Humanitext Reader

Horace · Epistles §1.9.1-1.9.13

Recommendation of Septimius to Tiberius Nero

Passage 10 of 29 · Latin

Summary

Horace explains the circumstances under which he felt compelled to recommend his friend Septimius to Nero (Tiberius), and asks Nero to accept him into his circle as a reliable companion.

§1.9.1Septimius, Claudi, nimirum intellegit unus, §1.9.2quanti me facias, nam cum rogat et prece cogit §1.9.3scilicet ut tibi se laudare et tradere coner, §1.9.4dignum mente domoque legentis honesta Neronis, §1.9.5munere cum fungi propioris censet amici, §1.9.6quid possim videt ac novit me valdius ipso.
Septimius, Claudius, surely understands alone, how highly you value me; for when he asks and compels me by his prayer, namely, that I should try to praise him and recommend him to you, as one worthy of the mind and house of Nero, who chooses what is honorable, since he thinks that I perform the office of a closer friend, he sees what I can do and knows me better than I know myself.
§1.9.7multa quidem dixi cur excusatus abirem; §1.9.8sed timui mea ne finxisse minora putarer, §1.9.9dissimilator opis propriae, mihi commodus uni.
I indeed said many things why I should go away excused; but I feared lest I should be thought to have feigned my own influence to be less, a dissembler of my own power, useful to myself alone.
§1.9.10sic ego, maioris fugiens opprobria culpae, §1.9.11frontis ad urbanae descendi praemia, quod si
Thus I, fleeing the disgrace of a greater fault, have descended to the rewards of city assurance.
§1.9.12depositum laudas ob amici iussa pudorem, §1.9.13scribe tui gregis hunc et fortem crede bonumque.
But if you approve of shame laid aside at the bidding of a friend, enroll this man in your flock, and believe him to be brave and good.

Notes

  1. §1.9.2quanti — Genitive of value. Together with facias (subjunctive in indirect question), it forms the indirect question clause functioning as the object of intellegit.
  2. §1.9.4legentis — Genitive of the present participle, modifying Neronis. Here, legere means 'to choose' or 'select', characterizing Nero as one who carefully selects honorable people.
  3. §1.9.5munere cum fungi — The deponent verb fungi governs the ablative (munere). The subject accusative of the infinitive fungi is an omitted me.
  4. §1.9.8mea — Neuter plural accusative, referring vaguely to the author's own resources or influence. It serves as the direct object of finxisse in a double accusative construction with minora.
  5. §1.9.11frontis ad urbanae — Literally 'of an urban forehead', a metaphorical expression for 'audacity' or 'social assurance', referring to the boldness required to solicit favors in metropolitan high society.

Cite this passage

Horace, Epistles §1.9.1-1.9.13. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0893.phi005.humanitext-lat2:1.9.1-1.9.13

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