§2.3.1Maxime, qui claris nomen virtutibus aequas, §2.3.2nec sinis ingenium nobilitate premi, §2.3.3culte mihi—quid enim status hic a funere differt §2.3.4supremum vitae tempus adusque meae, §2.3.5rem facis, amictum non aversatus amicum, §2.3.6qua non est aevo rarior ulla tuo.
Maximus, you who equal your name with illustrious virtues, and do not allow your talent to be overwhelmed by noble birth, you who are cherished by me—for how does this state differ from death?— even to the very last moment of my life, you do a deed, in not turning away from a friend clothed in grief, than which there is none more rare in this age of yours.
§2.3.7turpe quidem dictu, sed, si modo vera fatemur, §2.3.8vulgus amicitias utilitate probat, §2.3.9cura, quid expediat, prius est, quam quid sit honestum, §2.3.10et cum fortuna statque caditque fides.
It is indeed shameful to say, but if only we confess the truth, the common crowd measures friendship by utility; care for what is expedient comes before what is honorable, and loyalty stands and falls with fortune.
Nor would you easily find one among many thousands who thinks that virtue is its own reward.
Honor itself, if rewards for right-doing are lacking, does not move us, and it repents us to be virtuous for nothing.
§2.3.15nil nisi quod prodest carum est: sed detrahe menti §2.3.16spem fructus avidae, nemo petendus erit.
Nothing is dear except what is useful: but strip from the greedy mind the hope of gain, and no one will be sought after.
§2.3.17at reditus iam quisque suos amat, et sibi quid sit §2.3.18utile, sollicitis supputat articulis.
But now everyone loves his own returns, and calculates with anxious fingers what may be useful to himself.
§2.3.19illud amicitiae quondam venerabile numen §2.3.20prostat et in quaestu pro meretrice sedet, §2.3.21quo magis admiror, non, ut torrentibus undis, §2.3.22communis vitii te quoque labe trahi, §2.3.23diligitur nemo, nisi cui fortuna secunda est: §2.3.24quae, simul intonuit, proxima quaeque fugat.
That once venerable deity of friendship now stands for sale, and sits like a prostitute for gain, for which reason I admire all the more that you, as if by torrential waters, are not also dragged down by the stain of the common vice, no one is loved except him to whom fortune is favorable: which, as soon as it thunders, puts to flight all that is near.
§2.3.25en ego, non paucis quondam munitus amicis, §2.3.26dum flavit velis aura secunda meis, §2.3.27ut fera nimboso tumuerunt aequora vento, §2.3.28in mediis lacera nave relinquor aquis, §2.3.29cumque alii nolint etiam me nosse videri, §2.3.30vix duo proiecto tresve tulistis opem.
Lo, I, once protected by not a few friends, while a favorable breeze blew upon my sails, as soon as the wild seas swelled with the stormy wind, am left in the midst of the waters with a shattered ship, and while others wish not even to seem to know me, scarcely two or three of you have brought aid to a castaway.
§2.3.31quorum tu princeps, neque enim comes esse, sed auctor, §2.3.32nec petere exemplum, sed dare dignus eras.
Of whom you are the chief, for you were worthy not to be a follower, but a leader, and not to seek an example, but to give one.
You, though confessing that we who were exiled have done nothing but sin, are aided by your own integrity and sense of duty.
§2.3.35iudice te mercede caret per seque petenda est §2.3.36externis virtus incomitata bonis, §2.3.37turpe putas abigi, quia sit miserandus, amicum, §2.3.38quodque sit infelix, desinere esse tuum.
In your judgment, virtue lacks reward and must be sought for itself, unattended by external goods; you think it shameful for a friend to be driven away because he is to be pitied, and that because he is unhappy, he should cease to be yours.
It is gentler to place a finger beneath a tired chin than to submerge the face of a swimmer in clear waters.
§2.3.41cerne quid Aeacides post mortem praestet amico: §2.3.42instar et hanc vitam mortis habere puta.
Behold what the descendant of Aeacus offered to his friend after death: and consider this life of mine to be like death.
Theseus accompanied Pirithous to the Stygian waves: how far is my death distant from the Stygian water?
The Phocean youth stood by insane Orestes: and my fault possesses no small share of madness.
Do you also welcome the praises of great men, as you do, and bring what aid you can to one who has fallen.
