Letter 9032: A worthy cause deserves the support of your generous spirit.
A worthy cause deserves the support of your generous spirit. A new praetorian spectacle [public games], God willing, is expected, at which I am encouraged both by the example of others and by my own ambition to display crocodiles and various other exotic creatures to the citizens.
I ask your help in procuring these animals. The logistics are considerable — transport from overseas, housing, and feeding — but the impression they will make on the Roman public is well worth the effort. Past shows have set a high standard, and I intend to match or exceed it. Any assistance you can provide will be deeply appreciated. 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AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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
Meretur de praeclaro animo tuo votiva causa suffragium. f praetoria donum no-
vum deo iuvante expectat, in qua me crocodillos et pleraque peregrina civibus ex- 10
hibere et aliorum hortantur exempla et propria conpellit animositas. quare amicum
meum Cyriacum benigne in curam tuam dignare suscipere, ut p/acita promoveat.
habebis in posterum tantae gratiae non inmemorem debitorem.
CLII (CXXXm. CXXIII) a. 398—401.
Quod scribis, voluntariae benignitatis est, quod sero, curarum; nos autem reli- 15
gionem meritis tuis debitam et otium nostrum stili adsiduitate testamur. Euscium
nostrum circumsessum domesticis negotiis deduci in obsequium tuum praecipe, et
quae in meam notitiam pertulisti de instrueuda editione ludorum, ipsi familiariter cu-
randa committe. vale.
CLIU (CXXXniT. CXXnU) a. 391. 20
Sportulam consulatus mei et amicitiae nostrae et honori tuo debeo. hanc in so-
lido uno ad te misi orans, ut benigno animo sollemnia offlcii mei libamenta susci-
pias. vale.
LIBER DECmVS
CONTINENS EPISTVLAS FAMILIARES AD IMPERATORES 25
SENTENTIAS SENATORIAS ET OPVSCVLA.
I a. 375—376.
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