Letter 2003: Avitus, bishop of Vienne, to the most illustrious Apollinaris.

From: Avitus, bishop of Vienne To: Apollinaris, an illustrious man (son of Sidonius Apollinaris) Date: ~500 AD Context: Avitus writes to Apollinaris — the son of the famous letter-writer Sidonius — apologizing for a delayed reply caused by a severe eye disease that left him unable to see, and sharing the joyful news that a beloved family member has safely returned home. Avitus, bishop of Vienne, to the most illustrious Apollinaris. I know that when our Domnulus returned to my most devoted lords, having been with me while I was burning with anxieties about your pious concerns, he was likely to report things differently than I wished — which made him hasten his departure more than ease it. The fact is that at Lyon, at the time of his arrival, a severe pain in my eyes had struck me and left me unable to bear light. Since he could not draw a written reply from me, nor could I manage to give one, I entrusted to the bearer's ears all the thanks that could be owed — whether for the value of your gifts or the spirit of the givers — to be conveyed by word of mouth. I had no doubt, of course, that before the eager appetite of your sweet affection, a series of verbal messages would count for little against the desire for an actual letter. But as soon as the darkness of my sickroom prison began to thin and I had some limited ability to manage my duties, I wasted no time in dispatching the present bearer to settle my debt. I loaded him with spoken greetings beyond what words can describe, so that as far as wordy messages go, I consider that I have sent him off with only a very short letter. For — God is my witness — what light our dear friend brought into the very nighttime dwelling of my darkened retreat, when he announced the return of our dearest one, whom I had not known was coming, and confirmed that my family — restored to wholeness by Christ's favor — had been found safe and sound by the man I had sent. So do not think anything about us is incomplete: by whose company, with God's kindness, even my eyes are growing stronger through the presence of this letter. They will receive the full grace of a happy day in perfect sincerity if your sweetness, forgiving my condition however weak and anxious, will at least compel me to return to the desired frequency of correspondence — letters which, in God's name, with Arcadius now dictating, need only my signature.

Avitus Viennensis episcopus viro illustrissimo Apollinari. Scio, quod revertens ad devinctissimos mihi domnos Domnulus noster, coram me de vestrae piae sollicitudinis ambiguitatibus aestuante aliter quam volui relaturus, adgravavit magis redeundi festinationem, quam minuit. Scilicet me apud Lugdunum in adventa eius gravis oculorum dolor impotem luminis contuendi impetu ingruente reddiderat. Vnde quia nec ipse fuit eliciendi rescripti efficax nec ego idoneus red- hibendi, omnem gratiarum, quaecumque vel pretio munerum vel animo munerantum deberi potuit, actionem verbo potius referendam portitoris auribus allegavi, licet minime dubitans apud sanctae dulcedinis aviditatem parvi pendendam mandatorum seriem desiderio litterarum. Sed cum primum rarescentibus tenebris cubicularis ergastuli ali- quantisper ordinandi officii copia fuit, solutionem debiti non moratus praesentem baiu- lum destinavi: cui ultra quam dici potest verbosis salutationibus onerato, quantum pertinet ad mandata loqnacia, perbrevem paginam dedisse me computo. Nam ecce mihi deus testis est, quanto lumine praefatus carissimus noster in ipsa contenebrati recessus nocturnali habitatione respersit, cum dulcissimi pignoris nostri reditus, ante quem nescieram, nuntiato resolidatam Christo propitio familiam meam ab eo, quem misissem, inventam esse firmavit. Quocirca nec vos iam de nobis aliquid semiplenum putetis: quorum contubernio divinitate propitia etiam oculi mei per praesentiam paginae satis facientes adcrescunt, tum videlicet sinceritate perfecta hilaris diei gratiam re- cepturi, si me rescribere hactenus vestra dulcedo sic ignoscens quamlibet infirmum atque anxium ad votivam tamen frequentiam litterarum in dei nomine Arcadio iam dictante solis subscriptionibus occupanda compellat.