1Many as are your kindnesses that are pleasing and agreeable to me, this one is the most welcome of all, that you thought you should not conceal from me that there had been much lengthy talk at your house about my light verses, that this had gone on rather long because of the differences of opinion, and that there had even been some who, while not disapproving of the writings themselves, nevertheless criticised me in a friendly and frank way for writing and reciting such things. 2To them, so as to make my guilt worse, I reply as follows: I do sometimes write verses that are not very serious, I do; 2for I listen to comedies and watch mimes and read lyric poets and understand Sotadeans; 2besides, I sometimes laugh, joke and play, and, to sum up every kind of harmless relaxation briefly, I am human.
3Nor indeed am I annoyed that this is the opinion of my character, that those who do not know that the most learned, the most serious and the most upright men have often written such things should be surprised that I write them. 4But from those who know what authorities, and how great, I follow, I am confident that it can easily be obtained that they allow me to go astray, but in the company of men whose playful pieces, and not only their serious work, it is praiseworthy to copy. 5Am I to fear — I shall name no one living, so as not to fall into any appearance of flattery — but am I to fear that what suited Marcus Tullius, Gaius Calvus, Asinius Pollio, Marcus Messalla, Quintus Hortensius, Marcus Brutus, Lucius Sulla, Quintus Catulus, Quintus Scaevola, Servius Sulpicius, Varro, Torquatus, or rather the Torquati, Gaius Memmius, Lentulus Gaetulicus, Annaeus Seneca and most recently Verginius Rufus, and, if private examples are not enough, the Deified Julius, the Deified Augustus, the Deified Nerva and Tiberius Caesar, may not quite suit me?
6I pass over Nero, though I know that things are not corrupted for the worse which are sometimes done even by bad men, but that things which are more often done by good men remain honourable. 6Among these, Publius Vergilius, Cornelius Nepos, and earlier Accius and Ennius, must be counted foremost. 6These were not senators, it is true, but purity of character does not differ according to rank. 7Yet I recite, and whether they did so I do not know. 7Granted: but they could be content with their own judgement, whereas I am too modest in my confidence to think that what wins my own approval is finished enough. 8So these are my reasons for reciting: first, that the man who recites applies himself to his writings rather more keenly out of respect for his listeners; 8secondly, that he settles the points he is in doubt about as if on the advice of a council.
9He also receives many suggestions from many people, and if he does not receive them, he perceives what each person thinks from their face, eyes, nods, hands, murmurs and silence; 9signs which distinguish genuine judgement from politeness clearly enough. 10And indeed if any of those who were present should happen to take the trouble to read those same pieces, he will see that I have either changed or left out certain things, perhaps even on his own judgement, although he said nothing to me himself. 11But I am arguing all this as though I had invited the public into a lecture hall, and not friends into my own room; to have many friends has brought glory to many, and reproach to none.
11Farewell.