To Florentius. (358/359)
Many good things to you for your eagerness on my behalf -- but you seem to have quite forgotten about my body in making such demands. I am the man for whom even a walk to the marketplace involves real effort. What other men find refreshing -- well, for me my comfortable couch is sweeter, on account of my frailty.
I could pray to come visit you, but actually getting there is beyond me -- no more possible than crossing the sea without a ship. It is not just that I could not run to Illyricum or Thrace; I could not manage it even if you were sitting in Cilicia trying to summon me. You would find nature stronger than your commands.
Spectatus knows this, and he persuaded you to speak to the emperor on my behalf, and then to let me know what was said -- so that he could appear to have done his part, while my body took the blame for nothing being accomplished.
Long may Spectatus go on combining jest with earnest service to his friends. As for me, I will stay here and not neglect my hymns of praise. And if that good emperor should ever appear among us, perhaps I will not greet him in silence.
**To Florentius** (358/359)
May many blessings come to you for your goodwill toward me, but you seem to have quite forgotten my body when you issue such commands. For I am that man for whom even a trip to the marketplace involves some labor — what comes as pleasure to others is for me a sweet resting of the elbow, on account of my infirmity.
To pray that I might come to you — that I could manage. But actually to come, I could not, any more than I could cross the open sea without a ship. It is not merely that I would be unable to hasten to Illyricum or Thrace — I could not do it even if you were sitting in Cilicia and tried to stir me. You would prove no stronger than necessity.
Knowing all this, Spectatus persuaded you to say those things about me to the emperor, and then to report the conversation back to me — so that he himself might appear to have left nothing undone, while my body would take the blame for nothing having been accomplished.
Well, may Spectatus never cease making sport of his friends' earnest concerns! But I, remaining here, shall not neglect my hymns of praise. And if ever our good emperor should appear to me, perhaps I shall not greet him in silence.
Many good things to you for your eagerness on my behalf -- but you seem to have quite forgotten about my body in making such demands. I am the man for whom even a walk to the marketplace involves real effort. What other men find refreshing -- well, for me my comfortable couch is sweeter, on account of my frailty.
I could pray to come visit you, but actually getting there is beyond me -- no more possible than crossing the sea without a ship. It is not just that I could not run to Illyricum or Thrace; I could not manage it even if you were sitting in Cilicia trying to summon me. You would find nature stronger than your commands.
Spectatus knows this, and he persuaded you to speak to the emperor on my behalf, and then to let me know what was said -- so that he could appear to have done his part, while my body took the blame for nothing being accomplished.
Long may Spectatus go on combining jest with earnest service to his friends. As for me, I will stay here and not neglect my hymns of praise. And if that good emperor should ever appear among us, perhaps I will not greet him in silence.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.