Letter 2007: A matter close to my heart demands your assistance.
A matter close to my heart demands your assistance. My son's praetorian games are coming up — may fortune bless the occasion — and they must be furnished with curule horses [racehorses of the highest quality]. I've had men searching your herds for some time now, and your generous response has not disappointed. For this I owe you a debt that goes beyond mere words. Your commitment to our friendship has shown itself in action, and I'll carry the memory of your kindness long after the games themselves are over. 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AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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
Fortunatum te cumprimis hoc in tempore iudicarem, quod exemptus patriae in-
commodis otiaris, nisi scirem bonos cives et tui similes gravius adversa ferre, quae
non vident. ea quippe rerum natura est, ut quidquid ab altero cognoscitur, asperius i&
et maius habeatur. adde, quod integer animus putat innocentiam suam minui, si
2 periculosis desit suorum. haec ego, non ut celerem reditum tibi suadeam, sed ut
noveris in communibus malis nihil esse, quod properes. quid enim iuvares curam
publicam, quamquam omnium prudentissimus , si redires? iam primum consilio locus
- nullus est, dum in deliberando persona censentium pondus sententiis facit. quando 20
resistitur potiori, quando ceditur pari? dehinc praesens status non sapientiam sed
3 fortunam requirit. defectum timemus annonae pulsis omnibus, quos exerto et pleno
nbere Roma susceperat. fac, ut his remediis convalescamus : quanto nobis odio pro-
vinciarum constat ista securitas? dii patrii, facite gratiam neglectorum sacrorum!
miseram famem pellite ! quamprimum revocet urbs nostra, quos invita dimisit ! plura 25^
tecum loqui, quam necesse est, de adversis communibus non libet. cura ut valeas, et
quidquid humana ope maius est, diis permitte curandum.
VIII a. 382.
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