AMBROSE TO ATTICUS.
1. You entrusted my friend Priscus with a letter, which he delivered to me, and I now give mine in turn to Priscus. Continue to love Priscus, as you do, and even more than before; this I advise, because I also value my Priscus highly. For I feel towards him that ancient love, which from our childhood upwards has grown together with our years; but it is long since I saw him before, so that not only in name but from so long an interval of time he came to me as truly Priscus.
Farewell: love me your lover, for I also love you.
LETTER LXXXIX.
A brief acknowledgement of letters.
AMBROSE TO ALYPIUS.
1. Antiochus, a man of consular rank, delivered to me your Excellency's letter; nor did I neglect to reply to it; for I sent you a letter by my own messenger, and another occasion having offered, I sent, if I mistake not, a second. But since the offices of friendship are rather, I think, to be added to than balanced; it became my duty, especially on his return who had laid upon me such a debt of obligation by your letters, to make some return in the way of my own correspondence, that so I might stand clear with both of you, and he with you, bound as he was to bring you back what he had brought from you.
Farewell; love me, who love you. |477
LETTER XC.
S. Ambrose dwells on the mutual love of himself and Antonius.
AMBROSE TO ANTONIUS.
1. You never are silent in regard of me, nor ought I ever to complain of being neglected by your silence, knowing that I am not absent from your thoughts. For since you bestow that which is the most precious, how can you withhold that which many others receive, not so much from any habitual affection as from an interchange of civility.
2. And even from my own feelings I can judge in turn of yours, and these lead me to believe that I am never absent from you, nor you from me, so closely are our souls united. Nor do I feel as if we ever required each others' letters, for I daily converse with you as if present in body, turning towards you my eyes, my affections, and all my regards.
3. In such things as these I delight to cope with you; for, to speak openly with one who is inseparable from my heart, your letters make me ashamed. I beg therefore that you will cease to be always returning me thanks, for my services to you have their highest reward, if I may believe I have not been wanting in my duty towards you.
Farewell; love me, for I also love you.
LETTER XCI.
A graceful letter of affection.
AMBROSE TO HIS BROTHER CANDIDIANUS.
1. Great is the beauty of your language, but that of your love is still more apparent, for your letters manifest to me the bright colours of your mind, blessed and most dear brother. The Lord give you His Grace and Blessing, |478 for in your letters I recognize your good wishes rather than my good deserts. For what merits of mine can equal such commendations as yours?
Love me, my brother, for I love you.
[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered. Marginal biblical references and running headings omitted]
1. It seems necessary to the sense here to insert 'quae' before 'obtexerent.'
2. v. c. here is an abbreviation for vir clarissimus, a title of official rank, see note in p. 101.
3. laetus
This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2004. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.