Letter 15: The townsmen of our metropolis have conferred on me a greater favour than they have received, in giving me an opportunity of writing to your excellency. The kindness, to win which they have received this letter from me, was assured them even before I wrote, on account of your wonted and inborn courtesy to all. But I have considered it a very gre...
The citizens of our capital city have actually done me the bigger favor here — they've given me a reason to write to Your Excellency. The goodwill they're hoping this letter will secure was already guaranteed, even before I wrote, simply by your well-known and natural generosity to everyone.
Still, I consider it a real privilege to address Your Excellency. I pray to God that I may continue to share in the joy of those who receive your kindness, and that your reputation continues to grow as you please Him more and more.
I hope that in due time I'll be able to welcome back the people carrying this letter, and send them off again full of praise — as so many others have been — for the considerate way you treated them. I trust that my recommendation will not have been entirely useless in helping them approach your distinguished office.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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