Letter 7056: If my earlier letters on behalf of my friend Iucundus had accomplished their purpose, I'd be writing to thank you...
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus→Unknown|c. 391 AD|Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
illnessimperial politics
If my earlier letters on behalf of my friend Iucundus had accomplished their purpose, I'd be writing to thank you rather than to renew my petition. But in civil cases, frequent court appearances only worsen a sick man's condition -- so I'm pleading now not for the case itself but for his health.
My request shouldn't have been difficult to grant: an imperial rescript already excused him from the burden of his long absence. I'm surprised the execution of that order is proving so hard, when your usual generosity grants such favors even without being asked. Farewell.
Si quid pro amico atque unanimo roeo lacnndo priora scripta valuissent, agendis
magis gratiis quam renovandae petitioni a me sermo inpenderetur ; sed quia in civili
negotio auget eius infirmitatem crebra conventio, non iam pro causa sed pro valetu- s
dine familiaris mei instauro sermonem. et certe difficilis impetratio mea esse non
debuit, postquam illi divinus adfatus longae peregrinationis gratiam fecit. cuius rei
exsecutionem miror esse difficilem, cum lenitas tua soleat talia etiam sine rescripti
auctoritate praestare. inpensius igitur quaeso, ut vicarii foro saepe in his iudiciis
agitata causa reddatur, quando hoc et sacrae litterae imperant et iudiciorum non re- lo
futat humanitas.
LXXXIUI (LXXXin).
AD MESSALAM<
Primam mihi scribendi causam religio fecit, ut amicitia nostra litteris excolatur;
secundam suggessit humanitas, ut viro optimo Thalasso familiari meo tua concilietur 15
adfectio. superest, ut et mihi sermonis tui vicissitudo respondeat et commendato ex
sententia procedat optatum.
LXXXV (LXXVI. LXXVII) .
PVMF AD MESSALAM.
Numidam familiaritas nostra apud te debet iuvare : quem tuo trado suffragio , ut 20
meritum, quod apud ;ios honestis officiis conlocavit, tua pro me cura conpenset. mo-
res hominis ex meo pende iudicio et in omnibus, quae utilitas eius exquirit, votum
commendantis imitare.
LXXXVI (LXXXrai. LXXXV).
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If my earlier letters on behalf of my friend Iucundus had accomplished their purpose, I'd be writing to thank you rather than to renew my petition. But in civil cases, frequent court appearances only worsen a sick man's condition -- so I'm pleading now not for the case itself but for his health.
My request shouldn't have been difficult to grant: an imperial rescript already excused him from the burden of his long absence. I'm surprised the execution of that order is proving so hard, when your usual generosity grants such favors even without being asked. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.