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Adhuc siles; sed loquacitas mea non cohibetur exemplo, et est otium mihi ad verborum copiam nimis commodum. Nam ruri sum nec tamen rusticor. Tantum de ripa Tiberis - nam per fines meos fluvius elabitur - onusta specto navigia, non iam sollicitus, ut ante, de fame civium. Ex inopia namque publicus metus versus est in gaudium, postquam venerabilis pater patriae Macedonicis commeatibus Africae damna pensavit. Quem nunc omnes ut altorem generis humani deum diligunt. Nihil enim passus est austris contumacibus adversum Romam licere. Ergo de agri mei specula peregrinarum navium numero transcursus, et gaudeo victum populi Romani non fato provinciarum sed voto principis regi. Scio haec in aures eius esse ventura devotione qua soles non occulere bonum publicum. Merito parcius loquor tuae facundiae relinquens, ut haec ornatius, si ita placebit, insinues, quae nos inculta veritate narravimus. |
You continue to remain silent; your example, however, does not prevent me from enjoying chatting, especially since my leisure lends itself particularly to abundant remarks. I am in the fields but without the country soul. I am satisfied from the bank of the Tiber - the river flows along my property - to look at the loaded ships, and have no more, as before, concern for the provisioning of my fellow citizens. The general fear, born of scarcity, has indeed become joy, since the Father of the Fatherland, object of our veneration, compensated by convoys from Macedonia for the African deficit. As well, all henceforth cherish him as a foster god of the human race, for he did not tolerate that the obstinate southern winds have rights against Rome. From the observatory of my estate, I therefore count the passage of foreign ships and rejoice that the supply of the Roman people is regulated not by the fate of the provinces but by the wishes of the Prince. I know that my words will reach his ears and this by virtue of a dedication that never leaves you silent about what pertains to the common good. Therefore will I be right to limit my speech, to leave it to your eloquence to report with more brilliance, if you judge it appropriate, that what I told you, with veracity but without exaggeration. |
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