Letter 6027: I've also lifted the spirits of the Roman people.

Quintus Aurelius SymmachusUnknown|c. 379 AD|Quintus Aurelius Symmachus|AI-assisted
diplomaticillnessimperial politics

For a long time I struggled within myself whether I should send our common pledge [his son] back to you, but affection won out, especially as the hope [...] of the granaries rose. For the present, sparing expenditure promises the city twenty days' worth of provisions. Besides, a second contribution from the most distinguished order [the Senate] promises that something will be added to our security. No less, too, has the offering of meat lifted the spirits of the Roman commons. I have therefore ordered the pack-animals to return to you, giving thanks that you have aided your brother's need with fitting supports. The choice of envoys is still wavering. For to Postumianus and Pinianus, whom the Senate had from the outset acknowledged in its mandates, a third, Paulinus, is now being attached, and with the parties divided into rival interests the public benefit is still being delayed. When this matter has received the settlement of its confirmation, a clear account will be conveyed to you. Farewell.

AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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

Diu mecum ipse contendi, ut ad vos pignus commune dimitterem, sed vicit ad-
fectio maxime adsurgente specula ^ti/ficientium conditorum. nam viginti dies urbis
alimoniis parca interim promittit expensio. praeterea amplissimi ordinis secunda con-
latio accessurum securitati aliquid pollicetur. nihilo minus etiam camis oblatio animos 25

2 Romanae plebis erexit. redire igitur ad vos iumenta praecepi agens gratias, quod
necessitatem fratris vestri congruis adminiculis iuveritis. legatorum adhuc vacillat

« electio. nam Postumiano et Piniano , quos a principio mandatis suis senatus agno-
verat, tertius Paulinus adseritur, et divisis in studia partibus adhuc differtur utilitas.
quae cum terminum confirmationis acceperit, plana ad te cognitio deferetur. vale. 30

xxvu (XX vni) .

Revision history

  1. 2026-05-27v2.2.34-import

    Initial corpus import from modern symmachus retranslated v1.

    Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://archive.org/details/qaureliisymmach00seecgoog

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