1A legacy has come to me, a modest one, but more welcome than a very large one. 1Why more welcome than a very large one? 1Pomponia Galla, having disinherited her son Asudius Curianus, had left me as her heir, and had given me as co-heirs Sertorius Severus, a man of praetorian rank, and other distinguished Roman knights. 2Curianus kept begging me to make him a gift of my share and to help him by setting a precedent; 2he promised me, by a silent agreement, that this same share would be kept safe for me. 3I replied that it did not suit my character to do one thing in public and another in secret; 3besides, that it was not quite honourable to make a gift to a man who was both rich and childless; 3in short, that it would not help him if I gave it, but would help him if I withdrew, and that I was ready to withdraw if it were clear to me that he had been unjustly disinherited.
4To this he said: 'I ask you to hear the case.' 4After hesitating a little, 'I will,' I said; 4'for I do not see why I should think myself any less than I seem to you. 4But remember even now that I shall not lack the firmness to give judgement in your mother's favour, if honesty leads me that way.' 5'As you wish,' he said; 5'for you will wish what is fairest.' 5I called in as advisers two men whom our state then held in the highest regard, Corellius and Frontinus. 6With these around me I sat in my bedroom. 6Curianus said what he thought told in his favour. 6I replied in a few words myself — for there was no one else present to defend the good name of the dead woman — then I withdrew, and on the advice of my council said, 'Curianus, it seems that your mother had just reasons for being angry with you.' 6After this he brought a suit before the centumviral court against the others, but not against me.
7The day of the trial was drawing near; 7my co-heirs wanted to come to terms and settle, not from distrust in their case, but from fear of the times. 7They were afraid of what they saw had happened to many, that they might leave a centumviral suit as defendants on a capital charge. 8And there were some among them who could have had their friendship with Gratilla and with Rusticus thrown in their faces. 9They ask me to talk to Curianus. 9We met in the temple of Concord. 9There I said, 'If your mother had made you heir to a quarter, could you complain? 9What if she had indeed appointed you heir to the whole, but had so drained it with legacies that no more than a quarter remained with you?
9So it ought to be enough for you if, disinherited by your mother, you receive a quarter share from her heirs, which I shall nevertheless increase. 10You know that you did not bring a suit against me, and that two years have now passed and I have acquired everything by possession. 10But so that my co-heirs may find you more tractable, and so that your respect for me may have cost you nothing, I offer the same amount for my share.' 10I reaped the reward not only of a good conscience but also of good repute. 11So it is this Curianus who has left me a legacy, and has marked my action — unless perhaps I flatter myself — as one in the old style with a striking honour.
12I have written this to you because about everything that either delights or distresses me I am accustomed to speak with you no differently than with myself; 12and secondly because I thought it hard to cheat you, who love me so dearly, of the pleasure I was feeling myself. 13For I am not so wise as not to care whether some testimony, and as it were some reward, attaches to what I believe I have done honourably. 13Farewell.