Letter 2002: Let antiquity, so lavish with praise, fall silent — the age that honored Apelles, Zeuxis, and their like with...
Let antiquity, so lavish with praise, fall silent — the age that honored Apelles, Zeuxis, and their like with volumes of acclaim. When it comes to praising Lucillus, my words will be fewer but my honesty greater. What's the point of heaping on words when you can see the work for yourself? I'll leave the judgment to you, since you've always been a connoisseur of the fine arts. For my part, I vouch for Lucillus as a man of genuine modesty and integrity. Doesn't he seem worthy of your regard — a man whose seriousness I personally guarantee, and whose skill and learning would not shrink from your own scrutiny? Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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This is a lengthy letter substantially corrupted by OCR artifacts and interwoven editorial apparatus.