Letter 4001: I admit I've been silent for a long time, waiting for a letter from you to give me the confidence to write.
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus→Unknown|c. 365 AD|Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
education booksfriendship
I admit I've been silent for a long time, waiting for a letter from you to give me the confidence to write. But since no such invitation has come, I've broken the ice myself and sent this greeting first — with the strong hope that you'll follow my example.
[Second letter] My son Flavianus has more than enough merit and family distinction to earn the good opinion of honorable men, but the love I truly owe my own child won't let me sit idle while his merits speak for themselves. So I do what may be redundant and add my voice to what's already complete. Still, I believe this will go a long way toward binding Flavianus to your good graces, since you understand that any favor you show him on your own judgment alone would count as a kindness to me.
[Third letter] The distinguished Rufinus, a man to be ranked among the finest of our senatorial order, was on his way to pay his respects to you when he insisted on carrying my greetings along with his own. I would send them more often if I could find messengers like him as easily. Letters from me are rare, then, because such opportunities are rare. About the man himself I'll say nothing — he's well aware of his own worth, avoids any whiff of favoritism, and prefers to present himself to your judgment as a candidate rather than as someone who needs a testimonial.
Diu siluisse me fateor, ut mihi fiduciam scribendi tuus sermo praestaret. sed
cum perspicerem, necdum me ullo invitamento officii provocari, prior in verba saluta-
tionis erupi plurimum rogans, ut exempli istius imitator esse digneris.
n a. 382—383? »o
P CS. CS.
Abundat Flavianus filius meus ad promerendam conciliationem bonorum suis pater-
nisque suflfragiis, sed interest amoris, quem vere pignori meo debeo, ne, dum meritis
iilius nihil deesse contemplor, officium parentis omittam. facio igitur, quod redundet,
et cumulum inpono perfectis; sed hoc ad coniungendum Flaviano meo praestantiae is
tuae animum multum credo valiturum, quia mihi pro beneficio intellegis inpntandum,
quod illi solo iudicio detulisses.
m.
cs. cs.
Vir spectabilis Rufinus et in ordinis nostri lectissima parte censendus, cum in 20
obsequia debita tibi pergeret, invidere se mihi credidit, nisi nostra susciperet. igitur
a me reddendam defert salutationem, quam tibi saepe deferrem, si esset facile similes
invenire. rarus igitur est sermo, quia rara est talis occasio. de ipso nihil dicimus.
meriti enim proprii conscius suspiciones gratiae fugit, et in examen tuum veniens non
vult sui commendationem testi magis debere quam iudici. 25
im (VII) a. 399.
◆
I admit I've been silent for a long time, waiting for a letter from you to give me the confidence to write. But since no such invitation has come, I've broken the ice myself and sent this greeting first — with the strong hope that you'll follow my example.
[Second letter] My son Flavianus has more than enough merit and family distinction to earn the good opinion of honorable men, but the love I truly owe my own child won't let me sit idle while his merits speak for themselves. So I do what may be redundant and add my voice to what's already complete. Still, I believe this will go a long way toward binding Flavianus to your good graces, since you understand that any favor you show him on your own judgment alone would count as a kindness to me.
[Third letter] The distinguished Rufinus, a man to be ranked among the finest of our senatorial order, was on his way to pay his respects to you when he insisted on carrying my greetings along with his own. I would send them more often if I could find messengers like him as easily. Letters from me are rare, then, because such opportunities are rare. About the man himself I'll say nothing — he's well aware of his own worth, avoids any whiff of favoritism, and prefers to present himself to your judgment as a candidate rather than as someone who needs a testimonial.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.