Marcus Cornelius Fronto→Unknown|c. 164 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
To Arrius Antoninus.
1. I congratulate myself that to most men [...] so that my work [...] whoever [...] by the bravest men [...] that I am respected by you no differently than a parent. The result is that very many flock to me who desire your favor. These I do not hear rashly or without discrimination, but I grant my support to those who petition honorably. But to those who want to obtain from you something less than honorable, I myself refuse, so that they may meet a rebuff from me rather [than from you].
2. [...] very many men so especially dear to me that I greatly desire to oblige them, yet only so far that the greatest and most important consideration is regard for your justice [...] it seemed in keeping with your humanity.
3. I have undertaken to commend Baburiana's wish to you, and I commend it as zealously as I can; and you have honored it fittingly, again and again, just as you write [...] it seemed to be built up [...] huge figures were paid out [...] you declared [...] lest I bring forth [...] whether you say or do what had to be reported. What remains, what is to be kindly provided for by you, I will set out in a few words.
4. Baburiana complies with your decision not with merely an even temper, but with a ready one too, and, you might almost say, in a youthful spirit. What then does she request that would not have been ungrudging for you to grant, modest for Baburiana to ask, and pleasant to obtain: namely that this money, which by your decision [...] is being spent on interest [...], be added to the construction of the work? It is far more honorable [...] formerly diligent and suitable [...] to have contributed [...] to have expended [...] decisions; so that the earlier work of Caesar [...] may seem more lasting [...], but also punished with infamy; this too, to the people, lest [...]
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to Arrius Antoninus, greeting. I congratulate myself that for most men it is . . . . . . . . . . . . that I am looked up to by you quite as a parent. Consequently very many who desire your favour have recourse to me. I do not give them a hearing at haphazard and without circumspection, but I lend my support to those whose petition is honest. To those, however, who wish to obtain some dishonest advantage from you, I say Impossible . That Baburiana should rather from me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . men dear to me and I would most gladly oblige them, only so far however as is compatible above and before all with a regard for your justice . . . . It seemed in keeping with your humane disposition ; I took upon myself to commend Baburiana's wish to you, and I do commend it most heartily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with regard to constructing the work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baburiana bowed to your decision not resignedly only but even promptly and almost willingly . . . . What then does she ask which would not be worth your while to grant, and at the same time very much to Baburiana's interest to obtain . . . . payment of interest in accordance with your decision . . . . attached to the construction of the work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ad amicos 2.8 [197 Hout; 2.188 Haines]
Arriano Antonino.
1 Gratulor mihi plerisque hominibus . . . . . . es . . . . . en . . . . . . . . ut opus meos . . . . quisquis . . . a fortissimis . . . . . me a tenon secus quam parentem observari. Eo fit, ut ad me decurrant plurimi, qui tuam gratiam cupiunt. Quos ego non temere nec sine dilectu audio, sed probe petentibus suffragium meum impertio. Iis vero, qui parum probe quid a te impetratum velint, ipse denego, ut a me potius ferant repulsam.
2 Burburiana saidia . e . audiam e . e . s . ressen . s. plurimos ita maxime caros mihi viros, ut magno opere eis obsequi cupiam, ita tamen ut ars maxima ac potissima sit justitiae tuae ratio habenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tuae humanitati congruens videbatur. 3 Desiderium Baburianae commendandum tibi recepi et, quam possum studiosissime, commendo et honorasti decenter identidem sicut scribis servanda . a . . . . . . adesi exstructum videbatur apulasporiis figuras . . . ingentes dependi pronuntiasti quid aduletsiaexesalul . . ne peperiam quo velut diuturna dicas an agas, quod fuit tradendum, superest; quod a te benefice providendum, in pauca conferam. 4 Sententiae tuae Buburiana non aequo animo, sed prompto etiam et, paene diceres, juveniliter morigeratur. Quid igitur postulat, quod tibi non ambitiosum concessu, Baburianae verecundum oratu et jucundum impetratu fuerit, ut pecunia ista, quae de sententia tua usurarum . . . . . . . . i inpenditur, operi exstruendo adjungatur; est multoi honestas . . . . . . quondam impigri ac idoneus quam poneriscendensnola petita contulisse polluisse sententias ita priora Caesaris operis perennius aliter ritarexeris, sed etiam infamia multata videatur; id populo quoque ni<...>
[duae paginae desunt]
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To Arrius Antoninus.
