Letter 8016: ...you imitate the light infantry and keep your words lean.

[...the close of the preceding letter:] ...you imitate light-armed skirmishers. What am I to do, a chatterbox old man, whose measure of speech is prescribed by a young man? The fault of old age, long-windedness, drags us along; but an example presents itself, and from the brevity of your pen I infer the squeamishness of your ears. For meanwhile I must not violate the model of your own page. I will wait, nonetheless, to see whether you demand more from me, if you write back at greater length. XLVIIII (XLVIII). To Vitalis. For a long while, conscious of my own middling eloquence, I hesitated to reply to the equally healthful and charming style of your letter; but scruple broke through my fear. For I preferred to displease you by my pen rather than by my arrogance. Whatever, then, this is that the page contains, I beg you to take it in good part, and to lower yourself to the mediocrity of my writings, lest my service be blunted while imitation is despaired of. Farewell. L (XLVIIII). To Iovius. Long ago, when letters had been sent to you, I earned no answering writings in return; and yet, keeping to my resolve, I renew the courtesy of writing. For I believe that a repetition may even now obtain that exchange which was denied to the first act of duty. LI (L). To Maximilianus. Your rarity all but asserts that the constant flow of my writings is a weariness to you; for you are, beyond your custom, sparing of eloquence. But I uphold the steadiness of my diligence and am not led away from my settled course of argument. It will be in your power either to increase this disposition of my mind by your silence, or to remove it by letters. Farewell. LII (LI). [To the same.] You understand how much your absence saddens me; for you write that a necessity [of hunting wild beasts] was laid upon you by my son, so that you might clear yourself by the excuse of public business. One of two things, therefore, must be done by your conscience out of the two: either send a supply of stags or of boars, or return more swiftly into the sight of your friend. For no just satisfaction is now at hand, if you deny both the hunt to him and the consolation to me. LIII (LII). To Leporius. I repay you the discourse that is owing to you; for long ago our common friend rendered to me the like courtesy of your writings. Having diligently examined his modesty and honorableness, I have approved that you, whom you love, are worthy. [him whom you love is worthy] LIIII (LIII). To Marcianus. I suppose my letter seems late to you; but if you count the days of my journey, the reckoning will lengthen [excuse] the delay. There intervened, besides, from my usual humor, a bodily ailment that sequesters friendly services. Now, since rest has been restored to my labor and health, I do not defer the words of greeting, about to take the reward of my compliance from the recompense of your reply. Farewell. LV (LIIII).

5 debiu] egOy de boiu (//), sed boua {1) 6 quoUnnis] ego, quodam (//) is r, diligentius his (//) 21 posset (P) post gratias ago i^>Uoc. F^ 27 potesUtem] //, maiesUtem F».^, saniUtem F» tuo] F, tibi Iir prosperumque Fl, prosperorumque F^ 28 uale om. F^ 31 solebas Latiniw foH, postquam autem te 32 et] F^ om, (//) LIBER Vm. 229 miles rorarios aemularis. quid faciam senex garrulas, coi mcDSura sermonis a iu- 11 vene praescribitur? trahit nos vitium senile verbositas, sed occurrit exemplum, et fastidia aurium tuarum de stili brevitate coniecto. non enim violanda est interim mihi paginae tuae formula. expectabo tamen, an copiam de me exigas, si plura re- 5 scripseris. xxxxvmi (xxxxvm) . AD VITALEM. F Diu sanitati pariter ac venustati litterarum tuarum mediocris eloquii conscius re- spondere dubitavi, sed religio rupit timorem. malui enim tibi stilo quam superbia 10 displicere. quidquid igitur hoc est, quod tenet pagina, quaeso, ut boni consulas te- que submittas ad mediocritatem scriptorum meorum, ne retundatur officium meum, dum desperatur imitatio. vale. L (xxxxvmi). AD lOVIVM. n 15 lamdudum datis ad te litteris mutua scripta non merui, et tamen propositum meum servans honorificentiam scriptionis instauro. credo enim, quod negatam primo officio vicem vel nunc impetrare possit iteratio. LI (L). AD MAXIMIUANVM. F 20 Adsiduitatem scriptorum meorum tibi esse fastidio prope adserit raritas tua; es enim praeter solitum parcus eloquii. sed tueor constantiam diligentiae nec a propo- situ argumentatione deducor. erit potestas tua hunc animi mei habitum vel augere silentio vel litteris amovere. vale. LH (LI). 25 Quatenus me absentia tua contristet, intellegis; nam ideo necessitatem 17 tibi a filio meo scribis iniunctam, ut publici negotii excusatione purgeris. alterum igitur religioni tuae ex utroque faciendum est, ut aut cervorum aut aprorum copiam mittas aut in conspectum amici celerius revertaris. nulla enim satisfactio iusta iam suppetit, si et illi venatum et mihi solacium denegaris. 1 miles om, F ror&rios] /*, mrarius [II) 2 uerbositas] lureUu, ubosiUs 27 3 euim] (27), forl. ergo aui igitur 4 si plura rescribserim F^ cui rare scripseris (27) noD Fi retundatur F2 12 desperatur] (27), sperattr F uale om. F3 posita (27) 22 argumentationem F^ animum F3 mei babitum uel om. F3 23 ad- monere F3 uale om, F3 25 ideo necessitatem [11)^ supple: ferarum conquirendarum vel ahniU quid 27 tuae] F, meae (/7) et aprorum Sdoppius 28 iusta iam] egOj iustitia (27) r 29 suppetit] F, supplebit (27) 230 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE Lm (LII). n LEPORIO. Debitum tibi rependo sermonem; dndum enim parem mihi scriptorom tnoram honorificentiam communis amicns exbibuit. cuius verecundia et honestate diligenter inspecta dignum esse, quem diligas, adprobavi. & Lira (Lin) . F MARCIANO. Seras tibi videri arbitror litteras meas; sed si itineris mei dies numeras, ratio moram dilud;. intervenit praeterea ex humore solito dolor corporis officiorum fami- liarium sequestrator. nunc quia labori et valetudini quies reddita est, salutationis lo verba non difl^ero pretium laturus obsequii de remuneratione responsi. vale. LV (Lmi) .