Letter 1045: I'm doing something that suits both your character and my own inclinations: introducing the finest people to your...

Quintus Aurelius SymmachusUnknown|c. 386 AD|Quintus Aurelius Symmachus|AI-assisted
monasticism

I'm doing something that suits both your character and my own inclinations: introducing the finest people to your friendship. In this case, I'm presenting to you a candidate of philosophy, whose modesty you'll see at first glance — his deeper qualities a longer acquaintance will reveal.

I wouldn't want you to like him just on my say-so if he didn't deserve your respect on his own merits. But I'm confident he'll prove himself quickly, and will be valued accordingly.

I'll say no more about him — my recommendation shouldn't prejudge a man whose judgment I'm waiting for you to form. Instead, let me simply ask you to keep up your warm regard for me. Though in making that request, I worry you'll think me rude for asking what you already give freely. Farewell.

AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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

Facio rem cum tuis moribus tum meo studio congruentem, ut praestantissimo viro
&inicitia8 optimi cuiusqne conciliem; velut nunc tibi a me traditur philosophiae candi-

^^ clatus, cuius pudorem vel prima facies, cetera bona longus usus expediet. hunc ego
fitls te nollem diligi, ni mereretur probari. sed si bene aestimo, actutum merebitur
&tque ideo diligetur. de hoc nihil amplius. neque enim praeiudicio meo debet astringi,
onius ego expecto iudicium. illud te potius oratum volo, ut in nostri diligentia per-
severes. quod cum efQagito, vereor ne me iniurium putes, qui a te postulem, quod

^^ aponte praestatur. vale.

xxxxn (XXXVI).

Related Letters