Letter 1070: You may be surprised that I'm recommending a bishop.

You may be surprised that I'm recommending a bishop. It's the man's cause, not his creed, that moves me to write [a telling remark from the last great pagan senator]. Clemens, performing the duty of a good citizen, protected Caesarea — his hometown — by negotiating peace with the highest authorities. You've heard, I'm sure, how during the barbarian uprising, vast quantities of gold and silver, private and public, sacred and secular, were plundered across Mauretania [modern Algeria/Morocco]. During that catastrophe, even funds deposited with the imperial treasury were seized by right of war. The treasury then demanded repayment from the leading citizens — those few whom flight had spared. A harsh and bitter situation — had not Clemens's efforts moved the government to show justice. I'd say he served the honor of our age no less than the safety of his fellow citizens. What would the treasury have gained except resentment, demanding money from a curia that had nothing left? There you have the situation. What remains is for you to use your influence to help [Text breaks off in source.]

Commendari a me episcopum forte mireris. cansa istnd mihi non secta persuasit. nam Clemens boni viri fimctns officinm Caesaream, qnae illi patria est, conciliata ma- ximomm principnm pace tntatns est. fando acceperas, rebellione barbarica qnot anri, quot argenti, privati et pnblici, sacri et profani Maur^niae fuit direptione hostium u lancinatnm. evenit ea tempestate, ut etiam fisci depositum belli inre raperetnr. quod 2 a summatibns civitatis, quos reliqnos fuga fecerat, ius aerarii reposcebat. misera et acerba condicio, nisi iustitiam tempomm Clementis cnra movisse^, qnem ego non minus famae saecnli qnam civium secnritati dixerim commodasse. qnid enim praeter invidiam referret aerarinm, si opes ab inopi cnria poscerentur? habes ordinem rei. quod restat 30 enitere, nt voti tni adspiratio vela faciat impetratis. 3 proxime P 1 m. 7 expHclt ad probnm incipit ad ceUinum titlanam fratrem P, ef, p, 32 v, 25 explic ad titianum ger- mannm suom P, om, VM 9 symmacus ceUino fratri P, om, VM 12 adceleris P 1 m, nem barbaricam V quod auri quod PV(r) 24 et publici] eyo, aut publici PVAf manrita- niae PFAf 25 flsci] VFM, tttel P / m., fldei P 2 m, 26 ius] uis P J m, V 27 aeerua PV conditio PVM elemeutis P 1 m, V 2 m, (f^) moaisset et PV 30 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE LXV (LVnn) a. 380?