Marcus Aurelius→Marcus Cornelius Fronto|c. 163 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|To Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
Greetings to my master.
1. I saw my little sons at the same moment you saw them; and I saw you too, when I was reading your letter. I beg you, my master, love me as you do love me; love me even in the way you love these little ones of ours. And I have not yet said all that I want to say: love me as you have loved me.
2. The marvelous delightfulness of your letter has drawn me on to write these things. For as to its elegance, what am I to say, except that you speak Latin, while the rest of us speak neither Greek nor Latin? I ask that you write often to my lord and brother [Lucius Verus, Marcus's adoptive brother and co-emperor]. He very much wants me to obtain this from you; and his longings make me unrestrained and importunate.
Farewell, my most delightful master. Greet your grandson for me.
To my master, greeting. I saw my little sons, when you saw them; I saw you too, when I read your letter. I beseech you, my master, love me as you do love me; love me too even as you love those little ones of ours: I have not yet said all that I want to say: love me as you have loved me. The extraordinary delightfulness of your letter has led me to write this. For as to its style what can I say? except that you talk Latin while the rest of us talk neither Latin nor Greek. Write often, I pray you, to the Lord my brother. He especially wishes me to get this from you. His wishes, however, make me unreasonable and exacting. Farewell, my most delightful of masters. Give my love to your grandson.
ad Anton.Imp. 1.4 [92 Hout; 2.120 Haines]
Magistro meo salutem.
1 Vidi filiolos meos, quom eos tu vidisti; vidi et te, cum litteras tuas legerem. Oro te, mi magister, ama me, ut amas; ama me sic etiam quomodo istos parvolos nostros amas; nondum omne dixi, quod volo: Ama me, quomodo amasti. 2 Haec ut scriberem, tuarum litterarum mira jucunditas produxit; nam de elegantia quid dicam, nisi te Latine loqui, nos ceteros neque Graece neque Latine. Domino meo fratri peto scriptites. Valde volt, ut hoc a te impetrem; desideria autem illius intemperantem me et violentum faciunt.
Vale, mi jucundissime magister. nepotem tuum saluta.
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Greetings to my master.
1. I saw my little sons at the same moment you saw them; and I saw you too, when I was reading your letter. I beg you, my master, love me as you do love me; love me even in the way you love these little ones of ours. And I have not yet said all that I want to say: love me as you have loved me.
2. The marvelous delightfulness of your letter has drawn me on to write these things. For as to its elegance, what am I to say, except that you speak Latin, while the rest of us speak neither Greek nor Latin? I ask that you write often to my lord and brother [Lucius Verus, Marcus's adoptive brother and co-emperor]. He very much wants me to obtain this from you; and his longings make me unrestrained and importunate.
Farewell, my most delightful master. Greet your grandson for me.
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 Anton.Imp. 1.4 [92 Hout; 2.120 Haines] Magistro meo salutem. 1 Vidi filiolos meos, quom eos tu vidisti; vidi et te, cum litteras tuas legerem. Oro te, mi magister, ama me, ut amas; ama me sic etiam quomodo istos parvolos nostros amas; nondum omne dixi, quod volo: Ama me, quomodo amasti. 2 Haec ut scriberem, tuarum litterarum mira jucunditas produxit; nam de elegantia quid dicam, nisi te Latine loqui, nos ceteros neque Graece neque Latine. Domino meo fratri peto scriptites. Valde volt, ut hoc a te impetrem; desideria autem illius intemperantem me et violentum faciunt. Vale, mi jucundissime magister. nepotem tuum saluta.