Letter 65

You urge me to cultivate our friendship through frequent correspondence. I welcome the encouragement — it promotes a sacred duty. And to be honest, your wish to hear from me is itself a compliment: the greatest affection always demands more. But when you argue that I, being free from public responsibilities, ought to take on this obligation — there I disagree. First, because a man of unlimited leisure doesn't bother tracking down travelers who might carry a letter; your high office, on the other hand, either finds a courier or creates one. Second, because idle disuse is dulling my mind, while your active career keeps your facility for words well-oiled. So the more resources you have for writing, the more I deserve to be pardoned for writing rarely. Do these arguments seem solid enough for the future? Remember: whatever letter you receive from me, it's a gesture of devotion, not of leisure.

Mones, ut amicitiae bonum scriptis frequentibus excolamus. plaoet hortatio in- vitatrix religionis, et ut verum fatear, decus mihi est haec voluntas tua: amor enim lo maximus plus requirit. sed quod ais, me potius, qui sim vacuus publicae rei, istius- modi yigiliam debere sortiri, aequum esse dissentio. iamprimum quod homo licentis otii scrutari vices commeantium non laboro, tuus honor vecturam litteris, nisi invenit, facit ; dehinc quod mihi iners desuetudo oblimat ingenium, tibi inpigro iamdiu negotio levatur usus loquendi. ergo quo tu ad scribendum maiore copia, boc ego dignior 15 venia raritatis. satisne videar his causis munitus in posternm? memineris volo, quidquid a me sermonis acceperis, obsequii esse non otii. LX (Lnn) a. 368—383.