Letter 3013: Necessity prevented me from attending the feast; your kindness made the feast come to me.

Bishop Avitus to Bishop Apollinaris. Necessity prevented me from attending the feast; your kindness made the feast come to me. You write that you have avenged my absence with a shipment of seafood. A fitting punishment indeed — if only it did not create a conflict with the appetite! I would have been happy enough to present myself to you, if you did not punish absentees quite so deliciously. I only hope the sentence against this offender does not end here. Nothing frightens me more than your order that I have nothing further to fear — for that would mean the punishments had stopped. If your holiness condemns what it indulges, then I confess my guilt gladly and beg to be sentenced again.

Avitus episcopus Apollinari episcopo. Ne festivitati occurrerem, necessitas obstitit: ut mihi festivitas occurreret, humani- tas procuravit Scribitis ergo indevotionem meam marinis vos copiis ultum isse. Dignum scilicet genus supplicii, quod ne faciat cum desiderio gulae conflictum! Satis vobis praesentari cuperem, si non taliter puniretis absentes. Vtinam censurae vestrae in contumacem poena non desinat. Nihil magis timeo, quam quod me iubetis in posterum nil vereri; indulgentiam illi, qui rogaverit, date; cui avari esse volueritis, ignoscite; ceterum me qualitatem districtionis expertam offensam magis vestram con- stat desiderare quam veniam. De cetero orationibus vestris tribuat deus noster, ut, qui festivitatis huius praesenti anno officiis qua deliciis adfui, in tempore futuro vestris me orationibus effectu non simili praesentetis et, cum rediero, severitate simili ab- sentasse credatis. Octo palustres quisquilias et duo paria solearum, quae dentibus maceretis, aliquatenus commotus, non tamen ex integro malum pro malo reddens direxi.