Letter 2067: If friendship always demands that we help each other's affairs with mutual services, how much more attentively...

If the very nature of friendship always demands that we assist one another's affairs by reciprocal services, how much more earnestly is care owed to the interests of our kinsmen, whose good fortunes and adversities are shared in common with us? And what of the fact that often the goodness of a cause itself urges us, so that what we owe to our family we may render more readily to fairness? This has stirred me on his behalf no less than our kinship has, as you yourself will judge once the business has been ascertained from the report of Victor, a man of distinction. For, in order that the matter might become better known, I have preferred to attach copies of public correspondence, lest I should be judged to be saying anything out of confidence merely through favor. Now, if my wish is dear to your heart, grant to this case a prompt assurance, such as you would, for the sake of justice, bestow even were I silent. Letter 67 (66), before the year 395.

Si amicitiae semper ratio deposcit, ut mutua negotia alternis iuvemus officiis, qnanto inpensior utilitatibus propinquorum cura debetur, quorum nobis bona et adversa 5 communia sunt? quid quod saepe causae bonitas cohortatur, ut quod debemus generi, tribuamus promptius aequitati? quae me non minus pro IIlo quam necessitudo com- 2 movit, ut ipse etiam conperto ex relatione Victoris spectabilis viri negotio iudicabis. nam quo res notior fieret, publicae epistulae malui exempla sociare, ne quid f fiducia dicere per gratiam iudicarer. nunc, si tibi voluntas mea cordi est, praesta huic 10 quaestioni maturam securitatem, quam pro iustitia etiam me silente deferres. LXVII (LXVI) ante a. 395.