Letter 3026: The fact that your fortunes have flourished so splendidly I count as my own gain, since I am the kind of man who...

That your fortunes have flourished so sumptuously I reckon as my own profit, since I am of such a mind that I do not consider the prosperity of my friends as something foreign to my own advantage. And in truth, how joyful is the day for any man who counts only his own good fortune? He rejoices more amply who feeds also upon the goods of another. With what congratulation, then, do you suppose I was filled when I learned that the wedded gods had joined a mistress of the household to you, and from her had granted a little daughter in timely birth? For, as you know, owing to the expanse of sea and lands by which we are kept apart, I learned that a wife had come to you no sooner than offspring did. Indeed, in one and the same letter you conveyed both the announcement of the little daughter just born and the nuptial gift-basket. These blessings, to be sure, befell you parceled out over time, but they entered my heart all at once. Let joys divided give way to joys conjoined: the delay has furnished me a more abundant harvest. Now I no longer complain that your letters are late; a postponement is delightful that restores several good things together. Farewell.

Quod fortunae tuae pollucibiliter floruerunt, meum duco conpendium, quando ita animatus sum, ut amicorum prospera meis commoditatibus extema non arbitrer. et re vera quo/u^ quisque horaini dies laetus est sua tantum secunda numeranti? latius gaudet, qui et alterius bonis pascitur. qua me igitur gratulatione adfectum putas, cum tibi comperi iugales deos matrem familias copulasse atque ex ea filiolam tem- 20 2 pestivo dedisse proventu? nam, ut scis, intervallo maris atque terramm, quo disti- nemur, non: prius coniugem tibi quam subolem accessisse cognovi. quippe unis lit- teris et nuntium filiolae recens editae et nuptialem sportulam detulisti. quae quidem bona tibi dispertita temporibus acciderunt, sed meum pectus pariter ingressa sunt. cedant gaudia divisa coniunctis; uberiorem mihi fructum praestitit mora. iam non 2& queror, quod epistulae tuae serae sunt: iucunda dilatio est, quae simul bona plura restituit. vale. 5 Verg. G. U 519. forentes P 1 m. V rabulas] SehoUus, rauolas PVF{rip] U reliquie P fastidium] F, fasti- gium PV tergeant uel certe] eyo, tergeatur certe PK, tergeant denique F 12 fori. docendom tus] Juretusy quod ut PV(/^) secundam P 19 putas om. P 1 m. 20 flllo iam P 1 m., fllium iam P2m. te/pestiuo P 21 quodestinemur P 2 m. (7^), quod est intnemur V, qoo destituimor F XXV.