Letter 5045: Quaestors of our order [quaestor-designates who were expected to sponsor elaborate public games as part of the...

Quaestors of our order [quaestor-designates who were expected to sponsor elaborate public games as part of the office] have never paid the transport duty on their own wild animals. Our ancestors considered it oppressive to add an excessive expense to men already bearing the burden of senatorial rank. This exemption was recently granted to me when I was organizing a gladiatorial show -- more in the name of the Roman people than my own. Now my brother Cynegius, a quaestorian candidate, is being charged the two-percent tax [quinquagesima -- a 2% customs duty] -- a levy that should only be recognized by commercial animal dealers, since they serve profit. The injustice of this charge [Text breaks off in source.]

Quaestores ordinis nostri numquam ferarum suarum portortum contulerunt; grave enim maioribus visum est, ut tolerantibus onera senatoriae dignitatis sumptus inmo- dicus adderetur. haec mihi proxime, cum gladiatorium munus instruerem, magis po- puli Romani quam meo nomine praerogativa delata est. nunc a fratre meo Cynegio 25 qoaestorio candidato quinquagesimae vectigal exigitur , quod solos ursorum nego- tiatores utpote quaestui servientes oportet agnoscere. huius iniuriae adfectio tuum moderamen expectat. resiste, quaeso te, publicanorum cupiditati et damna collega- rum recide. ad geminam tuam gratiam res ista proficiet, si privilegio honoraveris senatum, levamine iuveris candidatos. 1 inempta V inioiia V 11 Utius P 1 m. 12 tusasio P, tuis VF suocenserint eorr. ex succenseria P l m,y suocesaerit V snmmam F 17 saluare F, ualere F me opto te nnncio V diato// P 1 m,j gladiatorum P 2 m, 24 cinegio cu VMy cu. add, P 2 m. ef, p. 142, 27 25 quadra- gesimae Cagnai^ Reuue de pMlol, V p. 61 solus PV ^ursorum P 26 affectatio VM 142 SYMMACHI EPISTVLAE LXin (LXI) a. 396—398.