Ep. 1.14.1Petis ut frātris tuī fīliae prōspiciam marītum;You ask me to look out for a husband for your brother's daughter; Ep. 1.14.1quod meritō mihi potissimum iniungis.a task which you rightly lay on me above all others. Ep. 1.14.1Scīs enim quantō opere summum illum virum suspexerim dīlēxerimque, quibus ille adulēscentiam meam exhortātiōnibus fōverit, quibus etiam laudibus ut laudandus vidērer effēcerit.For you know how greatly I looked up to and loved that excellent man, with what encouragement he fostered my youth, and with what praise too he brought it about that I seemed to deserve praise. Ep. 1.14.2Nihil est quod ā tē mandārī mihi aut maius aut grātius, nihil quod honestius ā mē suscipī possit, quam ut ēligam iuvenem, ex quō nāscī nepōtēs Arulēnō Rūsticō deceat.There is nothing greater or more welcome that you could entrust to me, nothing more honourable that I could undertake, than to choose a young man from whom it would be fitting for grandchildren of Arulenus Rusticus to be born. Ep. 1.14.3Quī quidem diū quaerendus fuisset, nisi parātus et quasi prōvīsus esset Minicius Aciliānus, quī mē ut iuvenis iuvenem - est enim minor pauculīs annīs - familiārissimē dīligit, reverētur ut senem.He would indeed have had to be sought for a long time, had not Minicius Acilianus been ready to hand and, as it were, provided in advance, who loves me most intimately as one young man loves another (for he is younger by a very few years), and reveres me as an old one.
Ep. 1.14.4Nam ita fōrmārī ā mē et īnstituī cupit, ut ego ā vōbīs solēbam.For he wishes to be shaped and trained by me as I used to be by you and your brother. Ep. 1.14.4Patria est eī Brixia, ex illā nostrā Ītaliā quae multum adhūc verēcundiae frūgālitātis, atque etiam rūsticitātis antīquae, retinet ac servat.His native town is Brixia, in that Italy of ours which still keeps and preserves much modesty and frugality, and even old-fashioned rusticity. Ep. 1.14.5Pater Minicius Macrīnus, equestris ōrdinis prīnceps, quia nihil altius volvit;His father is Minicius Macrinus, a leading man of the equestrian order, because he wished for nothing higher; Ep. 1.14.5allectus enim ā Dīvō Vespasiānō inter praetōriōs honestam quiētem huic nostrae - ambitiōnī dīcam an dignitātī?for though he was enrolled by the deified Vespasian among the ex-praetors, honourable retirement to this of ours — shall I call it ambition or dignity? Ep. 1.14.5- cōnstantissimē praetulit.— he most steadfastly preferred. Ep. 1.14.6Habet aviam māternam Serrānam Proculam ē mūnicipiō Pataviō.He has a maternal grandmother, Serrana Procula, from the town of Patavium. Ep. 1.14.6Nōstī locī mōrēs: Serrāna tamen Patavīnīs quoque sevēritātis exemplum est.You know the character of the place: yet Serrana is a model of strictness even to the people of Patavium.
Ep. 1.14.6Contigit et avunculus eī P. Acīlius gravitāte prūdentiā fidē prope singulārī.He has been fortunate also in an uncle, Publius Acilius, a man of almost unique seriousness, good sense and integrity. Ep. 1.14.6In summā nihil erit in domō tōtā, quod nōn tibi tamquam in tuā placeat.In short, there will be nothing in the whole household which will not please you as if in your own. Ep. 1.14.7Aciliānō vērō ipsī plūrimum vigōris industriae, quamquam in maximā verēcundiā.Acilianus himself, moreover, has a great deal of vigour and energy, though combined with the greatest modesty. Ep. 1.14.7Quaestūram tribūnātum praetūram honestissimē percucurrit, ac iam prō sē tibi necessitātem ambiendī remīsit.He has run through the quaestorship, the tribunate and the praetorship with the greatest credit, and has already spared you the need of canvassing on his behalf. Ep. 1.14.8Est illī faciēs līberālis, multō sanguine multō rubōre suffūsa, est ingenua tōtīus corporis pulchritūdō et quīdam senātōrius decor.He has a gentlemanly face, flushed with healthy colour and a ready blush; he has a natural handsomeness of his whole body and a certain senatorial dignity.
Ep. 1.14.8Quae ego nēquāquam arbitror neglegenda;These things I think should by no means be neglected; Ep. 1.14.8dēbet enim hoc castitātī puellārum quasi praemium darī.for this ought to be given to the chastity of girls as a kind of reward. Ep. 1.14.9Nesciō an adiciam esse patrī eius amplās facultātēs.I do not know whether I should add that his father has ample means. Ep. 1.14.9Nam cum imāginor vōs quibus quaerimus generum, silendum dē facultātibus putō;For when I picture you and your family, for whom we are seeking a son-in-law, I think nothing should be said about means; Ep. 1.14.9cum pūblicōs mōrēs atque etiam lēgēs cīvitātis intueor, quae vel in prīmīs cēnsūs hominum spectandōs arbitrantur, nē id quidem praetereundum vidētur.but when I look at public custom and even the laws of the state, which consider that men's fortunes are to be regarded above all, it seems that not even this should be passed over. Ep. 1.14.9Et sānē dē posterīs et hīs plūribus cōgitantī, hīc quoque in condiciōnibus dēligendīs pōnendus est calculus.And certainly, for one who is thinking of descendants, and many of them, this item too must be counted in choosing a match.
Ep. 1.14.10Tū fortasse mē putēs indulsisse amōrī meō, suprāque ista quam rēs patitur sustulisse.You may perhaps think that I have indulged my affection, and exalted these qualities beyond what the facts allow. Ep. 1.14.10At ego fidē meā spondeō futūrum ut omnia longē ampliōra quam ā mē praedicantur inveniās.But I pledge you my word that you will find everything far greater than I proclaim it. Ep. 1.14.10Dīligō quidem adulēscentem ardentissimē sīcut merētur;I do indeed love the young man most ardently, as he deserves; Ep. 1.14.10sed hoc ipsum amantis est, nōn onerāre eum laudibus.but this itself is the mark of one who loves, not to burden him with praises. Ep. 1.14.10Valē.Farewell.