Letter 102.3

[The opening is damaged.] Whether the old Greeks ever wrote anything like this, let those who know decide. For my part, if I may say so, I have never found Marcus Porcius Cato attacking anyone as well as you praised. If my lord could be praised enough, he would certainly have been praised enough by you. This sort of work is not being done now. Someone might more easily imitate Phidias, Apelles, Demosthenes himself, or Cato himself than this finished and carefully worked piece. I have never read anything more refined, more classical, more polished, more truly Latin. How fortunate you are to possess such eloquence; how fortunate I am to have been handed over to such a teacher. What arguments, what arrangement, what elegance, what wit, what grace, what words, what brilliance, what subtlety, what charm, what training, what everything. I swear, one day a wand ought to be placed in your hand, a diadem around your head, and a tribunal under your feet; then a herald should summon all of us. Why do I say us? I mean all those scholars and eloquent men. You should lead them forward one by one with your wand and correct them with your words. As for me, I have never yet feared that correction; I have more than enough reason to set foot in your school. I am writing this in great haste. Since I am sending you my lord's most gracious letter, what need was there for a longer letter from me? Farewell, glory of Roman eloquence, pride of your friends, a great presence, most delightful man, most distinguished consul, sweetest teacher. In future take care not to tell so many lies about me, especially in the Senate. You wrote that speech terribly well. If only I could kiss your head for every heading in it. You have powerfully put everyone else in the shade. After reading this speech, we study in vain, labor in vain, strain every nerve in vain. Farewell always, sweetest teacher.

to his own consul and master. 1. Whether the Greeks of old ever wrote anything so good, verily let those see to it who know; for myself, if I may say so, nowhere have I noticed in M. Porcius an invective so perfect as your praise. Oh, if my Lord could be praised enough, surely he had been enough praised by you. This work is not done in these days. Easier were it for one to rival Pheidias, easier Apelles, easier, in fine, Demosthenes himself or Cato himself, than this perfect and finished fork. Never have I read anything so refined, so classical, so polished, so Latin. Oh, happy you to be gifted with such eloquence! Oh, happy I to be in the hands of such a master! What reasoned thoughts! What orderly arrangement! What elegance! What wit! What beauty! What diction! What brilliance! What subtlety! What charm! What practised skill! What everything! My life on it, but some day you ought to have the wand placed in your hand, the diadem round your brow, the tribunal under your feet: then the henild should summon all of us—why do I say us? I mean all your learned folk and your eloquent—one by one you should wave them along with your wand and admonish them with the words of your lips. For myself I never had any fear of these admonitions; I have more reasons than enough for setting foot in your school. 2. I am writing this to you in the utmost haste, for what need of a longer letter from me when I send you so gracious a one of my Lord's? Farewell, then, glory of Roman eloquence, pride of your friends, a man of mark, most delightful of men, most honourable consul, master most sweet. 3. In future be chary of telling so many fibs, especially in the Senate, about me. This speech of yours is "awfully" well written. Oh, if I could only kiss your head for every heading of it! You have absolutely put everyone else in the background. With this speech before our eyes, vain is our study, vain our toil, vain our efforts. Fare ever well, sweetest of masters.

ad M. Caesarem 2.6 [27 Hout; 1.128 Haines] <M. Aurelius Caesar consuli suo et magistro salutem> 1 <...> sane, si quid Graeci veteres tale scripserunt, viderint, qui sciunt; ego, si fas est dicere, nec M. Porcium tam bene vituperantem, quam tu laudasti usquam advorti. O, si dominus meus satis laudari posset, profecto a te satis laudatus esset! τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον οὐ γίνεται νῦν. Facilius quis Phidian, facilius Apellen, facilius denique ipsum Demosthenen imitatus fuerit aut ipsum Catonem quam hoc tam effectum et elaboratum opus. Nihil ego umquam cultius, nihil antiquius, nihil conditius, nihil Latinius legi. O te hominem beatum hac eloquentia praeditum! O me hominem beatum huic magistro traditum! O ἐπιχειρήματα, o τάξις, o elegantia, o lepos, o venustas, o verba, o nitor, o argutiae, o χάριτες, o ἄσκησις, o omnia! Ne valeam, nisi aliqua die virga in manibus tibi tradenda erat, diadema circumponendum, tribunal ponendum; tum praeco omnis nos citaret. Quid ‘nos’ dico? Omnis, inquam, philologos et disertos istos: Eos tu singulos virfa perduceres, verbis moneres. Mihi adhuc nullus metus hujus admonitionis erat: Multa supersunt, ut in ludum tuum pedem introferam. 2 Haec cum summa festinatione ad te scribo; nam quom domini mei ad te epistulam mitterem tam benignam, quid meis longioribus litteris opus erat? Igitur vale, decus eloquentiae Romanae, amicorum gloria, μέγα πρᾶγμα, homo jucundissime, consul amplissime, magister dulcissime. Postea cavebis de me, praesertim in senatu, tam multa mentiri. Horribiliter scripsisti hanc orationem. O, si ad singula capita caput tuum basiare possem! ἰσχυρῶς πάντων καταπεφρόνηκας. Hac oratione lecta frustra nos studemus, frustra laboramus, frustra nervos contendimus. Vale semper, magister dulcissime.