Letter 5011: I was glad to learn from your letter that everything is going well for you and that your public responsibilities are...
It was my duty to be the first to write. You have the credit of prompt attention, since I confess my slowness. And yet I could have offered some excuse for the delay: I still had a long way to travel. But I preferred to set your mind at ease about the completion of my journey. There is no shame in being beaten to the punch by a friend's devoted zeal. So love the one who willingly yields, and let this very straightforwardness earn me frequent letters from you. If I do not match them in equal number, my honest admission will once again serve as your reward.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
Antecapere scribendi ordinem mei muneris fuit. habes festinati officii gloriam,
cum ego fatear tarditatem. et ceiiie potui allegare aliquid in excusationem morarum:
supererat mihi plurimum viae; malui te de laboris nostri absolutione facere securum.
sed pio studio praeveniri nullus est rubor. ama igitur sponte cedentem, cui haec ipsa
15 simplicitas conciliare debet frequentes litteras tuas; quas si non aequavero pari nu-
mero, rursus tibi praemium confessio mea faciet.
xxviin (xxvn).
AD MAGNILLVM. PVF
Amicum meum ad Brittios revertentem litteris credidi prosequendum , ut et tibi
2u salutationis munus exolverem et illi commendationis aliquid exhiberem. quaeso igitur
te, ut et meis litteris vicissitudo reddatur et illi defensio plena proveniat.
XXX (xxvni).
AD MAGNILLVM.
Proxime quidem urbe digressus es, sed ego quasi iam inveterato tut desiderio
25 convenirer, offieium scribendi et munus arripui nec expectato ordine nec more ser-
vato , qui solet amicis esse pro lege , ut peregre locati tribuant prius scripta quam
Bumant. et est vera jidfectio omnis inpatiens etiam iustae ac legitimae tarditatis. rupi
igitur consuetudinem religione maiore, quam si cam servare voluissem. quae res si
tibi grata est, et mihi fenus solve conloquii et perlatori talium litterarum benignus
30 adride. cui ut ipse nihil potui praestare quam litteras , ita tu nihil poteris plus tri-
buere quam favorem.
2 effectu PF
5 om, VM 7 a te owi. V
consUiare V
lam in 0 nova manu sic seriptum erat: Hic incipit Hazo
30 nihU magis potui P 2 m.
17*
132 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE
XXXI (xxvim) .
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