1It is virtue, I say, Gaius Fannius, and you, Quintus Mucius, virtue that both wins friendships and keeps them. 1For in it is harmony, in it stability, in it constancy; 1and when it has raised itself up and shown its light, and has seen and recognised the same light in another, it moves towards it and in turn receives what is in the other, and from this blazes up either love or friendship; 1for both words are derived from loving. And to love is nothing else than to cherish the very person you love, with no need and no advantage sought. 1Yet advantage itself blossoms out of friendship, even if you have not pursued it.
101With this goodwill we in our youth loved those old men, Lucius Paulus, Marcus Cato, Gaius Gallus, Publius Nasica, and Tiberius Gracchus, the father-in-law of our Scipio. 101It shines out even more between those of equal age, as between me and Scipio, Lucius Furius, Publius Rupilius and Spurius Mummius; 101in turn, as old men, we find rest in the affection of the young, as in yours, as in that of Quintus Tubero; 101indeed I take delight in my intimacy even with the quite young Publius Rutilius and Aulus Verginius. 101And since the order of our life and nature is so arranged that another generation arises, it is most of all to be wished that you may reach the finishing line, as they say, with those same companions of your own age with whom you were let out, as it were, from the starting gates.
102But since human affairs are frail and fleeting, we must always be seeking some whom we may love and by whom we may be loved; 102for when affection and goodwill are taken away, all delight is taken away from life. 102For me, at least, Scipio, though he was suddenly snatched away, lives still and will always live; 102for it was that man's virtue I loved, and it has not been extinguished. 102Nor is it before my eyes alone, who always had it at hand, but it will be famous and illustrious to posterity as well. 102No one will ever undertake greater things in spirit or hope without thinking he must set before himself the memory and image of that man.
103For my part, of all the things that fortune or nature has granted me, I have nothing that I can compare with Scipio's friendship. 103In it I found agreement on public affairs; 103in it counsel in private matters, in it too rest full of delight. 103Never did I offend him even in the smallest matter, so far as I was aware, and I never heard anything from him that I would not wish to hear; 103we had one house, the same food, and that shared, and not only military service but also travels abroad and stays in the country in common. 104For what shall I say of our constant zeal for knowing and learning something, in which, far from the eyes of the people, we spent all our leisure time?
104If the recollection and memory of these things had perished with him, I could in no way bear the loss of a man so close and so loving. 104But they have not perished; rather they are nourished and increased by my reflection and memory, and even if I had been wholly bereft of them, my age itself still brings me great comfort; 104for I cannot be in this longing much longer now; 104and all things that are brief ought to be bearable, even if they are great. 104This is what I had to say about friendship; 104and I urge you so to give virtue its place (without which friendship cannot exist) that, apart from it, you think nothing more excellent than friendship.