Letter 4004: Copy of a letter which he himself dictated.

IV. A COPY OF THE LETTER WHICH HE HIMSELF DICTATED. A SISTER TO HER BROTHER. Although some owe a measure of gratitude even to those pledges of affection who are unworthy, and although what is bestowed upon one's posterity should not be reckoned a favor but a debt, yet a malicious interpreter subjects the judgment of the heart to the dictates of nature, and, stripping away the savor of careful regard, supposes that one must give only because of the objection of having borne offspring, since the name of "son" is believed to carry more weight than dutiful service, and it is not asked what you advance in the scale of love, but what name you set up against the judgment of one who is appraising. For among the prudent we call someone our offspring in vain, unless he displays what he is called: for whoever neglects strictness of judgment in his child shows that the one conceived pleases him for his own sake rather than by merit. Let it cease, among our descendants, that we should consider this alone, namely what has pleased us. For indeed the fruit of the womb, unless it answers to honor, seems to have come forth more as a testimony of wantonness than of grace. For it is right that the ever-faithful fellowship of kinship should be set before even one's own children: it is granted that a sharer of one's origin be so regarded that neither is the fellowship of blood neglected, nor is the assessment that descends from merit deprived of its praise. And therefore, lest my words run on at length through winding preambles, and lest what is in substance brief should swell through speech, I give, I confer upon your brotherhood, and by perpetual liberty I transfer into your right that slave belonging to my own right, and the rest. Farewell.

IIII. EXEMPLAR EPISTVLAE QVAM IPSE DICTAVIT. FRATRI SOROR. Quamuis summatim gratiam aliqui debeant etiam malis in affectione pignoribus nec illud quod posteritati tribuitur IIII. 3 quo. (d eraa.) L depremor B 5 sancto b et Sirm . quo. (d eras.) L 6 proprae Bl 7 fuscati T1 detergat PTb 10 peccator T1 exsurgeris B, exurgeres T libantibuB B humeris P1 11 subrogares T, subrogaris BL PV 12 disperatio BLV 14 age] perge fort . cepisti BT patribua T (in mg . partibus) 15 precum om. B di∗luis B 16 pascere T t19 unum ex uft T m. 2) ▓ uelud BPTa 20 necessitatabus LI abiungo L 21 aale om. BT; in T subscriptio Zegitur: Erplif I. para epforum ennodij. IIII. 24 Boror om. b 25 quamuis] cf. Wiener Studien II p. 247 aliquid B etiamj et P. 7 * beneficium putetur esse sed debitum, cum malignus interpres iudicium cordis naturae subdit imperiis et tollens saporem diligentiae sola iubendum putet obiectione pariendi, quando plus creditur fili uocabulum ualere quam obsequium et non quaeritur quid in amoris lance promoueas, sed quale ad praeiudicium aestimanti nomen opponas, cum apud prudentes frustra subolem dicimus, nisi exhibet quod uocatur: nam qui m prole censuram neglegit, conceptum - magis designat sibi placere quam meritum. facessat in posteris hoc solum nos cogitare quod libuit. etenim fructus uteri, nisi honestate respondeat, plus in testimonio lasciuiae uidetur euenisse quam gratiae. fas enim est germanitatis semper fidele consortium etiam partubus anteferri: datur participem originis sic haberi, ut nec consortium sanguinis neglegatur et descendens a merito laudetur examen. et ideo ne sinuosis in longum procedant uerba praeloquiis et quod re angustum est crescat affatu, dono, in fraternitatem tuam confero et iuri tuo perpetua libertate transfundo mancipium iuris mei illud et cetera. uale.