§5.5.1etsi statueram nullas ad te litteras mittere nisi commendaticias (non quo eas intellegerem satis apud te valere, sed ne iis, qui me rogarent, aliquid de nostra coniunctione imminutum esse ostenderem), tamen, cum T. Pomponius, homo omnium meorum in te studiorum et officiorum maxime conscius, tui cupidus, nostri amantissimus, ad te proficisceretur, aliquid mihi scribendum putavi, praesertim cum aliter ipsi Pomponio satis facere non possem.
Even if I had resolved to send no letters to you except letters of recommendation (not because I understood that they would have sufficient weight with you, but so that I might not show to those who asked me that anything of our connection had been diminished), yet, when T. Pomponius, a man most conscious of all my zeal and services toward you, desirous of you, and most loving of us, was setting out to you, I thought I ought to write something, especially since otherwise I could not satisfy Pomponius himself.
§5.5.2ego si abs te summa officia desiderem mirum nemini videri debeat.
If I should desire the highest services from you, it ought to seem strange to no one.
omnia enim a me in te profecta sunt, quae ad tuum commodum, quae ad honorem, quae ad dignitatem pertinerent.
For all things have proceeded from me toward you, which pertained to your advantage, to your honor, and to your dignity.
pro his rebus nullam mihi abs te relatam esse gratiam tu es optimus testis, contra etiam esse aliquid abs te profectum ex multis audivi; nam 'comperisse' me non audeo dicere, ne forte id ipsum verbum ponam, quod abs te aiunt falso in me solere conferri.
For these things, that no gratitude has been returned to me by you, you are the best witness; on the contrary, I have even heard from many that something has proceeded from you; for I do not dare to say that I 'discovered' it, lest by chance I should use that very word which they say is accustomed to be falsely cast upon me by you.
sed ea, quae ad me delata sunt, malo te ex Pomponio, cui non minus molesta fuerunt, quam ex meis litteris cognoscere.
But those things which have been reported to me, I prefer you to learn from Pomponius, to whom they were no less annoying than from my letters.
meus in te animus quam singulari officio fuerit, et senatus et p. R. testis est; tu quam gratus erga me fueris, ipse existimare potes; quantum mihi debeas, ceteri. existimant.
How singular in service my mind toward you has been, both the senate and the Roman people are witness; how grateful you have been toward me, you yourself can judge; how much you owe me, others judge.
§5.5.3ego quae tua causa antea feci, voluntate sum adductus posteaque constantia; sed reliqua, mihi crede, multo maius meum studium maioremque gravitatem et laborem desiderant.
What I did before for your sake, I was led to do by goodwill, and afterwards by consistency; but the remaining matters, believe me, require much greater zeal on my part, and greater influence and labor.
quae ego si non profundere ac perdere videbor, omnibus meis viribus sustinebo; sin autem ingrata esse sentiam, non committam ut tibi ipsi insanire videar.
If I do not seem likely to pour out and waste these, I shall support them with all my strength; but if I perceive them to be ungrateful, I shall not behave in such a way as to seem insane even to you yourself.
ea quae sint et cuius modi, poteris ex Pomponio cognoscere.
What and of what kind those things are, you will be able to learn from Pomponius.
atque ipsum tibi Pomponium ita commendo, ut, quamquam ipsius causa confido' te facturum esse omnia, tamen abs te hoc petam, ut, si quid in te residet amoris erga me, id omne in Pomponi negotio ostendas.
And indeed, I recommend Pomponius himself to you in such a way that, although I trust you will do everything for his own sake, yet I ask this of you, that if any love toward me remains in you, you display all of it in Pomponi's business.
hoc mihi nihil gratius facere potes.
You can do nothing more pleasing to me than this.