the severity of the laws should be exerted, an action which has been reserved for you by the precedent of recent times; and therefore you will deign, considering the welfare of the commonwealth and the laws, fittingly to punish a crime which in all ages down to this day has been most severely avenged. Farewell. [147 (CXXVIIII.CXVIIII)] In accordance with the precedents of the recent age, the punishment of the maiden Primigenia, who had charge of the Alban rites, has been referred by our college to the most renowned and most excellent man, our brother, the prefect of the city; but because by his letter the reasons of the case are set forth as plausible—namely that it is neither right that a woman guilty of so great a crime should enter the walls of the eternal city, nor that he himself can travel to distant parts, since the crime ought to be expiated where it was committed—we have perceived that it is necessary to approach the neighboring authority and the one to whom the jurisdiction of the provinces has been entrusted, so that against Primigenia, who defiled the secrets of the chaste divinity, and against her corrupter Maximus, who indeed did not deny the outrage, the severity always applied to these crimes may be exerted. You will deign, therefore, having considered the confessions which have disclosed the tragedy of this abominable crime, to avenge the injury done to a most chaste age by the punishment of the guilty. [148 (CXXX.CXX), A.D. 390] The time is opportune in which we may prove what you display of religious devotion to our friendship. For the ordinary consulship has been conferred by the most merciful princes, and therefore I earnestly require your care in providing for all things that the show demands. My men will supply the prices of the goods; in this alone I desire your zeal and care, that you order what has been procured at fair prices to be conveyed as soon as possible. Farewell. [150 (CXXXI.CXXI), A.D. 384–385] Among those whose concern the good name of the times ought to be, I do not keep silent about the things that are just, certain and secure that no one's effort will obstruct the laws. On account of the remaining balance of the wine-treasury, which earlier princes commissioned to many prefects to be exacted, and which is established to have been in great part collected into the imperial treasury, the inheritance of my father-in-law Orfitus—once a prefect, and dead now for fifteen years without any demand on this account—is being assailed under the pretext of a letter by which the deified Constantius decreed that what was established to have been expended on public works should be made good through him, having threatened him and his office, as is wont to be done, with loss under the condition that, if due care for the exaction had been wanting [it would be charged to them]. But neither did he himself neglect the duty entrusted to him, and frequent princes transferred to later judges whatever the prefecture had undertaken. This the illustrious Valentinianus, a prince memorable in every age, and the deified Gratianus decreed by their sacred letters, from whose determination it is not fitting to deviate. Furthermore, since even crimes are wont to be terminated by death, in this case alone, contrary to the excellent character of princes, unexpected losses are extended to posterity, and that is designated as outstanding which has in part been paid, and in part is established as something to be exacted quickly by the governors of the provinces. When I had received the divine commands concerning this matter, I ought not to have concealed the trustworthiness of the truth, since the laws granted a hearing to those who had neither been present at the inquiry nor received a copy of the report. There was added also a stronger ground, namely that my mother-in-law, long ago emancipated, did not, when her father died, claim possession of the goods, and therefore by rescript asserted that she was not held liable. I have therefore sent, under cover of a report, the records of the proceedings, hoping that even by the aid of your devotion a new precedent may be removed, especially in that case which does not implicate us by law. Let the true debtors of this account be held liable instead: there exists an old declaration of the consular [governor] of Campania, there exist records drawn up before the governor of Etruria, by which the promised exaction of the remaining balance is proved. Let the innocent be spared, lest against all who have charge of the commonwealth an unusual procedure go forth. This justice befits your age, whose reputation ought to be adorned by your counsels. Farewell. [151 (CXXXII.CXXII), A.D. 398–400] [...]

