Letter 1001: While you seek the open sea with words arranged in calm harbor, and describe the uncertainties of the liquid element...

Ennodius to Johannes. While you seek out the open sea in words composed in a safe harbor, and describe the uncertainties of the flowing element in placid speech; while as a careful helmsman you rein in the skiff of your discourse among the reefs of conversation, and, having crafted an artful course, weigh it out like a balance-master: you have shown to my eyes that ocean which you were imitating with the waters of your eloquence. Good God, into how many uses does a rich tongue disperse itself! When it wills, it rages like a wild beast, runs like a river, surges like the deep, and whatever form it paints with the colored images of words it presents with the confirmation of truth. You insinuate, as one tender in countenance, that you fear writing, while your declaration, fleeing praise, demands the pomp of declamations and grows greedy for glory, while it shows itself to spare modesty, having feigned a foreign dread. I give and hold thanks, that you have consecrated the noble first beginnings of your eloquence in praises of a friend, as much as you reckon. And although I do not recognize the things you speak of as my own, I nevertheless embrace the scrupulousness of the one narrating, and praise the diligence of your heart, which you have dedicated by the light of a grace glowing through a clear sky. That torch is held out before me which, as a flattering speaker, you kindle in the opinion men have of me: I, even if I do not flee the night of my own conscience, yet know how to appraise it. The credulity entrusted to another's favor suffers grievous chasms, although every crime passes by him who wishes to deceive a man who is confident. Yet you have filled up my joys concerning yourself with the gifts of epistolary address, while you display a novelty of meanings with the serenity of your words, and surpass the adornments of an ancient lineage with the brilliance of new conversation. It would have been enough to emulate, for the desires of your parents, the older ornaments of your family: that you could surpass them, just as no one believed, so no one wished. Do you see how much a polished manner, refined to the fingernail, adds to the worth of one well born? What the radiance of blood furnished, the industry of one who disciplines himself has surpassed. I had believed the sum of my prayers would be wearied out, if you should restore yourself to your forebears, not weighing this: what a companion in dwelling might pour into your renown. Perhaps in the appraisal of my judgment my knowledge has been defrauded. I had believed that no one would attain to Olybrius, whom, a swift pursuer with nearby heel, you will draw alongside, destined indeed to make him blessed, if you conquer. I pray to God that the things which in you show forth perfection in their first beginnings - your youth - may grow strong into the seeds of a good harvest. At home you have whence to take living examples of my exhortation. May your father bring you forth like himself in tranquility of character, your father-in-law like himself in eloquence. If the heavenly realms deem me worthy to make me liable to a vow, I pray one thing: that you may deign to remember me, lest you should strive to be equally forgetful of him whose perfection you rehearse amid the images of speaking. But let me return to the manner of a letter, which your affection has drawn out to length. Farewell, my lord, and cultivate one who loves you with frequent services of letters, lest the attestation of love alone, as is wont to be the case with certain persons, be thought to have come to exist as a forerunner of speech directed toward you.

