Familiar Letters

pleasure you may read them, which, I think, has not yet been provided to you by Chalcidius or by this other one who has well and gravely suppressed his name until now. But they perhaps entered by another way; I, however, by another. For they, not departing from Plato, followed syllables and tropes; I, however, adhere to Plato, whom I have fashioned for myself, and indeed, one knowing Latin, so that you may judge, and I will use him as a witness to his translation. And I translate in such a way that I understand it pleases him greatly. First, therefore, all the sentiments, so that I do not depart from them even in the slightest. Then, if a word can be rendered word for word without any inconsistency or absurdity, I do that most willingly. But if it cannot, I am not so timid that I think I fall into the crime of treason if, having preserved the sentiment, I recede a little from the words to decline absurdity. For Plato himself, if present, would order me to do this, for though he is of the most elegant mouth among the Greeks, he certainly does not want to appear inept among the Latins. Relying on these, if I do not accomplish what I have promised you, I do not indeed refuse to be returned to my former state. But these things are enough. The oration in which I collected the praises of the Florentines, I would like to be inscribed "Eulogy of the Florentine City." And you will see to it that Coluccio sees it. Farewell. Nones of September from the villa of L'Enzanico.
He loved Plato and his works.

Thus I preserve.