§5.19.1etsi mihi numquam dubium fuit quin tibi essem carissimus, tamen cotidie magis id perspicio, exstatque id, quod mihi ostenderas quibusdam litteris, hoc te studiosiorem in me colendo fore quam in provincia fuisses (etsi meo iudicio nihil ad tuum provinciale officium addi potest), quo liberius iudicium esse posset tuum.
Although I have never had any doubt that I was most dear to you, yet daily I perceive this more clearly, and that is manifest which you had shown to me in certain letters, namely that you would be more zealous in cultivating my friendship than you had been in the province (although in my judgment nothing can be added to your provincial attention), so that your judgment might be more free.
itaque me et superiores litterae tuae admodum delectaverunt, quibus et exspectatum meum adventum abs te amanter videbam et, cum aliter res cecidisset ac putasses, te meo consilio magno opere esse laetatum, et ex his proximis litteris magnum cepi fructum et iudici et offici tui, iudici, quod intellego te, id quod omnes fortes ac boni viri facere debent, nihil putare utile esse nisi quod rectum honestumque sit, offici, quod te mecum, quodcumque cepissem consili, polliceris fore; quo neque mihi gratius neque, ut ego arbitror, tibi honestius esse quicquam potest.
And so, both your previous letters delighted me greatly, in which I saw both that my arrival was lovingly expected by you, and that, when the matter had fallen out otherwise than you had thought, you rejoiced greatly in my counsel; and from this most recent letter I have reaped great fruit both of your judgment and of your duty—of your judgment, because I understand that you (as all brave and good men ought to do) think nothing to be useful except what is right and honorable; of your duty, because you promise that you will be with me, whatever plan I may have adopted; than which nothing can be more pleasing to me nor, as I judge, more honorable to you.
§5.19.2mihi consilium captum iam diu est; de quo ad te, non quo celandus esses, nihil scripsi antea, sed quia communicatio consili tali tempore quasi quaedam admonitio videtur esse offici vel potius efflagitatio ad coeundam societatem vel periculi vel laboris.
By me a plan has already been formed for a long time; about which I wrote nothing to you beforehand, not because you were to be kept in the dark, but because the communication of a plan at such a time seems to be a kind of reminder of duty, or rather an importuning to enter into a partnership of either danger or labor.
Cum vero ea tua sit voluntas, humanitas, benevolentia erga me, libenter amplector talem animum, sed ita (non enim dimittam pudorem in rogando meum): si feceris id, quod ostendis, magnam habebo gratiam, si non feceris, ignoscam et alterum timori, alterum mihi te negare non potuisse arbitrabor.
But since such is your goodwill, kindness, and benevolence toward me, I gladly embrace such a disposition, but on this condition (for I will not dismiss my modesty in requesting): if you do what you show, I will be deeply grateful; if you do not, I will forgive you, and I will attribute the one to fear, the other to your inability to say no to me.
est enim res profecto maxima.
For the matter is indeed most important.
quid rectum sit apparet, quid expediat obscurum est, ita tamen, ut si nos ii sumus, qui esse debemus, id est studio digni ac litteris nostris, dubitare non possimus quin ea maxime conducant, quae sunt rectissima.
What is right is apparent, what is expedient is obscure; yet in such a way that, if we are those who we ought to be—that is, worthy of our zeal and of our studies—we cannot doubt that those things are most advantageous which are most right.
qua re tu, si simul placebit, statim ad me venies; sin idem placebit atque eodem, nec continuo poterit, omnia tibi ut nota sint faciam.
Therefore you, if it pleases you at the same time, will come to me immediately; but if the same thing pleases you and at the same place, and it cannot be done immediately, I will make sure that everything is known to you.
quicquid statueris, te mihi amicum, sin id, quod opto, etiam amicissimum iudicabo.
Whatever you decide, I will judge you a friend to me, but if you decide that which I pray for, even a most dear friend.