Letter 104.2

To Marcus Caesar 4.2 [54 Hout; 1.74 Haines] My dearest one. 1. Although I am coming to you tomorrow, still I cannot bring myself to write back nothing at all—not even this little bit—in reply to so friendly, so delightful, and in short so elegant a letter of yours, my dearest Fronto. But which thing should I love first? For what should I first feel grateful? Should I mention first the fact that, though you are taken up with such great pursuits at home and such great affairs abroad, you nevertheless made the effort to go and visit our friend Julianus, and this chiefly for my sake (for I should be ungrateful if I did not understand it)? And yet, even as it stands, that is no small thing, if you add the rest: that you lingered there for so long a stretch of time, that you talked at such length, and talked to me, or said whatever might serve to comfort him in his illness—making the sick man more at ease in himself, and your friend more friendly toward me; and then that you wrote out for me a detailed account of all this one item at a time; and that within it you wrote the most longed-for news about Julianus himself, the sweetest words, the most wholesome counsels. 2. And what of that thing which I can in no way conceal—I who would conceal it before anyone else? Above all, this very thing: that you wrote me so long a letter, when I was going to come to you tomorrow. That indeed was by far the most gratifying thing to me; in that I judged myself the most blessed of all men; for how highly you value me, and how great a confidence you have in my friendship, you showed in that above all, and most sweetly. What shall I add, except that I love you, and deservedly so? But why do I say "deservedly"? For would that I could love you in proportion to your deserving! And this is the very thing for which I am often angry and vexed at you when you are absent and innocent: that you act in such a way that I cannot love you as I wish—that is, that my soul cannot pursue your love all the way up to its highest peak. 3. As to what you say about Herodes: press on, I beg you, as our Quintus puts it [Quintus Ennius, the early Latin poet whom Fronto and his circle prized]: "Win through with persistent persistence." Herodes too loves you, and I am working away here in that direction, and the man who does not love you assuredly neither understands with his mind nor sees with his eyes; for of ears I say nothing, since everyone's ears serve your dear little voice, brought subdued beneath its yoke. 4. To me this present day seems—and will seem—longer than a day in spring, and the coming night more drawn out than a night in winter. For while I most greatly long to greet my Fronto, I above all desire to embrace the writer of this latest letter. I have written this to you in haste, because Maecianus was pressing me, and it was only fair that your brother should return to you the sooner. 5. I beg you, therefore, if there is here any word too clumsy, or any thought too ill-considered, or any letter too weak, that you set it down to the lack of time. For although I love you most ardently as a friend, still I ought to remember that I owe as much reverence to my master as I owe love to my friend. Farewell, my Fronto, dearest and beyond all things sweetest to me. 6. The Sota of Ennius, sent back by you, seems to be on cleaner paper, in a more pleasing volume, and in a more cheerful hand than it had been before. Let Gracchus stay with the jar of new wine until we come, for there is no fear that Gracchus could in the meantime ferment away along with the new wine. May you ever be well, sweetest soul.

? 140–143 A.D. , my dearest or masters. 1. Although I am coming to you to-morrow, yet I cannot refrain, my dearest Fronto, from writing some answer, however trifling, to a letter so friendly, so delightful, so felicitous as yours. But what am I to love first? feel grateful first for what? Shall I not mention this first, that, occupied though you are with such important pursuits at home and business no less important outside, you nevertheless made a point of going to see our friend Julianus chiefly—for I were ungrateful if I did not realize this— on my account. But , you will say, there is not much in that . Yet it does amount to much, if you count in all the rest, your staying there so long, having so protracted a talk, a talk, too, about me, or something to cheer him up in his illness, your making a sick man more comfortable in himself, a friend more friendly to me; then again, your writing out for me a detailed account of all this, giving in your letter most welcome news of Julianus himself, the kindest of words, the most wholesome of counsels! Why should I try to dissemble before you what, do what I will, I can never dissemble? At any rate, the very fact of your writing me so long a letter, when I was to come to you to-morrow—that, I confess, was to me the most gratifying thing of all; in that did I think myself above all men most blest, for by it you have shewn me in the most marked and the sweetest way how much you make of me, and how great is the confidence you have in my friendship. What shall I say more except I love you deservedly? But why do I say deservedly? Would that I could love you as you deserve! Aye, and that is why I am often full of wrath and indignation against you when away, because you make it impossible for me to love you as I wish, that is, for my soul to follow your love up to its supreme height. 2. With respect to Herodes proceed with what you say, I beseech you: as our Quintus has it, prevail with persevering persistence . Herodes loves you, and I am doing my best in that quarter, and assuredly he who does not love you neither sees with his eyes nor understands with his heart: of ears I say nothing, for the ears of all hearers have passed under the yoke and are slaves of your voice. To me this day seems, and will seem, longer than a spring day, and the coming night more tedious than a night in winter. For as I desire intensely to greet my Fronto, so I long above all to embrace the writer of this last letter. 3. I have written this to you hurriedly because Maecianus was pressing, and it was right that your brother should return to you in good time. I beseech you, therefore, if you find any solecism or confusion of thought or shaky letter herein, put it down to haste. For though I am desperately fond of you as a friend, at the same time I must not forget that I ought to shew no less respect to my master than love to my friend. Farewell, my Fronto, dearest and beyond all things sweetest to me. 4. The Sota of Ennius, which you have returned, seems to be on clearer paper, in a more handsome volume and a prettier hand than before. Let Gracchus bide with the cask of new wine until we come. There is no risk of Gracchus fermenting out meanwhile along with the wine. Fare ever well, my sweetest soul.

