Letter 9002: [To a friend] Since your intervention can and should serve in place of my personal presence, I'm puzzled that...

[To a friend] Since your intervention can and should serve in place of my personal presence, I'm puzzled that Amazonius keeps burdening me with requests. Please take on the responsibilities that friendship requires, so that with your help my property is both protected from harassment and produces some actual income for us. Among other matters Amazonius reported, he was particularly insistent that I exempt Ursus — who he says has long been bound to our household along with his family — from all public obligations, so that he can more easily fulfill what's been assigned to him. But the stronger support for his case will come from your favor as arbiter, since justice is in fact on his side. As the facts show, he was defrauded by an ill-considered agreement, and he shouldn't have to pay for his rustic gullibility. Farewell. [To Perpetuus] The celebration my household has planned calls for your assistance. Soon, God willing, my son will put on the games for his praetorship, and we need to acquire horses of curule quality [the finest racing stock, fit for a magistrate's games]. If the care of absent friends carries any weight with you, I ask that you carefully select from all the herds in Spain the very best — distinguished in breeding and speed — for my agents to purchase at a fair price. My gratitude for your help in this matter will be lasting, if you devote to it the effort that our mutual regard promises. Farewell.

Cum vicem praesentiae meae et possit et debeat tuus interventus inplere, miror suggestionibus Amazonii occupationes nostras frequenter onerari. exequere igitur, oro is te, partes amicitiae congruentes, ut auxilio tuo tutata possessio et ipsa a molestiis 2 vindicetur et nobis aliquid commoditatis exhibeat. inter reliqua aut6m, quae idem Amazonius intimavit, magnopere deprecatus est, ut Vrsum, quem dudum domui no- strae cum familia sua dicit obnoxium, ab omni publica conventione secemas, quo facilius delata munivit. sed maior ei opitulatio ex tuo, arbitri, favore 2u proveniet, cum causae eius etiam iustitia non desit. circumscriptus enim, quantum res docuit, inprovida cautione, non debet noxam rusticae /ocilitatis incidere. vale. XII a. 399. AD PERPETVVM. Votiva domus meae functio tua adiumenta deposcit; proxime enim, si optata no- 25 stra favor divinitatis adiuverit, filius meus praeturae editione fungetur, cui equorum curulium paranda nobilitas est. si quid igitur apud te valet amicorum absentium cura, quaeso te, ut ex omnibus gregibus, quibus pollet Hispania, lectissimos genere et velocitate praestantes diligenter edecumes, quos amici mei in rem ndssi iusta pretii definitione mercentur. stabit apud me iugiter beneficii tui gratia, si huic negotio stu- 30 dium, quod religio mutua promittit, inpenderis. vale. dignius F cuiusque sufiftagii ullis Ff ouiusque sufftagium uUis (iUis F^ 1 m., cum 2 m.) F, cuius nsus ulUs /7, lacunam indicavit 8cioppiu$ 4 alio F^ 5 uindicate F^ ut] et F^ 6 lau- dis] Lypaius, salutis F postulent F^ 1 m. capitulani] IirF^, capitulam F^ 7 snper hoc] superest F^ 1 m,^ superest cuius F^ 2 m. ualiditatis] egOj utilitatis F, auctoritatis luretu» 8 pro- mentes] Lyp$iu$f promittis F^F^ 1 m., promittentes F^ 2 m. ininsta] LypaiuSj iusta F 9 no- stros] nos F^ subdetur F^ est om. F2 10 scriptione F» pandatur] Z7F«, pendatur F» 19 quo faoilius **** delaU mnniuit] (F), om. {II) 20 arbitri] ego, arbitrii {H) 22 facUi- Utis] luretus, foelicitatis II LfflEB Vmr. 239 Xm a. 401.