26 surviving letters between Ennodius of Pavia and Faustus, spanning 494-518 AD.
Faustus, from Ennodius.
The distinguished Dalmatius — a man who holds no mere fraction but the full portion of my heart, and whose splendid...
There is no need to commend with elaborate words the artisans sent by the holy bishop.
If the heavenly ruler had looked at my merit, I would have received scant blessings — or none at all.
The polished art of letter-writing, when it is carried away by enthusiasm, tends to lose its judgment.
May the divine power second our honorable desires.
Although the protection of a bishop rests upon the innocence that is the companion of his office, and although the...
What am I to do when you write things that demand a reply, and yet your own foresight has already anticipated...
God, who planted in your soul the desire for good works, will Himself watch over their fulfillment.
I received your letter, rich with the wealth of many joys, and I give thanks for the grace God has shown in...
Things that are often given with modest means gain a value beyond their cost whenever they flow from a generous heart.
I would have kept my difficulties to myself, had I not understood that your concern for me makes my silence a form...
It would have been proper for the distinguished Panfronius to carry his own introduction — a man of his stature...
The road to a favorable hearing is easier when the petition comes from a source that the powerful already trust.
The providence above arranges things well: while I am making my request of you from one direction, events themselves...
In championing causes that deserve their day in court, a man does not deny his own services to the truth.
It is scarcely possible for a man absorbed in successful ventures to spare attention for the claims of correspondence.
The bearer of this letter compelled me to take up my pen again — not that I needed much compelling.
---
The man who labors at unnecessary expense to secure a favor works in vain when the same result would have come...
The man I commend to you needs few words from me: his own reputation and your long acquaintance with him make a...
Ennodius the deacon to his lord Faustus.
Hope mocks me — it demands the frequency of letters but offers no guarantee that they will be received, much less...
A sick spirit endures silence no more than a sick body endures stillness.
My pages serve their purpose — they carry to you the devotion that prompts them.