Letter 6

It's no use accusing me of silence — I've been scrupulous about keeping up my correspondence, and there's hardly been a single stop on my travels where I've taken a holiday from this duty. And truly, the conscientious demand for letters is a pleasant thing. Complaints born of affection are sweet. Just be aware that this nagging of yours is more a matter of devotion than of justice. In the meantime, you've said nothing about your retreat to Praeneste [modern Palestrina], which I learned about through rumor. How I wish I could drop in on your pleasures unannounced! Fine as the charms of Campania are, it would suit me better to spend time with you and cool the summer heat with the breezes of that region. But the family estate needs my attention everywhere I go — not to grow our income, but simply to prop up the farm's prospects against its voluntary expenses. This is what our generation has come to: the countryside, which used to feed us, now needs feeding itself. But enough of that — I don't want a greeting turned into a complaint to spoil the pleasure of my duty. Take care of your health and write more often. When I ask for that, I earnestly promise the same. Farewell.

25 Nequiquam tacitumitatis incessimur, quibus summa cautio est officii persequendi, fere ut nulla statio fuerit tot locoram. in qua huius muneris ferias egerimus. et sane iuvat animum pia sermonis exactio. dulcis est enim querella, quae nascitur ex in- dulgentia. vos modo facite noveritis, hanc stimulationem religiosam magis esse quam iustam. interea loci de Praenestina secessione siluisti, cuius fama mihi fecit indicium. 30 quam vellem deliciis vestris inprovisus obrepere ! licet Campaniae amoena praeniteant, mihi tamen esset adcommodatius agitare vobiscum et spiraculis regionis illius aestivam flagrantiam temperare. sed res familiaris inclinata a nobis usque quaque visenda est, 2 non ut quaestuum summa ditescat, sed ut spes agri voluntariis dispendiis fulciatur. cessit T* 3 deo uolente] V, dum uolente P, aeribe diiB uolentibus 4 redditnros V fors fuat] V0, fmar F affatim V 7 Symmachns patri om, VM 8 uaronis V 9 ebdomadon VM 10 oasta /^, fort. decies tamen castigata sunt, ef. Hor. A. P. 294 praesectum decles non castigauit ad unguem tomo] ScioppiuSy ef. Hor. A. P. 441 y turno 0, a turao /*, a saturno VM 11 pytagoran V 12 aeternftate V 22 commodabo] Af, accommodabo V luretus magis esse religiosam F 29 secessione] sede F mihi fama V 31 religionis V 32 inclinat ea nobis F 6 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE VMF namqae hic nsus in nostram venit aetatem , ut rus , quod solebat alere , nunc alatur. verum haec missa facio, ne salutatio in querellam versa minuat officii voluptatem. date operam valetudini et adloquio crebriori, quae cum petimus^ sedulo pollicemur. vale. VI (UI) ante a. 376.