Letter 91: In the old days, when I wrote to friends, our exchanges were carefree.

To Troilus. In the old days, when I wrote to friends, our exchanges were carefree. I lived among my books, almost completely disconnected from civic and political life. But now God has assigned me a fixed place and a specific rank in the city, and I live among a limited number of people. I want to be useful to my colleagues — to do as much good as possible to individuals in private and to the city in public. In this voyage of life, I want to see my shipmates in a pleasant light, and to be seen that way by them. I recommend Matyrius to you. If it is in your power to do him a service, know that you are doing me a kindness through one who is my daily companion. I call our past conversations — so dear to us both — as witness that Matyrius is devoted to me. He often stays up until the very last hour of the night just to keep me company.

Letter 91: A Recommendation [1] To Troilus In days gone by when I conversed, or when I wrote to my friends, our intercourse was free from care. I lived in a sense with my books, and was quite out of touch with any city or political life. But now God has assigned me a definite spot to dwell in, and has ordered me to take a certain rank in the city, and to live amongst a limited number of men. I should like, therefore, to be useful to my colleagues, and to do as much good as possible to individuals in private as also to the city in public. In other words, I desire in this voyage of life, as one might call it, to see my shipmates in a pleasant light, and so to be seen by them. [2] I would to you to recommend Matyrius. note [Recipient of Letter 19 .] If it be in your power to do him a good turn, be assured that you are doing me a kindness in the person of one who is my daily companion. I call our past discussions, so dear to us both, to witness that Matyrius is devoted to me. He often sits up even to the very last hour of the night, in order to keep me company.