Pliny II.18

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1 Quid a tê mihi iûcundius potuit iniungî, quam ut praeceptôrem frâtris tuî lîberîs quaererem? Nam beneficiô tuô in scholam redeô, et illam dulcissimam aetâtem quasi resûmô: sedeô inter iuvenês ut solêbam, atque etiam experior quantum apud illôs auctôritâtis ex studiîs habeam. 2 Nam proximê frequentî auditôriô inter sê côram multîs ordinis nostrî clârê iocâbantur; intrâvî, conticuêrunt; quod nôn referrem, nisi ad illôrum magis laudem quam ad meam pertinêret, ac nisi spêrâre tê vellem posse frâtris tuî fîliôs probê discere. 3 Quod superest, cum omnês quî profitentur audierô, quid dê quôque sentiam scribam, efficiamque quantum tamen epistulâ cônsequî poterô, ut ipse omnês audîsse videâris. 4 Dêbeô enim tibi, dêbeô memoriae frâtris tuî hanc fidem hoc studium, praesertim super tantâ rê. Nam quid magis interest vestrâ, quam ut lîberî - dîcerem tuî, nisi nunc illôs magis amârês - dignî illô patre, tê patruô reperiantur? quam cûram mihi etiam sî nôn mandâssês vindicâssem. 5 Nec ignôrô suscipiendâs offênsâs in êligendô praeceptôre, sed oportet mê nôn modô offênsâs, vêrum etiam simultâtês prô frâtris tuî fîliîs tam aequô animô subîre quam parentês prô suîs. Valê.

No, you could not have given me a pleasanter commission than to find a teacher of rhetoric for your brother's children. For, thanks to you, I go to school again, and, as it were, enjoy once more the happiest days of my life. I sit among young people, as I used to do, and I can judge what authority I have among them owing to my literary pursuits. Just recently in a full class-room, before a number of members of our order, the boys were joking among themselves quite loudly; the moment I entered they were quiet as mice. I should not mention the incident except that it redounded more to their credit than to mine, and that I wish you to feel sure that your brother's sons can attend the lectures to their advantage. Moreover, when I have heard all the lectures, I will write and tell you what I think about each one of them, and so -- as far as I can by a letter -- I will make you think that you have heard them all yourself. I owe this to you, and I owe it to the memory of your brother to deal loyally by him and take this interest, especially on such an important subject. For what can touch you more closely than that these children -- I should say your children, but that you love them more than if they were your own -- should be found worthy of such a father and such an uncle as yourself. Even if you had not asked me to look after them, I should have done so on my own account. I do not forget that in choosing a public teacher one is apt to give offence, but on behalf of your brother's sons I must risk giving offence and even incurring animosity with as little compunction as a parent would in looking after his own children. Farewell.