Q. autem Hortensii, qui suis temporibus ornamentum Romanae eloquentiae fuit, admirabilis in filio patientia exstitit: cum enim eo usque impietatem eius suspectam et nequitiam invisam haberet ut Messallam sororis suae filium heredem habiturus, ambitus reum defendens iudicibus diceret, si illum damnassent, nihil sibi praeter osculum nepotum, in quibus acquiesceret, superfuturum, hac scilicet sententia, quam etiam editae orationi inseruit, filium potius in tormentis animi quam in voluptatibus reponens, tamen, ne Naturae ordinem confunderet, non nepotes sed filium heredem reliquit, moderate usus adfectibus suis, quia et vivus moribus eius verum testimonium et mortuus sanguini honorem debitum reddidit.
Q. Hortensius, who in his day was an ornament of Roman eloquence, showed admirable patience towards his son. So much did he suspect the latter of undutiful behavior and so offended was he by his worthlessness that he intended to make his sisters son Messalla his heir and in defending him on a charge of electoral misconduct he told the jury that if they condemned him he, Hortensius, would have no comfort left except the kisses of his grandchildren. With that sentiment, which he also included in his published speech, he evidently placed his son among his afflictions rather than his delights. Nonetheless, rather than confuse Natures order, he left his son as his heir, not his grandsons, controlling his feelings with discretion, in that he both in his lifetime bore true testimony to his sons character and in death rendered due respect to the claims of blood.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book5.json