17 ProserlDs] (F), Prosericius (i7j2 30 landis] (T^, om, {U) 31 reparauerit] /urettM, parauerit [11) uere Fi*^, admonere F^ 34 occasionem F^ praetoriam F^ 272 SYMMrACHI EPISTVLAE F de transmarinis locis ursi proxime perferentur , couveuientia deceme praesidia, ut prioribus officiis tuis liuius quoque cumulus adplicetur. vale. cxxxvi (xmi. X) . U Diligcntia tua et iudiciali vigore delector; sed ino|)/a vel potius egestas ordinis J^ormiani etiam curationis inpatiens est. nam sicut adfecta diutumo morbo corpora & saeviorem medicinam ferre non possunt, ita cuiia numero et paupertate tenuata du- 2 ritia inmodicae emendationis extinguitur. libens igitur parentis sume consilium, qui non defendit ordinis culpam sed correctionis modum postulat. habenda est ratio vec- tigalium publicorum et lavacri aestivi instauratio cum reip. viribus conferenda, ut si quid redundat expensis ceteris, in sumptum operis conferatur; dandum quoque est lo 3 instaurationi largius tempus, ne quid deroget fiimitati praecipitata reparatio. nihil r ex hac mora tuae gloriae detrahitur; | ad praesentem enim iwdicem veteris curiae culpa non pervenit. possem plura conectere, sed cum rerum omnium consideratio apud sapientiam tuam vigeat, parco esse prolixior una admonitione contentus, magno- pere bonis esse curandum, ut levamen potius ordinibus aliqnot exhaustis tuus ad- i5 ventus adportet. CXXXVII (XV. XI) a. 399—400. F Si novum beneficium de ursomm conparatione peteremus, longior ambitus esset adhibendus, sed cum promissa repetantur, admoneri potius te quam rogari convenit. haec igitur epistulae meae summa est, ut homines meos, quibus feramm iam manda- 20 vimus emptionem, iuvare adminiculo non graveris, ut editio nostra, quam deo auspice pro filio properabimus, tuis auxiliis, meis sumptibus instmatur. vale. CXXXVIIl (XVI). n'^ Suessa honestorum civium patria est, ita ut merito dixerim, minimae quoque for- tunae homines extra vitia plebeia esse censendos. volo igitur credas, nullum ex illa 25 urbe ad fori strepitum processurum fuisse, nisi acerba coegisset inpressio. de qua meae litterae non loquentur; vehementius enim vox publica suffragabitur eomm do- lori, quam privata potuisset. audientiae tantum per me optant facilitatem mereri; quidquid autem spoliatis atque vexatis properandum est, favor tuus et legum norma praestabit. vale. 30 uero ceme F^ 2 appUcetor /7F2, amplietur F*«8 uale om, F^ 4 inopina II 7 parentis sume] luretw, parentissime II 12 in detrabitor desinit (/7); reli- qtta primuB edidit Scioppiut a. 1608 iudicem] Scioppius, inuicem (F) repetantur] Juretus^ reputautur F admoneri] (/*), admonere F potius te] ;i")F2, te potius F^, te om. F3 rogari] [1), rogare F 20 iam] (r), om, F 21 iuuare om. F» ut et ditio F^ auspice om. F^ 22 properabimns] ego^ properauimus F^, praeparauimus F^, imperauimus F', praepa- ramus Lyptius aumptionibus F uale om, F3 24 primus edidit Juretus in secunda Symmachi editione p. 304 ; inter ep, 137 et 139 eolloc. Sdoppitu 29 fauorj (r), uigor (/7)2 LIBER Vmi (X). 273 cxxxvmi (XVII. XII). Suessanorum allegationes eommendat tibi publieus magistratus, mihi privata mi- F seratio; atque ideo a te iudiciarii vigoris auxilia, a me verba poseuntur. fungor igi- tur partibus meis, et familiariter te rogo, ut auditis infelieium deplorationibus in eam & partem, quae est iuri et miserationi amica, movearis. vale. CXXXX (XVIII. XIII). Prima mihi seribendi causa est, ut tibi honorificentiam salutationis exhibeam, se- cunda, ut probatam mihi modestiam tuam iusta petitione conveniam. plurimi enim de familia domus meae per fugam ^lapsi in /is locis, quae tibi commissa sunt, deli- 10 teseunt. hos auditis allegationibus procuratoris mei quaeso restituas; convenit enim tuis moribus, et amicitiae nostrae contemplationem gerere et servili neqnitiae negare perfugium. vale. CXXXXI (XVmi. XIIU) a. 400—401 . Postquam de freto Siculo litteras taas sumpsi, ad curam vicissitudinis incitatus 15 salutem mihi. nuntio secundare, tibi opto subpetere; dehinc de apparatu