Quintus Aurelius Symmachus → destinatário desconhecido
Tradução moderna em inglês
I had every intention of making the journey, but the late summons left too little time to arrive. It seemed more decent to beg your pardon than to appear after the consul's ceremony was already finished. I have already sent the fullest explanations to our most merciful emperor and to all who wished me present — letters that even now the agent Festus delays by his slowness in departing.
Since I fear my letters may either be suppressed or tampered with by rivals, I decided to write to you directly as well. Farewell.
Texto latino / grego
Votum mihi non defuit itineris ordiendi, sed tarda evocatio perveniendi tempus artavit, atque ideo verecundius visum est veniam poscere quam peracto consulis offi- 25 cio pervenire. supcr hoc plenissimas et ad d. n. clementissimum principem dudum litteras dedi et ad ceteros, qui me adesse voluemnt, quas etiam nunc Festus agens in 2 rebus proficiscendi cunctatione remoratur. et quia vereor, ne aut lateant suppressa, quae scripsi, aut per aemulos resoluta vitientur. consilium fuit, ut ad te dominum et curam M 5 pro qua Mercer 6 contemplatio corr. ex oomemplatio P 21 qf auf symmachi. u c. explicit ad magnillum inoip eiusdem ad efestionem P, om. VF 23 sym- macus efestioni P, om. F, ad magniUum F 24 adiendi V perueniendi ad effectionem tempus F fratrem meum exemplaria omnia mitteremus. erit tuae circa me adfectionis de omnium PVF rerum fidelitate rescribere. reddentur vobis etiam chartulae curas domesticas continen- tes, quis decursis aestimabitis, quid bonorum temporum iustitia et fama desideret. XXXV (xxxni).