Letter 2014: If I could speak as well as you are kind enough to believe, my Latin would be an unwelcome intrusion on Greek ears.

From: Avitus, bishop of Vienne To: Prince Sigismund Date: ~505 AD Context: Avitus discusses the challenge of writing in Latin for Greek-speaking recipients, and offers to draft letters for Sigismund. Bishop Avitus to the lord Sigismund. If I could speak as well as you are kind enough to believe, my Latin would be an unwelcome intrusion on Greek ears. But since in our own language they will find what is less polished to be more intelligible, the letters you have ordered drafted through my servant can be composed with imperfections and without worry. The recipients themselves can search out our meaning through whatever interpreter they choose. For my part, through familiar conversation I have come to know the graciousness of our most pious lord even better — if that can be said — than through formal experience. For the rest, may Christ repay you for the constancy of the grace you show to your devoted servants.

Avitus episcopus domno Sigismundo. Si ita, ut dignamini credere, loqui possem, importune obstreperet Graecis auribus sermo Latinus. At cum in lingua nostra hoc magis habituri sint intellegibile, quod minus fuerit expolitum, in litteris, quas per conservum meum fieri praecepistis, pos- sunt vitia cum securitate dictari. Ipsi certe quid velimus dicere, quocumque scru- tentur interprete: ego in affatu consueto dignationem plus, si dici potest, quam piissimi domni experimento interpretante cognovi. De reliquo Christus vobis pro per- severantia gratiae, quam peculiaribus servis servatis, vicem rependat. Quod etiam in hoc ipso adulescente quem dirigitis tale monstratur, dum cogitantes in eo quidem commodum, sed in utroque mercedem quasi vobis nutristis filium et quasi patri red- ditis nutritum.