nostrae edi- tionis admoneo, quamvis religiosus animus monitorem alium non requirat. prae ce- teris autem, quae Romana spectacula desiderant, crocodillos functio theatralis effla- gitat. de quibus fidam tuam teneo sponsionem, cui facilis succedet effectus, si pecu- liariter in rem missos suffragii tui nisus adiuverit. vale. 20 CXXXXn (XX) a. 400—401 . Plures de Dalmatia ursos in apparatum domus nostrae proxime esse venturos, fides adserit nuntiorum , quorum subvectionem dispositis Vehiculis etiam privatim de- bemus instruere. huius mihi curae absolutionem diligentia tua usu explorata pro- mittit. quaeso igitur, ut hanc provinciam confestim 25 cxxxxm (cxxmi. cxim). codicem, constitisse rationem. nam cetera, quae post secuta signi- Jl ficas, ipso invito opinor exorta, et sperare debemus. talem fore in reliquis discepta- torem, qualem tibi ostendit prima cognitio. ego tamen ad incitamentum iustitiae, quam meritis tuis arbitror deferendam, familiares litteras misi, quas si ratio popos- plorationibas F2, implorantibas F^ - 5 airi F^ aale om. F^ lapsi F iis] his F comroissa] egOj comina F, commania F^, contigaa F^, aicina F* 10 hos] hiis F8 procaratoris mei] (r), mels F enim] {r]F9, om. Fi.2 12 nale om, F3 cocodrylos F», corcodtaos F^ aefflagitaf theatralis F» 18 fldem F» teneo] F8, om. Fi.2 facilis] saccalis F8 succedet] Lypsiutj snccedit F^, succederet Fi.2 si speculariter F* 19 in rem missis F*, in remissos F8 uale om, F8 stre domns F8 uestrae F* esse] (r)F2.8, om. F* 22 sabuectione F* etiam om. {r) 24 confestim inenndis capitnli /*, confestim ineundam capitali F, sequitttr p, 211 j 28 27 extorta Gmter Q. Atrrlivs Stmmachvs 35 274 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE n cerit, in manus eius facies pervenire; aliud enim salubritatis genus condicio tempo- rum non permittit adhiberi. volo autem scias — et sponte pro amicitia nostra debes advertere — curam pro te meam non desiderare monitorem, sed non posse amplius fieri, quam ut tibi animum disceptatoris petitio nostra conciliet. CXXXXmi (CXXV. CXV) a. 398—400. s Ludos praetorios praeparamus, quorum omatus peregrina animalia desiderat, ut novo cultu Romana splendescat editio. addaces igitur et pygargos fstudio mihi opto praestari, quorum copiam limes vobis finitimus subministrat. dignare igitur amicitiam nostram votivo pignore foederare; non ero inpar ad vicissitudinem rependendam. si quid etiam tuus usus exegerit. 10 CXXXXV (CXXVI. CXVI). Spem mihi adventus tui de longo tempore pollicebar; tu etiam nunc de me scriptorum vices postulas et diutumam quodammodo minaris absentiam. nam quid sibi vult mutui solacii postulatio, si reditus apparatur? si quid igitur apud te consiliis meis loci est, suadeo urbem revisas, ad quam te et amor civicus vocat et cura quae- t& storia, cuius apparatus, etiamsi copias divitis habet, requirit tamen diligentiam can- didati. vale. cxxxxvi (cxxvn. cxvn). Animum, quem nobis rependis, agnovimus recentium serie litteramm, sed mole- ste ferimus huius muneris raritatem et ideo adhortamur, ut frequenter adripias in- 20 dicium familiaris officii. petitio tua super hereditate c. m. v. A^rii neque mihi ne- que aliis, qui tui curam gemnt, probabilis visa est. nam quae iure ac legibus sunt 2 relicta, alienari impetratione non possunt. quod ita esse Valentinianus communis amicus expertus est, qui magnopere laboravit, ut aliquid, si fieri posset, excu//>eret; sed eum refragante iustitia deseruit laboris effectus. proinde si quid mihi credis, re- 25 move a te huius petitionis invidiam, quod etiam consorti petitionis tuae opto suaderi. malo enim vobis integram esse famam quam inputari huiusmodi petitionem. haec me amice et benigna circa te voluntate suadere, pro mutua in nos diligentia recognosces ; in- tellegis enim, nihil me magis quam existimationem familiarium nostromm debere curare. cxxxxvn (cxxvm. cxvra) . 