Letter 3030: Your long-expected letter has arrived, and it makes me all the more prompt to return the favor of correspondence.

Your letter, long awaited by us, has reached us, and it makes us the readier to repay the duty in turn. And do not be surprised that our message is delivered to you so late, since at times my occupations claim something for themselves, sometimes the opportunity is lacking, and the negligence of the letter-carriers too frequently frustrates the effort once undertaken. Cease, therefore, to measure our regard by the severity of our letters, since affection is to be judged by deeds rather than by words. Farewell. [The following lines are the editor's critical apparatus recording manuscript variants, not part of the letter: "habundana VF, aed. om. F; beneficio Plm., beneficii P2m,F; una P1m. V; galacia VF, Gallaecia ed. Veneta; nollem F; praetoreo V; lene F; parum] PVDPy om. F, oamm Scioppius ipse sentias; hiemi] Sirmondus, emi PVPb, enim F; indumentum O; seueritatem P, seritate Gunder, raritate Mommsen, sedulitate ego; metiri] Gruter, mereri PVMDP". Heading: "80 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE / XXVIIII."]

Expectatae mihi tuae litterae contigerunt, quibus promptior ad yicissitudinem ireddar officii. nec mireris, quod tibi sermo noster sero tradetur, cum aliquid occupa- ^^ tiones sibi yindicent, nonnumquam desit facultas, tabellariomm quoque neglegentia susceptam operam plemmque frustretur. desine igitur animum nostmm epistulamm seyeritate me^iri, cum rebus potius quam yerbis spectetur adfectio. yale. « habundana VF aed om. F beneflcio Plm., beneflcil P2m,F 8 una P i m. V 9 galacia VF, QaUaeeia ed. Veneta noUem F 10 praetoreo V 11 lene F 13 parum] PVDPy om. F, oamm Seioppius ipse sentias (^ 14 hieml] Sirmondw, emi PVPfi, enim F indumentum 0 seueritatem P, seritate Qnder, raritate MommHn^ seduHtate ego metiri] Qfuiery mereri PVMDP 80 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE xxvnn.