Page:Correspondence of Marcus Cornelius Fronto volume 1 Haines 1919.djvu/195

 admonish them with the words of your lips. For myself I never had any fear of these admonitions; I have more reasons than enough for setting foot in your school.

2. I am writing this to you in the utmost haste, for what need of a longer letter from me when I send you so gracious a one of my Lord's? Farewell, then, glory of Roman eloquence, pride of your friends, a man of mark, most delightful of men, most honourable consul, master most sweet.

3. In future be chary of telling so many fibs, especially in the Senate, about me. This speech of yours is "awfully" well written. Oh, if I could only kiss your head for every heading of it! You have absolutely put everyone else in the background. With this speech before our eyes, vain is our study, vain our toil, vain our efforts. Fare ever well, sweetest of masters.

143 A.D.

To the mother of Caesar.

1. What excuse of mine can win your pardon for my not having written to you all this time, if it be not by my stating the true cause of my want of leisure, that I had composed a speech about our great Emperor? The Roman saw bids us "not hate a friend's ways but ken them." What mine are I will tell you, and not conceal them. From my great natural incapacity and worthlessness 131