Letter 1014: Good fortune usually makes a man talkative, eager to burst the bounds of a quiet heart.
Solet facunda esse laetitia et angustias clausi pectoris aspernata gestire: tibi,
h amice , scribendi oblivionem peperit res secunda. id mihi imitationi esse non potuit,
quem domini nostri Gratiani caelestis oratio bonae spei et hilaritatis inplevit. ultro
igitur adloqui residem non peperci vel officii vel gaudii mei gratia, quorum alterum
familiaritas nostra, alterum felicitas publica suggerebat. nunc si operae est, utendum 2
mihi tantisper animum fac remittas. primores kalendas lanus aperibat. frequens se-
10 natus matutine in curiam veneramus, priusquam manifestus dies creperum noctis ab-
Bolveret. forte rumor adlatus est, sermonem desiderati principis multa nocte yenisse.
et erat verum, nam tabellarius vigiliarum fessus adstabat. nondum caelo albente con-
curritur; luminibus accensis novi saeculi fata recitantur. quid multa? lucem, quam
adhuc opperiebamur, accepimus. dic mihi, inquies, — nam id praestat audire — quid 3
15 nostri ^atres super ea oratione senserunt? rerum tibi natura respondedt, quibus suf-
fragiis exoptata pietas audiatur. novimus bona nostra conplecti. si credis, etiamnum
illius gaudii mei quandam patior cruditatem. bonus Nerva, Traianus strenuus, Pius
innocens, Marcus plenus officii temporibus adiuti sunt, quae tunc mores alios nescie-
bant: hic in laude est natura principis, ibi priscae munus aetatis. cur verso ordine
20 ista optimarum artium putemus exempla et illa de saeculo priore vestigia? beneficium 4
suum fortuna tutetur et has saltem Romano nomini velit servare delicias ! nullo fascino
felicitas publica mordeatur! audisti omnia sed summo tenus ore libata; monumenta
curiae nostrae plenius tecum loquentur. ubi cum plura scripta reppereris, aestima,
quanto uberiora unius mens optaverit, quam plausus effuderit.
25 xiin vnr a. 370—371.
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