I. ENNODIVS IOHANNI. Dum salum quaeris uerbis in statione conpositis et incerta liquentis elementi placida oratione describis, dum sermonum cymbam inter loquelae scopulos rector diligens frenas et cursum artificem fabricatus trutinator expendis: pelagus oculis meis quod aquarum simulabas eloquii demonstrasti. deus bone, in quantos se usus diues lingua dispergit! cum uoluerit, saeuit ut bestia, currit ut fluuius, fluctuat ut profundum, et quamcumque fucatis uerborum imaginibus pingit speciem ueri adstipulatione repraesentat. timere te scriptionem quasi fronte tener insinuas, dum declamationum pompam refuga laudis deposcit assertio et fit auara gloriae, dum pudori parcere se I. 2 iohanni B LV, ioanni Tb; inscriptiones partim om. partim manu altera eaque recentissima additas exh. P, quare eas neglexi " 3 salum (u ex e corr.) B II uerbis B s. J." in om. b \' conpositis B ut solet, compOsitis LPTYb incerta] maestia Pb 4 tliscribis LV, discribsi B, descripsti coni. Schottus 5 cimbam PT loquellae B, loquele. L (s eras. uidetur), loquele T; ubi L et T uel alteruter sobte e prd ae exhflbet quod fit saepissime locis paucis exceptis nil notaui firenas] fredSs B s. I . 6 erpendes B, ostendis Pb aquarum] frenas add. B 7 demonstrati T bene B \' 8 quantus B 1 se usus] sensus b, se uisus coni. \'Barthius Aduers. p. 945 diuis \'B 11 astipulatione T, adatipulati- onem B timeretur scribtionem B 12 declamstionem B 13 poscet B pudori BPb, pudore LTV VI. 1 ostendit, peregrinam mentita formidinem. ago atque habeo gratias, quod nobilia rudimenta facundiae tuae in amici, quantum aestimas, praeconiis consecrasti. et licet non agnoscam mea esse quae loqueris, religionem tamen narrantis amplector, diligentiam pectoris laudo, quam gratiae per sudum rutilantis luce dedicasti. tibi fax ista praetenditur, quam in opinione mea blandus elocutor accendis: ego noctem conscientiae meae, etsi non fugio, noui tamen aestimare. graues hiatus patitur alienae gratiae commissa credulitas, quamquam omne crimen transeat qui uult decipere confidentem. gaudia tamen de te mea epistularis alloquii dotibus adimplesti, dum nouitatem sensuum monstras serenitate sermonum et ueteris decora prosapiae nouelli uincis nitore conloquii. sat fuerat parentum tuorum desideriis seniora te familiae ornamenta aemulari: uincere posse, sicut nemo credidit, ita nullus optauit. uides quantum ad unguem polita conuersatio pretiis bene nascentis adiungat? quod iubar sanguinis praestitit superauit industria castigantis. credidi uotorum summam fatigari, si te natalibus reddideris tuis, illud non expendens, quid claritati tuae cohabitator infunderet. sit forte in aestimatione arbitrii mei defrudata cognitio. neminem credidi ad Olybrium peruenire, 1 fortitudinem b abeo B 2 amicis T 3 quantom] quem tuum coni Barthim extimas P b; ita ext- pro aestimare aestimator P fere ubique ut alii saec. XV. codices Ennodiani saepissime, quod Basileensis editor nonnuUis demwn foliis impressis obseruasse uidetw 7 oppinione L locutor Pb 8 -timare L, estimare PT, extimare b idque defendit Barthius cum idem atque \'a nimiis pracconiis seiungere\' ualere opinetur grauis BL 9 partitur Lt quiquam B, quanquam LTV 11 mea de te Pb 1 epiBtularifl B, epistolaris LPTV aloqui L, aloquii P 13 conloquii B et sic plerumque, colloquii LPTV 14 te om. P 15 emolari B 16 uidis B 18 fatigari fatigaris T, fastigari fort . 19 reddideris tuis scripsi, reddidisulis B, reddidistis LP, credidistis V, reddidisti Tb, reddidiBses Sirm . claritatis T 20 stimatione B, extimatione Pb; sit, fero, in extimatione (i. e. sequestra- tione) Barthius arbitrii mei V i mei in ras. m. 1 21 defrudata a V, defrutata B, defraudata LPTb olibrium BLPTV quem uicinis calcibus pernix insecutor . adiunges, beatum facturus nempe, si uiceris. deum precor, ut adolescentia in te, quae perfectionem primordiis monstrant, bonae frugis germina conualescant. domi habes unde exhortationis meae uiuasumas exempla. te pater morum tranquillitate, socer eloquentia similem producat. si me uoti reum facere caelestia regna dignantur, unum precor, ut mei meminisse digneris, ne illius, cuius perfectionem inter dicendi simulacra meditaris, obliuionis quoque par esse contendas. sed ad epistulae morem reuertar, quam affectio tua in longum produxit. salue, mi domine, et amantem tui frequentibus cole muniis litterarum, ne amoris contestatio sola, sicut in quibusdam esse solet, praeuii in te putetur extitisse sermonis.