Letter 1012: If you ask why, though punished by your silence, the bold face of modesty does not keep still, and if you say my...

Ennodius to Avienus. If you ask why, punished by your silence, the lavish face of my modesty does not fall silent, and why — by a perverse interpretation — what is affection should be called impudence; if you say that my chatter ought to have been checked when it ceased to bear fruit: I appeal to you, most illustrious of men, with that sincerity which is native to your family; I embrace the sworn promise as a pledge of your mind. I grieve indeed at the contrived reasons for so long a silence, while both love and duty are neglected. But since your love claims me entirely, I still believe that what you have done can admit of excuse, and I judge that your reasons for vindication in this matter exist, though I cannot find them. I have always heard with satisfaction that you are in good health; the sweat of your labor for the honor of your family you have often wiped away with the light of epistolary address. Nothing but contempt is revealed whenever silence has no necessity. Yet I, always seizing hope of a reply, have written, and composed what was to be read in a kind of presence of your Brightness: it seemed to me, while I was speaking, that my page restored you, tasted of you, and offered words painted with your images. What sweetness would be in your letter, if I were permitted to receive one — I ask you to consider carefully, since we embrace the words that come to you, even though they proceed from us. I beg you now to rouse yourself to the affection of writing and to pour upon my dryness the flood of your speech, so that I may learn what my ministry can obtain from God, if I receive your letters as rivals of your father's perfection. Do not fear that I invoke that man, so formidable to the most learned, and set him before your eyes as an example of eloquence. It is the way of skilled physicians to detect the strength of bodies in the veins and to question the fingers about a man's prospects. Nor can the talents of beginners be known otherwise than by those who, without demanding robust declamations of a still tender age, rejoice in the future abundance and reveal the harvest of mastery in the root. My lord, with the honor and reverence of greeting duly paid, I hope that — if merit does not show it — at least my importunity, which is tireless, will make plain that you remember me.

XII. AVIENO ENNODIVS. Si quaeras, cur silentio uestro multata non reticet prodiga frons pudoris et male interpretando inpudentia uocetur affectio, si garrulitatem meam fructu dicas cessante debuisse conpesci: ego te, inlustrissime hominum, illa quae in familia tua domestica est sinceritate conuenio, ego foederatam promissionem quasi obsidem mentis amplector. doleo quidem procuratas longi causas silentii, dum et caritas et necessitudo neglegitur: sed quia me totum sibi amor tuus uindicat, adhuc credo excusationem posse recipere quod fecisti et purgationis tuae in hac parte causas aestimo esse, quas inuenire non possum. in bona te ualitudine degere uoti compos semper audiui: sudorem tuum circa ornamenta generis saepe epistularis alloquii luce tersisti. nihil praeter contemptum monstrat, quotiens taciturnitas non habet necessitatem. ego tamen spem de responso capiens semper scripsi et sub quadam claritatis tuae praesentia legenda dictaui: uisa est mihi, dum loquor, pagina mea te reddidisse, te sapere et tuis picta imaginibus uerba conferre.. quid esset in epistula tua dulcedinis, si eam daretur accipere, quaeso diligenter expende, quando licet a nobis procedentia, tamen quae ad te ueniunt uerba conplectimur. iam, rogo, ad adfectum scriptionis erigere et ariditatem meam conloquii fluentis infunde, ut quid ministerium meum a deo ualeat inpetrare cognoscam, si epistulas tuas aemulas paternae Xll. 3 a silentio Pb et Sirm.; a incbtait Schot . muliata non retioet T tata non reti T in ros. m. 2 prodigia L1 5 ces- sante L prtus s in ras. fort. ex n corr. compesci LTV 8 praeparatas Pb 9 neglegetur B, negligitur T sic fere semper 10 nendicat PT 11 tne purgationis T 12 causaepoesum T in rca. m. 2 13 degerere B 14 epistularis BVl (u in o corr. m. 1), epistolaris LT 17 scribsi B 18 loquor pagina mea T or pagina mea in ras. m. 2 20 aepistula B, epistola LTV et sic rdiquis locis plerumque dulcidinis B 22 tamen non TV cdplectimar uerba T 23 affectam te T scribtionis B eloqaii T et P m. 2 supra colloquii 24 adeo P1b impetrare TV 25 aepistulas B aemulas V 8 partim ita rat. m. 1 ex e ut Midetur corr. paterne B perfectionis accepero. nolo metuas, quod illum formidandum doctissimis loquor et quasi ante oculos tuos in exemplum elocutionis adduco. peritorum mos est medicorum in uenis deprehendere uires corporum et de successu hominis digitos interrogare. nec aliter incipientium possunt ingenia cognosci, nisi ut qui non debent tenerae adhuc aetati robustas declamationes inquirentes de futura ubertate laetificent et messem peritiae in radice manifestent. domine, ut supra, salutationis honore et reuerentia soluta spero, ut mei te esse memorem si meritum non ostendit, saltem inportunitas mea, quae est indefessa, significet.