Letter 3002: Ancient custom dictates that those who travel abroad should write home first, but affection overrides protocol and...

An ancient custom has established this rule of writing: that those who have departed to foreign parts should claim for themselves the prior place in conversing with the absent; but my affection, impatient of custom, has reversed the order of writing by region. And so, breaking the law of keeping silent, I anticipate your message by my haste, adding to the duties of an attentive greeting the recommendation of a man to be reckoned among the very best, whom the splendor of court dignity has long since adorned, distinguished as he is from his forebears, and whom the most august senate did not receive as a newcomer but took back as one due to it. Yet these things are to be reckoned of second place and honor in our brother Philippus, because he has more praise in his character and is more conspicuous for his uprightness than he glories in the gifts of fortune. I would say more, if either his modesty allowed it or a lengthy commendation befitted a letter. This at least I promise: that your Excellency can find in him in person many things which I have passed over in silence, but none of those which I have written will be found wanting. Farewell. [Colophon: Here ends Book II of the letters of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, of illustrious rank, ordinary consul; published after his death by Quintus Fabius Memmius Symmachus, of illustrious rank, his son. Here begins Book III, with good fortune.]

Hunc scribendi morem superstitio vetusta constituit, ut ad peregrina digressi prio- rem sibi locum vindicent cum absentibus conloquendi; sed adfectus moris inpatiens scribendi vices regione mutavit. itaque rupta lege reticendi sermonem tuum festi- natione praevenio, adiciens sedulae salutationis officiis commendationem viri inter op- 25 tinios quosque numerandi, quem dudum a parentibus clarum et aulicae dignitatis splen- 2 dor excoluit et amplissima curia non accepit ut novum sed recepit ut debitum. quae tamen in fratre nostro Philippo secundo loco et honore censenda sunt, quia plus habet laudis in moribus magisque probitate conspicuus est, ^quam fortunae muneribus glo- riatnr. plura dicerem, si aut pudor eius sineret aut prolixa laudatio epistulae con- 30 veniret. certe illud spondeo, multa eximietatem tuam coram in eo reperire posse, quae tacui, nulla ex his desideratumm esse, quae scripsi. vale. 1 .q. aureli. symm&chi. uc. consulis. ordinarii. epistolarum Hb. ii. explic editus post eius obitum a q. fabio memmio symmacho. uc. fllio incipit lib. iii felicit ad iulianum rusticum P, om. F 3 om. F symmacus P 4 obuersatus] P ^ m.y aduersatus P 1 m. DPj conuersatus F repperi F 6 his PF rietur F 31 qnoram P 1 m. repperire (e P 32 ex his deesse quae F mi ante a. 388.