Letter 3008: I attribute it to my own sins rather than to any fault of yours that bodily illness prevented you from carrying out...
Bishop Avitus to Bishop Gregory.
I attribute it to my own sins rather than to any fault of yours that bodily illness prevented you from carrying out your most devout intentions — though your customary kindness still accompanied us through your prayers and your offering. And so, paying my respects through this letter in attendance, I give thanks beyond what words can express: even if you could not satisfy our feast day with your presence — a feast that thirsted for you with all its longing — you refreshed it with your generosity.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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