15. What, then, can I pay back in return for such
kindness and such pains? I had made thee, my brother, my heir;
thou hast left me as the heir; I hoped to leave thee as survivor, and
thou hast left me. I, in return for thy kindnesses, that I might
repay thy benefits, gave wishes; now I have lost my wishes yet not thy
benefits. What shall I, succeeding to my own heir, do? What
shall I do who outlive my own life? What shall I do, no longer
sharing this light which yet shines on me? What thanks, what good
offices, can I repay to thee? Thou hast nothing from me but
tears. And perchance, secure of thy reward, thou desirest not
those tears which are all that I have left. For even when thou
wast yet alive, thou didst forbid me to weep, and didst show that our
grief was more pain to thee than thine own death. Tears are
bidden to flow no longer, and weeping is repressed. And gratitude
to thee forbids them too, lest whilst we weep for our loss we seem to
despair concerning thy merits.