Letter 5069: You are laying traps for my shyness, which I hide behind the modesty of silence.

You are laying traps for my shyness, which I hide behind the modesty of silence. For you are trying to elicit replies by sending provocative letters that demand a response. Very well -- you have succeeded. Here is the response you were fishing for. But do not congratulate yourself too much; I was going to write anyway. The only difference is that now you can claim credit for what would have happened regardless.

Insidiaris infantiae meae, quam tego silentii verecundia. nam ad elicienda responsa venturum, si adnuam, polliceris, cum hoc tibi facere de proximo quam spondere promptius fuerit. mihi vero adipisci gratum , sperare prolixum est. et tamen volun- tati tuae pareo nec vereor, ne temere a me effusa verba in paginas librarii tui re- 20 feras. nam si quid horum, quae apud te incuriosius loquor, cuipiam lectori nauseam moverit, non in scribendo neglegentia mea, qnam tua in describendo diligentia dis- plicebit. vale. LXXXVII (LXXXV).