§15.14.1M. Fadium quod mihi amicum tua commendatione das, nullum in eo facio quaestum; multi enim anni sunt cum ille in aere meo est et a me diligitur propter summam suam humanitatem et observantiam; sed tamen quod te ab eo egregie diligi sensi, multo amicior ei sum factus.
In your introducing M. Fadius to me as a friend by your recommendation, I make no new gain in this; for it is many years since he has been in my close circle and loved by me because of his exceptional humanity and respect; but nevertheless, because I perceived that you are extraordinarily loved by him, I have been made much more friendly to him.
itaque quamquam profecerunt litterae tuae, tamen aliquanto plus commendationis apud me habuit animus ipsius erga te mihi perspectus et cognitus
Therefore, although your letter was effective, yet his own affection toward you, perceived and known by me, had somewhat more weight of recommendation with me.
§15.14.2sed de Fadio faciemus studiose quae rogas; tu multis de causis vellem me convenire potuisses, primum ut te, quem iam diu plurimi facio, tanto intervallo viderem, deinde ut tibi, quod feci per litteras, possem praesens gratulari, tum ut quibus de rebus vellemus, tu tuis, ego meis, inter nos communicaremus, postremo ut amicitia nostra, quae summis officiis a utroque culta est sed longis intervallis temporum interruptam consuetudinem habuit, confirmaretur vehementius.
But concerning Fadius, we will zealously do what you ask; for many reasons I wish you had been able to meet me: first, that I might see you, whom I have now for a long time valued most highly, after so long an interval; second, that I might be able to congratulate you in person, as I have done by letter; then, that we might communicate between ourselves on what subjects we wished, you on yours, I on mine; and finally, that our friendship, which has been cultivated with the greatest duties by both of us, but has had its intercourse interrupted by long intervals of time, might be more strongly confirmed.
§15.14.3id quoniam non accidit, utemur bono litterarum et eadem fere absentes quae, si coram essemus, consequeremur.
Since that has not happened, we shall use the benefit of letters, and while absent, we shall attain almost the same things which we would achieve if we were together.
unus scilicet animi fructus, qui in te videndo est, percipi litteris non potest, alter gratulationis est is quidem exilior quam si tibi te ipsum intuens gratularer, sed tamen et feci antea et facio nunc tibique cum pro rerum magnitudine quas gessisti, tum pro opportunitate temporis gratulor, quod te de provincia decedentem summa laus et summa gratia provinciae prosecuta est.
One fruit of the mind, of course, which lies in seeing you, cannot be received by letters; the other, of congratulation, is indeed thinner than if I were congratulating you while looking at you in person, but nevertheless I have both done so before and do so now, and I congratulate you both for the magnitude of the deeds you have performed and for the opportuneness of the time, because, as you depart from your province, the highest praise and gratitude of the province have followed you.
§15.14.4Tertium est ut id, quod de nostris rebus coram communicassemus inter nos, conficiamus idem litteris.
The third thing is that we should accomplish by letters the very same thing that we would have communicated between ourselves in person about our affairs.
ego ceterarum rerum causa tibi Romam properandum magno opere censeo; nam et ea quae reliqui tranquilla de to erant et hac tua recenti victoria tanta clarum tuum adventum fore intellego;
For other reasons, I strongly think you should hasten to Rome; for I understand both that the things I left behind were tranquil regarding you, and that your arrival will be illustrious with this recent victory of yours, which is so great.
sed si quae sunt onera tuorum, si tanta sunt ut ea sustinere possis, propera; nihil tibi erit lautius, nihil gloriosus; sin maiora, considera ne in alienissimum tempus cadat adventus tuus.
But if there are any burdens of your people, and if they are of such a size that you can bear them, hasten; nothing will be more splendid for you, nothing more glorious; but if they are greater, consider lest your arrival fall upon a most unfavorable time.
. huius rei totum consilium tuum est;
The whole decision in this matter is yours; for you know what you can bear.
tu enim scis quid sustinere possis. si potes, laudabile atque populare est; sin plane non potes, absens hominum sermones facilius sustinebis. .
If you can, it is laudable and popular; but if you plainly cannot, you will more easily bear the talk of men while absent.
§15.14.5de me autem idem tecum his ago litteris quod superioribus egi, ut omnis tuos nervos in eo contendas ne quid mihi ad hanc provinciam, quam et senatus et populus annuam esse voluit, temporis prorogetur.
Concerning myself, moreover, I make the same request of you in this letter as I did in my previous ones: that you exert all your sinews to this end, that no extension of time be granted to me for this province, which both the senate and the people wished to be annual.
hoc a te ita contendo ut in eo fortunas meas positas putem.
I entreat this of you so strongly that I think my fortunes are placed in it.
habes Paullum nostrum nostri cupidissimum; est Curio, est Furnius.
You have our friend Paullus, who is most eager for us; there is Curio, there is Furnius.
sic velim enitare, quasi in eo sint mihi omnia.
I should like you to strive in this way, as if all my interests depended on it.
§15.14.6extremum illud est de iis quae proposueram confirmatio nostrae amicitiae; de qua pluribus verbis nihil opus est.
The last thing among those I had proposed is the confirmation of our friendship; about which there is no need of many words.
tu puer me appetisti, ego autem semper ornamento te mihi fore duxi; fuisti etiam praesidio tristissimis meis temporibus; accessit post tuum discessum familiaritas mihi cum Bruto tuo maxima.
You sought me as a boy, and I always thought that you would be an honor to me; you were also a protection to me in my saddest times; after your departure, there was added my very great intimacy with your Brutus.
itaque in vestro ingenio et industria mihi plurimum et suavitatis et dignitatis constitutum puto.
Therefore, I think that a great deal of both pleasure and dignity for me is established in the talent and industry of you both.
id tu ut tuo studio confirmes te vehementer rogo, litteras quo ad me et continuo mittas et, cum Romam veneris, quam saepissime.
I earnestly ask you to confirm this by your own devotion, and to send me letters both continually and, when you arrive in Rome, as frequently as possible.