Letter 2083: Many people have asked me for letters of introduction, but the merits of some and the importunity of others have...

From: Quintus Aurelius Symmachus To: [Unnamed correspondent] Date: ~399 AD Context: Symmachus explains his selective approach to writing letters of recommendation. Many people have asked me for letters of introduction, but the merits of some and the importunity of others have sometimes prompted caution on my part. A recommendation loses its value if given too freely -- if I commend everyone, I effectively commend no one. I therefore reserve my letters for those who truly deserve them, and I ask you to receive the bearer of this one as a person whom I have deliberately chosen to support. The selectivity of my recommendation should itself tell you something about his worth.

Multi a me conciliationem litterariam poposcerunt, sed quornndam meritis, alio- ram precibns parem gratiam dedi. nec tamen yereor, ne tibi civiam ignota distinctio 5 sit iudicium de his commnne recolenti. dabis igitor in quibnsdam verecnndiae meae veniam, qnae cessit orantibns, seqneris antem, qnod scis de singnlis ntmmqne sen- tire. pnto ex his verbis, quo in nnmero filinm nostmm Attalnm spectabilem vimm 2 censeam, facile dinosci. namqne ista libera et aperta discretio ei tnto oredita est, qni non fnit in parte cogentum. qnare tuo ac meo nomine amicitias adcnrrentis am- 10 plectere, nt hnic in fmctn sit cnltus bonomm, pravis dolori, qnod dtssimiliter dili- gnntur. yale. LXXXm (LXXXII) a. 393.