30 More institutoque maiorum incestum Primigeniae dudum apud Albam Vestalis antistitis collegii nostri disquisitio deprehendit; quod et ipsius, quae contaminavit pndicitiam sacram, et Maximi, cum quo nefandum facinus admisit, confessionibus clamisse, gesta testantur. restat, ut in eos, qui caerimonias publicas abominando scelere polluemnt, legum severitas exeratur, quae tibi aCtio de proximi temporis ex- 35 emplo servata est; et ideo dignaberis, reip. utilitatem legesque considerans facinus cunctis usque ad hunc diem saeculis severissime vindicatum conpetenter ulcisci. vale. 1 temporis (/*) 7 studlo] (/7), tuo stiidio luretus, fort, strnthionesqae 9 fenerare C. F. W. MueUer 14 iam paratur {F) 24 exculperet] ego; cf. rel. 34^ II; 13^ excluderet (77), excuteret (/^) 26 qaod] quam (T^j 28 recognosces] Pareus, recognoscis (77), recognoscit (i^) 35 actio de] (77) qd F, quae tibi quoque proximi temporiA exemplo seruanda est Suse LIBER VIIU. 275 cxxxxviii (cxxvim. cxvuii). Secundam proximae aetatis exempla clarissimo et excellentisBinio viro fmtri no- JI stro praefecto urbi Primigeniae virginis , quae sacra Albana curabat, a collegio nostro vindicta delata est; sed quia litteris eius causae probabiles adseruntur — quod ne- & que muros urbis aetemae tanti criminis ream fas sit intrare, neque ipse ad louginqua possit occurrere, cum facinus, ubi admissum est, debeat expiari — , necesse esse per- speximus, potestatem finitimam convenire et cui provlnciarum iura mandata sunt, ut in Primigeniam , quae purfici /n/minis maculavit arcana , corruptoremque eius Maxi- mum, qui quidem flagitium non negavit, severitas semper bis adbibita criminibus ex- 10 seratur. dignaberis igitur consideratis confessionibus , quae nefandi criminis tragoe- diam prodiderunt, iniuriam castissimi saeculi reorum suppliciis vindicare. CXXXXVira (CXXX. CXX) a. 390. Idoneum tempus est, quo probemus, quid amicitiae nostrae religionis exhibeas. delatus est enim a clementissimis principibus ordinarius consulatus, et ideo curam 15 tuam efflagito in providendis onmibus, quae poscit editio. homines mei specierum pretia ministrabunt ; in hoc tantum studium tuum curamque desidero, ut quamprimum pervehi iustis pretiis conparata praecipias. vale. CL (CXXXI. CXXI) a. 384—385. Apud eos, quibus curae debet esse fama temporum, ea quae sunt iusta, non 20 sileo certus atque securus, nullius studium legibus obfuturum. ob reliqua arcae vi- nariae, quae multis praefectis superiores principes exigenda mandarunt et quae magna ex parte conlata imperiali constat aerario, soceri mei Orfiti olim praefecti et ante annos quindecim sine nlla tituli huius conventione demortui pulsatur hereditas obtentu epistulae, qua divus Constantius, id quod operibus publicis constabat inpen- 2& sum, integrari per eum statuit minatus ipsi atque officio, ut fieri adsolet, sub con- dicione dispendium, si exactioni cura conpetens defuisset. sed neque ipse mandatum 2 sibi munus omisit, et frequentes principes, quae praefectura susciperet, ad posteriores iudices transtulerunt. hoc inclytus Valentinianus omni aetate memorabilis princeps et divus Gratianus sacris litteris censuere, a quorum definitione non decet deviari. de- 30 hinc cum etiam crimina morte soleant terminari , in hac tantum causa contra optimos principis mores ad posteros inopinata damna tenduntur et tamquam integrum desig- natur, quod partim solutum est, partim a rectoribus provinciarum constat cito eruen- dum. super hoc cum divina iussa sumpsissem, fidem veri occultare non debui, cum 3 leges audientiam tribuerent his, qui neque in cognitione constiterant neque sumpserant 35 relationis exemplum. accedebat etiam causa robustior, quod materfamilias mea du- dum emancipata bonorum possessionem patre mortuo non poposcit atque ideo rescripto se adseruit non teneri. misi igitur sub relatione monumenta gestorum sperans, etiam 5 re«mj (r*), reum (/Z) 7 et om. {F) 8 pudlci numinis] Lecthu, publici criminis ITr 15 prouidendis] /*, prodendls {II) 19 ea quae 8unt iuBta] {II), fort, aequa et iusta 21 et quae] {F), atque (Z7) 26 si ex- actloni cura] eod. Pithoei, flexat doni cura II 27 qtiae] {11), quod F ?od. Pithoei susciperet] ego, susceperit (Z7) 31 tenduntur] in 11 additum erat: traduntur 32 constat cito] eyo, coudtituit (77) 34 leges] ego, legis (77) 35» 276 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE n tuae religionis auxilio novum exemplum posse removeri in ea praesertim eausa, quae 4 nos iure non inplicat. teneantur potius veri huius tituli debitores: extat vetus pro- fessio Campaniae consularis, extant ^acta apud Etruscum confecta rectorem, qnibus docetur exactio promissa reliquorum. parcatur innoxiis, ne in omnes, qui rempublicam curant, inusitata forma procedat. convenit saeculo [tuol ista iustitia, cuius existi- 5 matio vestris consiliis debet omari. vale. CLI (CXXXII. CXXII) a. 398— 40(K