Letter 9016: I certainly wish you such abundant wealth that you can buy the finest estates — but I would prefer that you do so...

I do indeed wish that you may overflow with such abundance of private wealth that you can purchase rich estates, but I would prefer that you direct your eye and your longing toward new acquisitions without harm and injury to your friends. For I purchased the Postumian property [the estate near Postumianus] by the fullest legal right, without any mention of a partnership with you, from its most ancient possessor, and now for the first time I am approached by your reminder, to the effect that I should withdraw from a possession that is by now almost long-established — the price of which is not [...] [The original here is interrupted by a block of editorial critical apparatus (manuscript sigla, readings, and editors' notes), which is not part of the letter and is therefore omitted.] [...] is of that modest sort, that buying it gives pleasure. Therefore, although I could oppose you by appeal to the laws and resist the desire of him whose affairs are at issue, I nonetheless grant the opportunity, so that the sum of silver which we paid to the seller you may deign to pay out to my man Euscius, to whom the total is known: if, that is, you prefer to buy what is ours rather than to discharge what is yours from the bond of the obligation. XXXI (XXVIII). To Carterius. What had to be rendered to your father-in-law, whose complaint stung you, you fulfilled fittingly, being roused against Epictetus. He is barred from the forum and has paid the price of his ill-advised tongue, and, if you put any trust in me, he has been corrected by a like return for his insult. Now, considering your own character and ways, bend your placable will toward pardon. You know that pleaders often suffer unforeseen slips, and, when you graced the tribunals — first as advocate, afterward as judge of disputes — you very often checked such errors of advocacy. But since now certain men, whose outrages go unpunished, have grown conspicuous through the silence of my friend Epictetus, I beg you not to suffer a man who is unfortunate rather than guilty to be mocked for long. The most distinguished man, our common brother, will do whatever he learns that you wish; he too will be ready to restore to him the office of pleading, if he receives an indication of your will. Only apply a kindly mind to my letter, and — you who are a friend to the toga [an advocate, a man of the legal profession], by whose praise you shone above others — both remove the mark of disgrace from an honorable order and pardon, at my request, a man who was too little cautious. XXXII (XXVIIII).

Opto quidem te in tantum copiis pecuniae familiaris adfluere, ut possis opima praedia conparare, sed mallem sine amicornm noxa atque iniuria oculum te ac desi- derium novis emptionibus admovere. nam ego Postumianensem rem iure optimo sine ulla mentione consortii tui ab antiquissimo possessore mercatus nunc primum tua ad- monitione convenior, ut prope iam inveterata possessione decedam , cuius pretium non 30 quam putaui Lyp$iu$, plura deesse videntur amicicior IIF^ 7 utrique F^ 8 myosis F^ describeres] //, descripseris F^F^ 2 m., descripsis F^ 1 m, 9 ex arduo] Lypaiua^ exardeo F 10 ope- ris montani F^ 11 decortae F^ decurte F potuerunt esse F^ 13 h€Lee fragmenta om. (//), primus edidit luretus in Symmaehi editione secunda p. 304, hoc loeo eoUo^ cavit Scioppius Symmachus Varro (/*) 15 famem //^ 16 prouindas /*, prouinciis (//)^ 17 frugis si (//)^, lacunam indicavi 18 posl facnltates spatium vacuum trium, versuum tn Fj O^cultas itineris celeriter (/7)^, epittuku divisit Suse LIBER VIllI. 245 eins mediocritatis est, ut emisse delectet. tdeo cnm possim tibi legibus obviare et n desiderio eius, cuius res aguntur, obsistere, copiam tamen facio, ut quod argenti de- dimus venditori, id bomini meo Euscio, cui summa conperta est, digneris expendere: si tamen praeoptas nostra mercari quam tua nexu obligationis absolvere. 5 XXXI (XXVni). AD CARTERIVM. Quod deferendum socero erat, cuius te momordit querella, conpetenter in Epicte- tum conmotus inplesti. caret foro et inconsultae linguae pretium tulit, ac si quid mihi credis, contumeliae talione correctus est. nunc ingenium tuum moresque con- 10 siderans flecte ad veniam placabilem voluntatem. scis causidicorum saepe inprovidos 2 lapsns, et cum omares tribunalia ante defensor, post cognitor iurgiorum tales advo- cationis errores plerumque repmsisti. sed quia nunc aliqui, quorum tuta flagitia sunt, Epicteti amici mei silentio claruerunt, quaeso, ne diu infortunato potius quam nocenti patiaris inludi. faciet vir amplissimus communis frater, quidqnid te velle cognoverit; 3 15 erit etiam ille promptus ad restituendum ei munus orandi, si voluntatis tuae sumat indicium. tu modo benignam mentem litteris meis adplica, et qui togae amicus es, cuius laude supra alios splenduisti, et honesto ordini notam detrahe et homini parum cauto rogatus ignosce. xxxn (xxviiii).