Letter 4004: [To a friend] A man traveling to give thanks needs no letter of introduction, so my son Flavianus, relying on the...

He who comes to give thanks has no need of a recommendation, and therefore my son Flavianus, relying on the benefactions of your eminence, relieves the anxiety of a parent of toil of this kind. It remains for me to write what his congratulation in person will follow up: that nothing is readier than your virtues for the restoring of men's fortunes. You had given back his former standing to one brought low, and you were thought to have exhausted what could be bestowed; now there has been added to him an honorable summons, which the authority of your testimony has aided. You discover new degrees of benefactions, and you reckon that love inconstant which does not receive increases. O the kindness of your fortunate nature! What more I would wish for my Flavianus I do not know, since you, of your own accord running on ahead, prevent us from being judged shameless, if we still desire anything further. VII (VI), in the year 399. To Stilicho. I rejoice that I have obtained the post-warrants [evectiones, permits to use the imperial post] by which you have deigned to aid my son's praetorship with the excellence in which you are powerful. It remains for you to crown what you have granted with the customary practice of your magnificent spirit: that you order my household servants, sent into the Spains for the buying-up of chariot horses, to make their crossing at once, since we are pressed by the time of the coming public show. But this I do not dare to request of you, but I leave it to your own judgment whether you would direct the fulfillment of my desire to be aided by letters given to your friends. VIII, in the year 401. To Stilicho. I understand from the delay and hesitation of the imperial rescript that something in those things which my son's praetorian petition comprised is judged inappropriate or doubtful, and therefore I owe it to render you once again an account of my requests. As to the horses to be granted on account of the birthday of our lord Honorius and most invincible prince, although in this year the time for that service has passed, I think my wish could not have been censured. But the obtaining of the theatrical water and of the all-silk garments has very often been granted to others before me as well, and therefore it is supported by precedents. As to the amphitheater as a venue for the spectacle, which I desire to be conceded for my son's public show because of the capacity of the place — not denied even to the preliminary games [praelusiones] of the quaestors — the rescripts that it lies open by privilege to the consuls alone are a testimony. Let it be known that the beginning of this matter proceeded from me some time ago, not so that anything should be added from this to the consular distinction — which the auspicious magistracy of your eminence, long owed, recently adorned — for the chief honor of such things does not require increases, but so that the Roman people, the more eager for pleasure of this kind, should not be cramped by the narrowness of a smaller place. For the rest, what prerogative [a smaller place] has, I do not see, since even the census-officials are accustomed to display there the gifts [shows] of absent persons, whose modesty we wish to emulate. This I write for this reason, lest I seem to be charged with unfairness or insolence if something is denied; but I leave it to your most eminent and ever-to-be-revered sublimity to weigh what you may rightly judge fitting. For men's opinion will judge concerning me, if I do not obtain what is just, since the disposition of your judgment is accustomed to bestow great things. VIIII, in the year 402. To Stilicho. Together with your sublime excellence, the most ample order [the Senate] has entrusted to me an embassy, to the undertaking of which both the necessity of my fatherland impelled me and the help of your eminence summoned me. Having therefore been conveyed to the court of our lord and prince Honorius, I did not delay to bring to the notice of your magnificence the cause of my arrival. For the hope of our common duty depends upon the arbitration of your judgment. I ask therefore that, once