§3.13.1quasi divinarem tali in officio fore mihi aliquando ex petendum studium tuum, sic, cum de tuis rebus gestis agebatur, inserviebam honori tuo; dicam tamen vere: plus quam acceperas reddidisti.
As if I divined that I would one day have to seek your zeal in such an office, so, when your achievements were being discussed, I devoted myself to your honor; yet I will speak truly: you have returned more than you received.
quis enim ad me non perscripsit te non solum auctoritate orationis, sententia tua, quibus ego a tali viro contentus eram, sed etiam opera, consilio, domum veniendo, conveniendis meis nullum onus offici cuiquam reliquum fecisse? haec mihi ampliora multo sunt quam illa ipsa, propter quae haec laborantur.
For who has not written to tell me that you, not only by the authority of your speech and by your opinion—with which I would have been content from such a man—but also by your labor, advice, visits to my home, and meetings with my family, have left no burden of duty remaining for anyone? These things are far greater to me than those very things for the sake of which these labors are undertaken.
§3.13.2insignia enim virtutis multi etiam sine virtute adsecuti sunt, talium virorum tanta studia adsequi sola virtus potest.
For many have attained the tokens of virtue even without virtue, but only virtue can attain such great zeal from such men.
itaque mihi propono fructum amicitiae nostrae ipsam amicitiam, qua nihil est uberius, praesertim in iis studiis, quibus uterque nostrum devinctus est.
Therefore, I propose to myself as the fruit of our friendship, friendship itself, than which nothing is richer, especially in those studies by which both of us are bound together.
nam tibi me profiteor et in re publica socium, de qua idem sentimus, et in cotidiana vita coniunctum, quam his artibus studiisque colimus.
For I declare myself to you both as an associate in public affairs, concerning which we feel the same, and as a companion in daily life, which we cultivate with these arts and pursuits.
vellem ita fortuna tulisset, ut, quanti ego omnis tuos facio, tanti tu meos facere posses, quod tamen ipsum nescio qua permotus animi divinatione non despero.
I wish fortune had so brought it about that, just as highly as I esteem all of yours, so highly you might have been able to esteem mine; which very thing, however, moved by some divination of my mind, I do not despair of.
sed hoc nihil ad te; nostrum est onus.
But this is nothing to you; the burden is ours.
illud velim sic habeas, quod intelleges hac re novata additum potius aliquid ad meum erga te studium, quo nihil videbatur addi posse, quam quicquam esse detractum Cum haec scribebam, censorem iam te esse sperabam.
I would wish you to hold this in mind: you will understand that by this new circumstance, something has been added to my zeal toward you—to which nothing seemed able to be added—rather than anything detracted. When I was writing this, I was hoping you were already censor.
eo brevior est epistula et ut adversus magistrum morum modestior.
Therefore, the letter is shorter, and, as if addressed to a master of morals, more modest.