1. I congratulate myself that to most men [...] so that my work [...] whoever [...] by the bravest men [...] that I am respected by you no differently than a parent. The result is that very many flock to me who desire your favor. These I do not hear rashly or without discrimination, but I grant my support to those who petition honorably. But to those who want to obtain from you something less than honorable, I myself refuse, so that they may meet a rebuff from me rather [than from you].
2. [...] very many men so especially dear to me that I greatly desire to oblige them, yet only so far that the greatest and most important consideration is regard for your justice [...] it seemed in keeping with your humanity.
3. I have undertaken to commend Baburiana's wish to you, and I commend it as zealously as I can; and you have honored it fittingly, again and again, just as you write [...] it seemed to be built up [...] huge figures were paid out [...] you declared [...] lest I bring forth [...] whether you say or do what had to be reported. What remains, what is to be kindly provided for by you, I will set out in a few words.
4. Baburiana complies with your decision not with merely an even temper, but with a ready one too, and, you might almost say, in a youthful spirit. What then does she request that would not have been ungrudging for you to grant, modest for Baburiana to ask, and pleasant to obtain: namely that this money, which by your decision [...] is being spent on interest [...], be added to the construction of the work? It is far more honorable [...] formerly diligent and suitable [...] to have contributed [...] to have expended [...] decisions; so that the earlier work of Caesar [...] may seem more lasting [...], but also punished with infamy; this too, to the people, lest [...]
[two pages are missing]
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
ad amicos 2.8 [197 Hout; 2.188 Haines] Arriano Antonino. 1 Gratulor mihi plerisque hominibus . . . . . . es . . . . . en . . . . . . . . ut opus meos . . . . quisquis . . . a fortissimis . . . . . me a tenon secus quam parentem observari. Eo fit, ut ad me decurrant plurimi, qui tuam gratiam cupiunt. Quos ego non temere nec sine dilectu audio, sed probe petentibus suffragium meum impertio. Iis vero, qui parum probe quid a te impetratum velint, ipse denego, ut a me potius ferant repulsam. 2 Burburiana saidia . e . audiam e . e . s . ressen . s. plurimos ita maxime caros mihi viros, ut magno opere eis obsequi cupiam, ita tamen ut ars maxima ac potissima sit justitiae tuae ratio habenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tuae humanitati congruens videbatur. 3 Desiderium Baburianae commendandum tibi recepi et, quam possum studiosissime, commendo et honorasti decenter identidem sicut scribis servanda . a . . . . . . adesi exstructum videbatur apulasporiis figuras . . . ingentes dependi pronuntiasti quid aduletsiaexesalul . . ne peperiam quo velut diuturna dicas an agas, quod fuit tradendum, superest; quod a te benefice providendum, in pauca conferam. 4 Sententiae tuae Buburiana non aequo animo, sed prompto etiam et, paene diceres, juveniliter morigeratur. Quid igitur postulat, quod tibi non ambitiosum concessu, Baburianae verecundum oratu et jucundum impetratu fuerit, ut pecunia ista, quae de sententia tua usurarum . . . . . . . . i inpenditur, operi exstruendo adjungatur; est multoi honestas . . . . . . quondam impigri ac idoneus quam poneriscendensnola petita contulisse polluisse sententias ita priora Caesaris operis perennius aliter ritarexeris, sed etiam infamia multata videatur; id populo quoque ni<...> [duae paginae desunt]