Letter 108 — On the Approaches to Philosophy (§33)

“Again, he puts together some verses by Ennius, especially those which referred to Africanus: A man to whom nor friend nor foe could give Due meed for all his efforts and his deed. From this passage the scholar declares that he infers the word opem to have meant formerly not merely assistance, but efforts. For Ennius must mean that neither friend nor foe could pay Scipio a reward worthy of his efforts.”