the petitions of the most ample order have been read — copies of which I have joined herewith — you would deign, among the auspicious acts of your greatness, to instruct my expectation in this part as well by your letters. X. Has forgetfulness of me so seized your sublime mind that you allow me to be excluded so long from your conversation? Or do you suppose that the neglect of a friendly duty can be borne by me with equanimity? Nay, act, as is the manner of your virtues, and celebrate the friendship of correspondence by reporting [your news], and at the same time consider how much more abundant and ready a care is to be rendered to your letters by me — which is continually shown even to one who keeps silent. XI. To Stilicho. [in manuscripts P and F] Often have I sent letters to you, which I believe were suppressed. For when would a man most observant of friendship and endowed with many goods of the spirit have denied me the honor of your duty? Let this have been the fault of those who lacked good faith in delivering the pages. Now a desirable occurrence has furnished a go-between of the old ways for my writings. Therefore, with the diligence which the loyalty of the man setting out promises me, I renew toward you the observance of a greeting. Your replies will bring it about that, provoked by your reciprocation, I may frequently exercise the use of the pen — a use late resumed through bashfulness. XII, in the year 400. To Stilicho. [in manuscript P] You prolong my consulship by your liberality, and, as a public parent, you call forth the imperial bounty toward future magistrates as well. With what mouth, then, are you to be celebrated by me, who, conspicuous by the dignity of honors, equip also the praetorian preparations? For you reflect that, among the other goods of the age, even the offices of private persons ought to be in keeping. And so you ever add warmth to the doing of good for our lord Honorius, Augustus of the divine stock, and you teach the invincible prince to stir up senatorial modesty with gifts. To him you alone of all are able to give thanks on my behalf, you who were the author of so great a benefaction. I, in my son's public show, will bear witness — when the racing of leopards has filled the Roman arena — to whom a juster applause and the glad suffrages of voices are owed. I would go on further, did not your noble modesty, equal to your other virtues, shun the burdens of praise. I will therefore be sparing of words. While I yield to your singular bashfulness, yet let your lofty sublimity hold it as settled that my gratitude, sparing as it is of speech, overflows within my mind. XIII, in the year 402(?). To Stilicho.

Commendationem non desiderat, qui ad agendas gratias pergit, et ideo Flavianus filius meas fretus culminis tui beneficiis levat istiusmodi labore curam parentis. restat, ut scribam, quod illius coram gratulatio sequetur, nihil esse ad integrandas fortnnas 5 2 hominum virtutibus tuis promptius. reddideras inclinato pristinum statum et putabaris consumpsisse praestanda; nunc adiecta est ei honorabilis evocatio, quam testimonii tui iuvit auctoritas. novos beneficiorum gradus invenis et inconstantem putas amorem, qui incrementa non accipit. 0 felicis ingenii benignitatem ! quid Flaviano meo amplius velim, nescio, cum tu sponte praecurrens inpudentes no^ facias aestimari, si adhuc 10 aliquid optamus. VII (VI) a. 399. AD STILICHONEM. Evectiones impetrasse me gaudeo, quibus praeturam filii mei virtute, qua polles, iuvare dignatus es. restat, ut cumules, quae magnifici animi consuetudine praestitisti. 15 et familiares meos in Hispanias missos ob equorum curulium coemptionem transcurrere protinus iubeas, quia tempore futurae editionis urguemur. illud autem de te petere non audeo, sed tuo relimiuo iudicio, an effectum desiderii mei datis ad amicos litteris praecipias adiuvari. VIII a. 401. 