A moving letter from the Roman Emperor Augustus to his dearest grandson Gaius whom , along with another grandson , Lucius , he soon lost to death .

A letter from Augustus to his grandson Gaius Caesar who died in 4 AD at the age of 23. [ “Greeting, my dear Gaius, my dearest little donkey, whom, so help me! I constantly miss whenever you are away from me. But especially on such days as to-day my eyes are eager for my Gaius, and wherever you have been to-day, I hope you have celebrated my sixty-fourth birthday in health and happiness. For, as you see, I have passed the climacteric common to all old men, the sixty-third year. And I pray the gods that whatever time is left to me I may pass with you safe and well, with our country in a flourishing condition, while you are playing the man and preparing to succeed to my position." "] { "Salve, mi Gaie care, mi asine carissime, quem, ita me iuvate! Perpetuo desidero quotiescumque abes. Sed praesertim illis diebus quibus hodie oculi mei ad meum Gaium avidi sunt, et ubicumque hodie fueris, spero te sexagesimum quartum diem natalem meum in salute et felicitate celebravisse. Nam, ut vides, annum illum communem omnibus senibus, sexagesimum tertium, transivi. Deos precor ut quodcumque tempus mihi restat, tecum tuto et incolumi, patria florente, transigam, dum tu virum agis et ad munus meum succedendum te paras. " ]