Ep. 7.33.1Auguror nec mē fallit augurium, historiās tuās immortālēs futūrās;I predict, and my prediction does not deceive me, that your histories will be immortal; Ep. 7.33.1quō magis illīs - ingenuē fatēbor - īnserī cupiō.all the more — I will frankly confess it — do I want to be included in them. Ep. 7.33.2Nam sī esse nōbīs cūrae solet ut faciēs nostra ab optimō quōque artifice exprimātur, nōnne dēbēmus optāre, ut operibus nostrīs similis tuī scrīptor praedicātorque contingat?For if we usually take care that our likeness should be portrayed by the best artist, ought we not to wish that our deeds should find a writer and herald like you? Ep. 7.33.3Dēmōnstrō ergō quamquam dīligentiam tuam fugere nōn possit, cum sit in pūblicīs āctīs, dēmōnstrō tamen quō magis crēdās, iūcundum mihi futūrum sī factum meum, cuius grātiā perīculō crēvit, tuō ingeniō tuō testimōniō ōrnāverīs.So I point this out, although it cannot escape your diligence, since it is in the public records, I point it out all the same so that you may the more readily believe that it will be pleasant to me if you adorn my deed, whose credit grew from the danger, with your genius and your testimony.
Ep. 7.33.4Dederat mē senātus cum Herenniō Seneciōne advocātum prōvinciae Baeticae contrā Baebium Massam, damnātōque Massā cēnsuerat, ut bona eius pūblicē custōdīrentur.The senate had assigned me together with Herennius Senecio as advocate for the province of Baetica against Baebius Massa, and, when Massa had been condemned, had decreed that his property should be held in official custody. Ep. 7.33.4Seneciō, cum explōrāsset cōnsulēs postulātiōnibus vacātūrōs, convēnit mē et "Quā concordiā" inquit "iniūnctam nōbīs accūsātiōnem exsecūtī sumus, hāc adeāmus cōnsulēs petāmusque, nē bona dissipārī sinant, quōrum esse in custōdiā dēbent."Senecio, having found out that the consuls would be free to hear petitions, came to me and said: 'With the same harmony with which we carried out the prosecution entrusted to us, let us approach the consuls and ask them not to allow the property to be dispersed which it is their duty to keep in custody.' Ep. 7.33.5Respondī: "Cum sīmus advocātī ā senātū datī, dispice num perāctās putēs partēs nostrās senātūs cognitiōne fīnītā."I replied: 'Since we were advocates assigned by the senate, consider whether you think our part is finished now that the senate's hearing is over.' Ep. 7.33.5Et ille: "Tū quem volēs tibi terminum statuēs, cui nūlla cum prōvinciā necessitūdō nisi ex beneficiō tuō et hōc recentī;And he: 'You may set whatever limit you like for yourself, since you have no connection with the province except through your service to it, and that a recent one; Ep. 7.33.5ipse et nātus ibi et quaestor in eā fuī."but I was both born there and quaestor in it.' Ep. 7.33.6Tum ego: "Sī fīxum tibi istud ac dēlīberātum, sequar tē ut, sī qua ex hōc invidia, nōn tantum tua."Then I: 'If your mind is fixed and resolved on this, I will follow you, so that if any ill will arises from it, it may not be yours alone.' Ep. 7.33.7Vēnimus ad cōnsulēs;We came to the consuls; Ep. 7.33.7dīcit Seneciō quae rēs ferēbat, aliqua subiungō.Senecio says what the matter required, I add a few things.
Ep. 7.33.7Vixdum conticuerāmus, et Massa questus Seneciōnem nōn advocātī fidem sed inimīcī amāritūdinem implēsse, impietātis reum postulat.We had scarcely fallen silent when Massa, complaining that Senecio had shown not the good faith of an advocate but the bitterness of an enemy, demands that he be charged with impiety. Ep. 7.33.8Horror omnium;Everyone was horrified; Ep. 7.33.8ego autem "Vereor" inquam, "clārissimī cōnsulēs, nē mihi Massa silentiō suō praevāricātiōnem obiēcerit, quod nōn et mē reum postulāvit."but I said: 'I fear, most distinguished consuls, that by his silence Massa has charged me with collusion, since he has not demanded that I too be charged.' Ep. 7.33.8Quae vōx et statim excepta, et posteā multō sermōne celebrāta est.This remark was both taken up at once and afterwards much talked about. Ep. 7.33.9Dīvus quidem Nerva - nam prīvātus quoque attendēbat hīs quae rēctē in pūblicō fierent - missīs ad mē gravissimīs litterīs nōn mihi sōlum, vērum etiam saeculō est grātulātus, cui exemplum - sīc enim scrīpsit - simile antīquīs contigisset.The deified Nerva indeed — for even as a private citizen he paid attention to whatever was rightly done in public life — sent me a most weighty letter congratulating not only me but also our age, which had been granted an example — for so he wrote — like those of old.
Ep. 7.33.10Haec, utcumque sē habent, notiōra clāriōra maiōra tū faciēs;These things, whatever their worth, you will make better known, more famous, greater; Ep. 7.33.10quamquam nōn exigō ut excēdās āctae reī modum.though I do not demand that you go beyond the measure of what was done. Ep. 7.33.10Nam nec historia dēbet ēgredī vēritātem, et honestē factīs vēritās sufficit.For history ought not to overstep the truth, and for honourable deeds the truth is enough. Ep. 7.33.10Valē.Farewell.