20 AD STILICHONEM. Intellego ex mora et cunctatione rescripti atque divini , aliquid in bis, quae praetoria filii mei supplicatio conprehendit, incongruum vel dubium iudicari, at- qne ideo denuo tibi petitionum mearum debeo pi-aestare rationem. de equis ob nata- lem d. n. Honorii et inyictissimi principis largiendis, licet hoc anno obseqnii 25 istius tempus effluxerit, opinor votum meum non potuisse reprehendi. aquae vero theatralis et holosericarum vestium impetratio etiam aliis ante me plerumque delata 2 est et ideo iuvatur exemplis. amphitheatrum m spectaculum, quod editioni filii mei propter capacitatem loci opto concedi, etiam ludicris quaestorum praelnsionibns non negatum, testimonio sunt rescripta privilegio solis patere consulibus. sciat 30 a me dudum rei istius processisse principium, non ut fastigio consulari, qnod proo^tme tui culminis felix et olim debitus magistratus omavit, ex hoc aliquid adderetur — neque enim praecipuus honor rerum talium requirit augmenta — , sed ne populns Ro- 3 manus adpetentior istiusmodi voluptatis minoris loci urgueatur angustiis. ceterum quid 16 ob/equoram P insere: clementissimi vel augustissimi vel felicisBimi 26 potvit se P 1 m. 27 tbeatralis et holo- sericarum nestium om. F olosericarum P 28 ampbitbeatrum in] ego, ampbiteatriom P, amphi- theatrum ire <P, ampbitheatrum F 29 praelnsionibus non negatum] /^, praelationibos negatum P 30 rescripto prinilegio P, rescripta. priuilegio nego solis patere consulibus Momm$en^ plus dee$u $u»pieor tluae Mommsen LIBER im. 101 praerogatiyae babeat, non video, cam etiam censuales absentium munera illic soleant P exhibere, qnorum mediocritatem volumus aemulari. baec eo scribo, ne videar iniqui- tatis ant insolentiae argui, si aliquid denegetur^ sed eminentissimae et semper mihi reyerendae sublimitati tuae expendendum relinquo, quid merito existimes convenire. 5 de me enim opinio hominum iudicabit , si iusta non impetrem , cum tuae censurae animus soleat magna praestare. Vim a. 402. AD STILICHONEM. Cum sublimi excellentia tua legationem mihi amplissimns ordo mandavit, ad quam 10 suscipiendam me et necessitas inpulit patriae et tui culminis provocavit auxilium. per- vectus igitur ad comitatum domini et principis nostri Honorii in notitiam magnificentiae tuae deferre non distuli adyentus mei causam. de censurae enim tuae pendet arbitrio spes communis officii. quaeso igitur, ut lectis amplissimi ordinis petitionibus, quarum exempla coniunxi, inter felices magnitudinis tuae actus super hac quoque parte ex- 15 pectationem meam litteris digneris instruere. X. Itane sublimem animum tuum mei cepit oblivio , ut tamdiu exortem conloquii tui me esse patiaris? an existimas neglectum familiaris officii aequanimiter a me posse 20 tolerari? quin age, ut mos est virtutibus tuis, et amicitiam scriptorum celebra rdatu simulque aestima, quan/o uberior ac promptior litteris tuis a me cura referenda sitj quae etiam tacenti iugiter exhibetur. XI. AD STILICHONEM. PF 25 Saepe ad te litteras dedi, quas credo suppressas. quando enim vir servantissimus amicitiae multisque animi bonis praeditus dignationem mihi officii tui denegasses? fuerit hoc eorum, quibus in reddendis paginis defuit fides. nunc eventus optabilis veterum morum sequestrem scriptis meis praestitit. igitur diligentia, quam mihi pro- ficiscentis fidelitas pollicetur, erga te cultum salutationis instauro. responsa tua fa- 30 cient, ut usum stili per verecundiam sero repetitum, vicissitudine provocatus frequen- ter exerceam. XII a. 400. AD STILICHONEM. P Consnlatum [meum] liberalitate continnas et ut publicus parens in futuros etiam 35 magistratus imperialem provocas largitatem. quo ergo mihi ore celebrandus es, qui titia P 34 menm uneia incltuiy mecum Mommsen continuas] luretus, continnns P 102 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE P fastigio honoram iare conspicaas praetorios qaoqae instrais apparatas? cogitas enim 2 ceteris saecali bonis etiam privatoram mania debere congraere. itaqae d. n. Honorio divinae stirpis Aagusto benefaciendi semper addis calorem docesqae invictam prin- cipem senatoriam mediocritatem maneribas incitare. cai pro me agere gratias solus omnium potes, qui tanti beneficii auctor fuisti. ego in filii mei editione testabor, cum 5 Romanam caveam leopardorum cursus impleverit, cui iustior plausus et laeta vocum 3 suflFragia debcantur. longius pergerem, nisi tuus nobilis pudor par virtutibus ceteris laudis onera vitaret. ero igitur verborum modicus. dum singulari verecundiae tuae obsequor , sed praecelsa sublimitas tua teneat definitum , meam gratiam , quae parca sermonis est, in animo redundare. 10 « Xni a. 402? AD STILICHONEM.