DXII (F XIII, 19)
TO SERVIUS SULPICIUS RUFUS (IN
ACHAIA)
ROME
WITH Lyso of Patrae 1 I have indeed a
long-standing tie ot hospitality—a tie
which, I think, ought to be conscientiously
maintained. That is a position shared by many
others: but I never was so intimate with any other
foreigner, and that intimacy has been so much
enhanced both by many services on
his part and by an almost daily intercourse, that
nothing could now be closer than ours is. He
stayed a year at Rome almost living in my house,
and though we were in great hopes that, in
consequence of my letter and recommendation, you
would take great pains in doing what you have
actually done, namely, protect his property and
fortune in his absence; yet, as everything was in
the power of one man, and as Lyso had been engaged
on our side and was under our protection, we were
in daily dread of something happening. However,
his own brilliant character, and the zeal of
myself and others of his hosts, have secured all
that we wished from Caesar, as you will learn from
Caesar's despatch to you. In view of this, I not only do not in any way
abate the earnestness of my recommendation to you,
on the ground of having now got everything we
wanted, but I rather urge all the more strongly
that you should admit him to your confidence and
intimacy. When his position was less secure I
pressed you on the point with rather less
boldness, being afraid that something might happen
to him of a nature beyond even your power to
remedy. Now that his pardon is secured, I ask you
with the greatest earnestness and anxiety to do
all you can. Not to go into details, I commend his
whole establishment to you, and among them his
young son, whom. my client Cn. Maenius Gemellus,
having been during his exile made a citizen of
Patrae, adopted according to the laws of the town.
Pray therefore support his legal claim to the
inheritance. The main point is that you should
admit Lyso, whom I have found to be a most
excellent and grateful man, to your society and
friendship. If you do so, I do not doubt that, in
shewing him affection and in afterwards
recommending him to other people, you will come to
the same conclusion about him and entertain the
same feeling towards him that I do. I am very
eager that you should do this, but I am also
afraid lest, if you shall appear to have done less
than the very best for him in some particular, he
should think that I have not written earnestly
enough, rather than that you have forgotten me.
How much you value me he has had the opportunity
of learning both from our everyday conversations
and from your letters.
ROME
