it appeared not to thee honourable, nevertheless dishonourable
things should not, more than honourable, be hidden from a friend; for
that a friend, like as he rejoiceth with his friend in honourable
things, even so he studieth to do away the dishonourable from his
friend's mind; but for the present I will refrain therefrom and come
to that which I perceive to be of greater urgency. That thou lovest
Sophronia, who is betrothed to me, I marvel not: nay, I should
marvel, indeed, if it were not so, knowing her beauty and the nobility
of thy mind, so much the more susceptible of passion as the thing that
pleaseth hath the more excellence. And the more reason thou hast to
love Sophronia, so much the more unjustly dost thou complain of
fortune (albeit thou expressest this not in so many words) in that it
hath awarded her to me, it seeming to thee that thy love for her had
been honourable, were she other than mine; but tell me, if thou be as
well advised as thou usest to be, to whom could fortune have awarded
her, whereof thou shouldst have more cause to render it thanks, than
of having awarded her to me? Whoso else had had her, how honourable
soever thy love had been, had liefer loved her for himself[462] than
for thee,[463] a thing which thou shouldst not fear[464] from me, an
thou hold me a friend such as I am to thee, for that I mind me not,
since we have been friends, to have ever had aught that was not as
much thine as mine. Now, were the matter so far advanced that it might
not be otherwise, I would do with her as I have done with my other
possessions;[465] but it is yet at such a point that I can make her
thine alone; and I will do so, for that I know not why my friendship
should be dear to thee, if, in respect of a thing that may honourably
be done, I knew not of a desire of mine to make thine. True it is that
Sophronia is my promised bride and that I loved her much and looked
with great joyance for my nuptials with her; but, since thou, being
far more understanding than I, with more ardour desirest so dear a
thing as she is, live assured that she shall enter my chamber, not as
my wife, but as thine. Wherefore leave thought-taking, put away
melancholy, call back thy lost health and comfort and allegresse and
from this time forth expect with blitheness the reward of thy love,
far worthier than was mine.'

[Footnote 462: Or "his" (_a se_).]

[Footnote 463: Or "thine" (_a te_).]

[Footnote 464: Lit. "hope" (_sperare_)