§2.3.49si bene te novi, si, qui prius esse solebas, §2.3.50nunc quoque es, atque animi non cecidere tui, §2.3.51quo Fortuna magis saevit, magis ipse resistis, §2.3.52utque decet, ne te vicerit illa, caves; §2.3.53et bene uti pugnes, bene pugnans efficit hostis.
If I know you well, if you are still now the one you used to be, and your spirits have not fallen, the more Fortune rages, the more you yourself resist, and, as is fitting, you take care lest she conquer you; and that you may fight well, an enemy fighting well brings it about.
§2.3.54sic eadem prodest causa nocetque mihi.
Thus the same cause profits and harms me.
Surely, dearest youth, you judge it unworthy of you to become a companion of the goddess who stands upon a wheel.
§2.3.57firmus es, et quoniam non sunt ea, qualia velles, §2.3.58vela regis quassae qualiacumque ratis, §2.3.59quaeque ita concussa est, ut iam casura putetur, §2.3.60restat adhuc umeris fulta ruina tuis.
You are firm, and since things are not such as you would wish, you guide the sails, such as they are, of a shattered bark, and the ruin which has been so shaken that it is already thought about to fall, still remains supported by your shoulders.
Your anger indeed had at first been just, nor gentler than that of him himself who was rightfully offended by me.
And whatever pain had touched the breast of lofty Caesar, you swore that it was immediately yours.
Yet when the origin of our disaster was heard by you, you are said to have groaned over my errors.
Then your letter first began to console me, and to give hope that the injured god could be appeased.
§2.3.69movit amicitiae tum te constantia longae, §2.3.70ante tuos ortus quae mihi coepta fuit, §2.3.71et quod eras aliis factus, mihi natus amicus, §2.3.72quodque tibi in cunis oscula prima dedi. §2.3.73quod, cum vestra domus teneris mihi semper ab annis §2.3.74culta sit, esse vetus me tibi cogit onus.
Then the constancy of a long friendship moved you, which was begun by me before your birth, and that you were made a friend to others, but born one to me, and that I gave you your first kisses in your cradle; and because, since your house has been worshipped by me ever from my tender years, it forces me to be an ancient burden to you.
§2.3.75me tuus ille pater, Latiae facundia linguae, §2.3.76quae non inferior nobilitate fuit, §2.3.77primus ut auderem committere carmina famae §2.3.78impulit: ingenii dux fuit ille mei.
That father of yours, the eloquence of the Latin tongue, which was not inferior to his nobility, first urged me to dare to commit my songs to fame: he was the guide of my genius.
Nor do I contend that your brother can recall from what time he was first worshipped by us.
§2.3.81te tamen ante omnis ita sum conplexus, ut unus §2.3.82quolibet in casu gratia nostra fores, §2.3.83ultima me tecum vidit maestisque cadentes §2.3.84excepit lacrimas Aethalis Ilva genis: §2.3.85cum tibi quaerenti, num verus nuntius esset, §2.3.86attulerat culpae quem mala fama meae, §2.3.87inter confessum dubie dubieque negantem §2.3.88haerebam, pavidas dante timore notas, §2.3.89exemploque nivis, quam mollit aquaticus Auster, §2.3.90gutta per attonitas ibat oborta genas.
Yet you, before all others, I so embraced, that you alone in any fortune should be our favor, and the last time that Aethalian Ilva saw me with you, it received the tears falling from my sorrowful cheeks: when, to you asking whether the news was true which the bad rumor of my fault had brought, I was hesitating between one who confesses and one who doubtfully denies, fear giving anxious signs; and in the manner of snow, which the rainy South wind softens, a welling tear ran down my astonished cheeks.
§2.3.91haec igitur referens et quod mea crimina primi §2.3.92erroris venia posse latere vides, §2.3.93respicis antiquum lassis in rebus amicum, §2.3.94fomentisque iuvas vulnera nostra tuis.
Recalling these things therefore, and because you see that my crimes can be hidden under the pardon of a first error, you look back upon your old friend in his weary state, and soothe our wounds with your remedies.
For which, if the power of wishing were granted to us, I would pray for a thousand blessings for one who has deserved so well.
But if only your own wishes were given to me to pray for, I would pray that, while Caesar is safe, your mother may be safe.