M. CORNELIUS FRONTO
declaim? no, of a truth, I myself have not, but I take it in trust on the assurance of the most learned and honourable men and very dear friends of mine, who I am perfectly certain are both able to judge correctly, and bear witness to what they really think.
I would wish you, honoured son,[1] to use your influence to get him an appointment as public instructor of youth in some state within your province.[2] I ask this earnestly of you, for I would have favour shewn to Aquila for their sake who interest themselves so diligently in his behalf, and they would surely not so interest themselves for him, did they not think him worthy of such great interest; nor unless they greatly approved of his eloquence, would they make such a point of his being recommended to you, knowing you to be a most serious and competent judge as well of other things as especially of eloquence. I however have faith in the man's very name, shewing him to be the prince of orators, since indeed he is called Aquila.
Fronto to Aufidius Victorinus his son-in-law, greeting.
The letter, honoured son, which . . . . The Gods, if we deserve it, will deal kindly with my
- ↑ This conventional use of Domine (cp. Domine frater, p. 244, and even, if the MS. is correct, domine magister, Ad Ant. ii. 1), is ridiculed in an epigram of the Anthologia Palatina. x. 44.
- ↑ Victorinus, the son-in-law of Fronto, was appointed legatus of Germany about 162.