ad M. Caesarem 4.2 [54 Hout; 1.74 Haines] Carissime. 1 Quamquam ad te cras venio, tamen amicis tamque jucundis litteris tuis, tam denique elegantibus nihil, ne hoc quidem tantulum, rescribere non sustineo, mi Fronto carissime. Sed quid ego prius amem? Pro quo prius habeam gratiam? Idne pimum commemorem, quod in tantis domesticis studiis tantisque extrariis negotiis occulatus tamen ad Julianum nostrum visendum mea maxime gratia (nam sim ingratus nisi id intellegam) ira conisus es? Sed non magnum est tamen, ut est, si cetera addas: Tanto temporis spatio ibi te demorari, tantum sermocinari, idque ad me sermocinari aut, quod ad valetudinem ejus consolandam esset, aegrum commodiorem sibi, amicum amiciorem mihi facere; tum autem de iis singillatim ad me perscribere; inibi scribere nuntium de ipso Juliano optatissimum, verba suavissima, consilia saluberrima. 2 Quid illud quod dissimulare nullo modo possum apud alium dissimulaturus? Utique illud ipsum, quod tanta ad me scripsisti, cum cras venturus essem: Id vero mihi longe fuit gratissimum; in eo ego me beatissimum supra omnis homines arbitratus sum; nam quanti me faceres quantamque amicitiae meae haberes fiduciam, in eo maxime atque dulcissime ostendisti. Quid ego addam, nisi te merito amo? Sed quid dico ‘merito’? Nam utinam pro tuo merito te amare possem! Atque id est, quod saepe absenti atque insonti tibi irascor atque suscenseo, quod facis, ne te, ut volo, amare possim, id est, ne meus animus amorem tuum usque ad summum columen ejus persequi posset. 3 De Herode quod dicis. perge, oro te, ut Quintus noster ait: “Pervince pertinaci pervicacia”. Et Herodes te amat, et ego istic huc ago, et qui te non amat profecto neque ille animo intellegit neque oculis videt; nam de auribus nihil dico, nam omnibus aures tuae voculae subserviunt sub jugum subactae. 4 Mihi et hodiernus dies verno die longior et nox veniens hiberna nocte prolixior videtur atque videbitur. nam cum maximo opere Frontonem meum consalutare tum harum recentium litterarum scriptorem praecipuse cupio conplecti. Haec cursim ad te scripsi, quia Maecianus urgebat, et fratrem tuum maturius ad te reverti aecum erat. 5 Quaeso igitur, si quod verbum absurdius aut inconsultior sensus aut infirmior littera istic erit, id tempori adponas. Nam cum te ut amicum vehementissime diligam, tum meminisse oportet, quantum amorem amico, tantum reverentiae magistro praestare debere. Vale, mi Fronto carissime et supra omnis res dulcissime. 6 Sota Ennianus remissus a te et in charta puriore et volumine gratiore et littera festiviore quam antea fuerat videtur. Gracchus cum cado musti maneat, dum venimus, neque enim metus est Gracchum interea cum musto defervere posse. Valeas semper, anima suavissima.