Letter 2002: Let antiquity, so lavish with praise, fall silent — the age that honored Apelles, Zeuxis, and their like with...

Let antiquity, so lavish with praise, fall silent — the age that honored Apelles, Zeuxis, and their like with volumes of acclaim. When it comes to praising Lucillus, my words will be fewer but my honesty greater. What's the point of heaping on words when you can see the work for yourself? I'll leave the judgment to you, since you've always been a connoisseur of the fine arts. For my part, I vouch for Lucillus as a man of genuine modesty and integrity. Doesn't he seem worthy of your regard — a man whose seriousness I personally guarantee, and whose skill and learning would not shrink from your own scrutiny? Farewell.

Taceat prodiga laudis vetustas, quae Apellem et Zeuojn vel ^orum similes, ut quemque aetas tulit, voluminum honore dignata est. mihi erga Lucilli praedicationem 1 gratisBiini VF taae V 3 contumeliam] LeeUus^ contumeUae PVF 5 om, VM 6 posae aliqaid amicitiis aestimor luretus; fort, posse me aUquid de uestiis amicitils aestimant 7 clarissimo tuo uiro (uiro tuo 2 m.) tnam V 9 fhistrato V n om, VF 13 desideriig P 16 XIII. q anf symmachi. nc. lib. i. expHc. incipit eiusdem lib ii. ad flaniannm P, om. VF 18 om. VF 19 est iUe F 25 om. VM 26 appeUem Af, appellent Vy appellant P et zenxin uel honim similesj Cuiaehu, et geus in beUornm simUeB PVIDP)^ et id g^nns inbellorum silens M 27 qnem V dignatnm V ergo lucilli P LIBER I. U. 43 sermo parcior, fides maior est. quid enim iuvat indulgere verbis, cum rem liceat PVM experiri? sit igitnr de hoc tna existimatio, qui bonarum artium spectator semper fuisti; ego Lucillum modestiae merae atqne honestatis adstipulor. videtnme tibi dignns esse, quem diligas, cnins gravitas sponsore me nititur, ars et eruditio te ipsnm iudicem non 5 veretur? vale. III ante a. 395.