Page:Correspondence of Marcus Cornelius Fronto volume 2 Haines 1920.djvu/161

 there he did make some answer with a want of finish, he would have written better.

15. Your letter is both eloquent, as being an orator's, strenuous, as being a general's, dignified, as to the Senate, and, as on a matter military, not overloaded. For neither     What imperator, when it is his duty to say something to the Senate, would write a letter? You, having no opportunity (of speaking to them) about which you had to write           that he had given the kingdom of Armenia to Sohaemus rather than to Vologaesus; or that he had deprived Pacorus of his kingdom; do you not wish this to be set forth in a speech after the manner in which Nepos on the Numantine affair described it in a letter so much less forcibly, thus: in the above-mentioned war men drawn from all the nations of Spain were present

16. The supremest eloquence is to speak of sublime things in the grand style, of homely things in simple language       145 VOL. II