M. CORNELIUS FRONTO
Fronto to Marcus as Caesar.
To my Lord.
All the blessings you have prayed for me are bound up with your welfare. Health of body and mind, happiness, prosperity, are all mine, as long as you enjoy a body, a mind, a reputation so hale and well, while you are so dear to your father, so sweet to your mother, so blameless a husband, so good and kind a brother.[1] It is this which makes me cling to life, in spite of my ill-health. Apart from you I have had enough and to spare of life and toil, of profession and fame, but of pains and infirmities something more than enough and to spare.
I gave my daughter the kiss you sent her: never has she seemed to me so kissing-ripe, never so kissed. Greet my Lady, my most sweet Lord. Farewell, and give your little matron[2] a kiss from me.
Fronto to Marcus as Caesar.
To my Lord.
Saenius Pompeianus,[3] whom I have defended in many cases, since he took up the contract for farming the taxes of Africa, is from many causes a stand-by in my affairs. I commend him to you that, when his accounts are scrutinised by our Lord your Father, you may be induced both by my recommen-
- ↑ This the first allusion to Lucius Verus, the other adopted son of Pius, afterwards joint-emperor with Marcus.
- ↑ Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus, must be meant.
- ↑ There is an inscription (C.I.L. vi. 8588; cp. viii. 997) by his wife, Fuficia Clymena, to Q. Saenius Pompeianus as conductor IIII publicorum Africae, i.e., farmer of four public revenues of Africa (see Orelli, Inscr. Lat. 6650).
