§7.17.1ex tuis litteris et Quinto fratri gratias egi et te aliquando conlaudare possum, quod iam videris certa aliqua in sententia constitisse.
From your letter I have both thanked my brother Quintus and am able at last to praise you, because you seem now to have settled upon some definite purpose.
nam primorum mensum litteris tuis vehementer commovebar, quod mihi interdum (pace tua dixerim) levis in urbis urbanitatisque desiderio, interdum piger, interdum timidus in labore militari, saepe autem etiam, quod a te alienissimum est, subimpudens videbare.
For I was greatly disturbed by your letters of the first few months, because you seemed to me at times (with your permission let me say it) light-minded in your longing for the city and its culture, at times lazy, at times timid in military labor, and often even—which is most foreign to your character—somewhat shameless.
tamquam enim syngrapham ad imperatorem non epistulam attulisses, sic pecunia ablata domum redire properabas, nec tibi in mentem veniebat eos ipsos qui cum syngraphis venissent Alexandream nummum adhuc nullum auferre potuisse. §7.17.2ego si mei commodi rationem ducerem, te mecum esse maxime vellem; non enim mediocri adficiebar vel voluptate ex consuetudine nostra vel utilitate ex consilio atque opera tua;
For as if you had brought a bond to the general, not a letter, you were in such a hurry to return home as soon as you had got some money, and it did not occur to you that those very people who had gone to Alexandria with bonds have not yet been able to carry away a single coin. If I were to consult my own convenience, I should most of all wish you to be with me; for I used to derive no small pleasure from our companionship and no small benefit from your advice and assistance.
sed cum te ex adulescentia tua in amicitiam et fidem meam contulisses; semper te non modo tuendum mihi sed etiam augendum atque ornandum putavi.
But since you had committed yourself from your youth to my friendship and protection, I always thought that I must not only protect you but also advance and honor you.
itaque quoad opinatus sum me in provinciam exiturum, quae ad te ultro detulerim meminisse te credo.
Therefore, as long as I thought I should go out to a province, I believe you remember what offers I made to you of my own accord.
postea quam ea mutata ratio est, cum viderem me a Caesare honorificentissime tractari et unice diligi hominisque liberalitatem incredibilem et singularem fidem nossem, sic ei te commendavi et tradidi, ut gravissime diligentissimeque potui.
After that plan was changed, when I saw that I was treated most honorably by Caesar and uniquely loved, and when I came to know the man's incredible generosity and singular fidelity, I recommended and delivered you to him as weightily and carefully as I could.
quod ille ita et accepit et mihi saepe litteris significavit et tibi et verbis et re ostendit mea commendatione sese valde esse commotum.
He accepted this in such a way, and often indicated it to me by letter, and showed you both in word and deed that he was deeply moved by my recommendation.
hunc tu virum nactus, si me aut sapere aliquid aut velle tua causa putas, ne dimiseris et, si quae te forte res aliquando offenderit, cum ille aut occupatione aut difficultate tardior tibi erit visus, perferto et ultima exspectato; quae ego tibi iucunda et honesta praestabo. §7.17.3pluribus te hortari non debeo; tantum moneo, neque amicitiae confirmandae clarissimi ac liberalissimi viri neque uberioris provinciae neque aetatis magis idoneum tempus, si hoc amiseris, te esse ullum umquam reperturum.
Having found such a man, if you think that I either have some wisdom or wish you well, do not let him go; and if anything should happen to offend you at times, when he seems to you rather slow either because of his occupation or difficulty, bear it to the end and wait for the final result, which I will guarantee to be pleasant and honorable for you. I ought not to exhort you at greater length; I only warn you that, if you lose this opportunity, you will never find any time more suitable either for securing the friendship of a most illustrious and generous man, or for a richer province, or for your age.
'hoc,' quem ad modum vos scribere soletis in vestris libris, 'idem Q. Cornelio videbatur. ' in Britanniam te profectum non esse gaudeo, quod et labore caruisti et ego te de rebus illis non audiam.
"To this," as you are accustomed to write in your books, "the same opinion was held by Quintus Cornelius." I am glad that you did not set out for Britain, because you have both escaped the labor and I shall not hear about those matters from you.
Ubi sis hibernaturus et qua spe aut condicione perscribas ad me velim.
I should like you to write to me in detail where you are going to winter, and with what hope or condition.