Quintus Aurelius Symmachus → destinatário desconhecido
Tradução moderna em inglês
I repay everyone who gives me an occasion to write with the currency of a recommendation. The present favor I wish to do for the excellent Petrucius, who I know will regard this letter not so much as a recommendation of himself as of me — for his own merits speak loudly enough.
He is a man of solid character, tested in public service, and worthy of your notice. I ask only that you receive him with the courtesy that your station and his deserve, and that you count my word as a reliable guide to his worth. Farewell.
Texto latino / grego
Omnibus, qui occasionem scriptionis inpertiunt, et commendationis quandam re- pendo mercedem. nunc optimo viro Petrucio factum volo, quem scio hanc epistulam non tam m sui commendationem quam mei officii gratia postulasse. cuius operam versa vice munerandam putavi: poposcit litteras, ut tibi probaremur inpensius; ego contra 25 ideo scripsisse me fateor, ut tibi ille acceptior redderetur. LXI (LVIU). AD PACATVM. p Vix adducor, ut credam, litteras meas saepe repetitas nihil Leontio remedii con- tulisse; quia si nihil virium frequens interventus noster habuisset, desisteret suflFra- 30 gium meum totiens elusus optare. cum igitur apud me querellae istius fides dubia sit, experiri volo, cui potissimum parti dubitatio mea debeat adplicari. est igitur in 2 sibi patrooinium] (J7), patrociniam gibi F tcoessisse] (//}Fi, accepisse F2.8 uale add, FLS 5 est] (Fjy om, {II) 6 laeunam jmneUs indieat (/Z), quae ipsa postulatl aequitas commendat nip- pUt Scioppiua 8 praestautis] (/*), praesentis (//) 14 fortunae] KiessUng, fortuna (/7) 17 amici] 8u$e, amicis (//) 21 et om, {F) 23 in sui commendationem] ego, sui commendatione (/7) 24 muneraudam putaui poposcerit {F), namerandam »»♦»«« poposcit (//) probaremur] ego, probaretur (//), probarer {f)