Quintus Aurelius Symmachus→Unknown|c. 378 AD|symmachus
I'm overflowing with joy that the new year will see you as consul. But this note must be brief — I'll send a fuller letter of congratulation shortly.
For now, I have another matter to raise. Patruinus, a distinguished senator, is making his way to you at your invitation. He thought it would help his cause to carry my endorsement. For my part, I didn't think my letter would add anything to your opinion of him — and yet I didn't want to be silent, knowing that while nothing would be gained by writing, something would be lost from my own duty if I kept quiet.
There's just one thing I want to ask, and ask urgently: beyond whatever advantage he gains simply from seeing you, meeting you, and basking in the honor of your company, let him also find that his efforts to reach you are rewarded with your practical favor. Farewell.
20 Abnndo gaudio, cum te consnlem novns annns expectat. sed nnnc transcnrso est
opus; plenius enim secundis litteris contestabor hniusmodi de te gratnlationem. alins
in praesentia mihi sermo sumendus est. Patrtiinus v. c. accitu tuo iter adomans in rem
snam fore existimavit, si meo testimonio niteretur. hnic ego nihil per me accessumm
pntavi et tamen deesse nolui sciens, iudicio erga illum tno nihil adici posse, si scri-
35 berem, decessnmm tamen aliquid meo ofGcio, si tacerem. unum est igitnr. quod ora-
tnm a te atqne exoratnm volo, ut ineat gratiam snscepti laboris praeter enm frnctnm,
qui illi ex tno conspectu tuo congressn tno honore proveniet. vale.
XXm (XVH) a. 370—377.
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I'm overflowing with joy that the new year will see you as consul. But this note must be brief — I'll send a fuller letter of congratulation shortly.
For now, I have another matter to raise. Patruinus, a distinguished senator, is making his way to you at your invitation. He thought it would help his cause to carry my endorsement. For my part, I didn't think my letter would add anything to your opinion of him — and yet I didn't want to be silent, knowing that while nothing would be gained by writing, something would be lost from my own duty if I kept quiet.
There's just one thing I want to ask, and ask urgently: beyond whatever advantage he gains simply from seeing you, meeting you, and basking in the honor of your company, let him also find that his efforts to reach you are rewarded with your practical favor. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.