Marcus Cornelius Fronto→Marcus Aurelius|c. 156 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|To Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
To my Lord Caesar.
Niger Censorius has met his end. By his will he has left me five-twelfths of his estate [a quincunx, five of the twelve unciae into which a Roman inheritance was divided] — a will in every other respect honorable, but, as far as its wording is concerned, ill-considered, for in it he took counsel of his anger rather than of his own dignity. He went on, indeed, all too harshly against Gavius Maximus, a most distinguished man and one whom I am bound to hold in regard.
For this reason it seemed necessary that I should write to our Lord your Father, and to Gavius Maximus himself, letters of a truly most difficult kind, in which, on the one hand, I could not refrain from rebuking the act of my friend Niger, which I disapproved, and, on the other, I nonetheless wished to keep up, as was only fitting, the duty owed by a friend and an heir. All this I — as in everything else of mine that concerns me — by Hercules, made the attempt also to write to you a fuller letter on the same matter; but, upon turning it all over in my mind, it seemed better to me not to weary you nor to call you away from more pressing concerns.
? 154–156 A.D. To my Lord Caesar. Niger Censorius is dead, leaving me heir to five-twelfths of his estate by a will in all other respects unexceptionable but, as far as its language is concerned, ill-advised, since in this he followed the dictates of anger rather than consulted his self-respect. For he inveighed in unmeasured terms against Gavius Maximus, a man of senatorial rank and entitled to my regard. In consequence I have thought it necessary to write to our Lord your Father and to Gavius Maximus himself letters of a very difficult tenor. For, whereas I could not but find fault with the action of my friend Niger, which I myself disapproved of, I wished at the same time, as was right, not to fail in my duty as friend and heir. I was anxious that you should know of this, as of all else that concerns me, and, by heaven, I began a lengthy letter to you on this subject; but on thinking everything over I decided not to importune you or call you away from more important business.
ad Anton.Pium 4 [164 Hout; 1.260 Haines]
Domino meo Caesari.
1 Niger Censorius diem suum obiit. Quincuncem bonorum suorum nobis reliquit testamento cetera honesto, quod ad verba vero adtinet, inconsiderato, in quo irae magis quam decori suo consuluit. Inclementius enim progressus est in Gavium Maximum clarissimum et nobis observandum virum. 2 Ob eam rem necessarium visum scribere me domino nostro patri tuo et ipsi Gavio Maximo difficillimae quidem rationis epistulas, in quibus et factum Nigri mei, quod inprobabam, non reprehendere nequibam, et tamen amici atque heredis officium, ut par erat, retinere cupiebam. Haec ego te, ut mea omnia cetera, conatus mehercules ad te quoque de eadem re prolixiores litteras scribere; sed recordanti cuncta mihi melius visum non obtundere te neque a potioribus avocare.
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To my Lord Caesar.
Niger Censorius has met his end. By his will he has left me five-twelfths of his estate [a quincunx, five of the twelve unciae into which a Roman inheritance was divided] — a will in every other respect honorable, but, as far as its wording is concerned, ill-considered, for in it he took counsel of his anger rather than of his own dignity. He went on, indeed, all too harshly against Gavius Maximus, a most distinguished man and one whom I am bound to hold in regard.
For this reason it seemed necessary that I should write to our Lord your Father, and to Gavius Maximus himself, letters of a truly most difficult kind, in which, on the one hand, I could not refrain from rebuking the act of my friend Niger, which I disapproved, and, on the other, I nonetheless wished to keep up, as was only fitting, the duty owed by a friend and an heir. All this I — as in everything else of mine that concerns me — by Hercules, made the attempt also to write to you a fuller letter on the same matter; but, upon turning it all over in my mind, it seemed better to me not to weary you nor to call you away from more pressing concerns.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ad Anton.Pium 4 [164 Hout; 1.260 Haines] Domino meo Caesari. 1 Niger Censorius diem suum obiit. Quincuncem bonorum suorum nobis reliquit testamento cetera honesto, quod ad verba vero adtinet, inconsiderato, in quo irae magis quam decori suo consuluit. Inclementius enim progressus est in Gavium Maximum clarissimum et nobis observandum virum. 2 Ob eam rem necessarium visum scribere me domino nostro patri tuo et ipsi Gavio Maximo difficillimae quidem rationis epistulas, in quibus et factum Nigri mei, quod inprobabam, non reprehendere nequibam, et tamen amici atque heredis officium, ut par erat, retinere cupiebam. Haec ego te, ut mea omnia cetera, conatus mehercules ad te quoque de eadem re prolixiores litteras scribere; sed recordanti cuncta mihi melius visum non obtundere te neque a potioribus avocare.