Ennodius to Florianus.
It is the same thing to observe no limit in arrogance as to exceed the bounds of humility. It is an affectation of haughtiness to be excessively subservient; it is characteristic of those with great pretensions to devise new flatteries, and a grand buskin in eloquence to feign timidity or to fear examination when one is secure in praise.
For my part, I would devote my attention to purpose, were it not owed to kinship. I received your letter, rich with the Roman dowry and displaying a Latian style in the very light of its opening. Affection compelled me to reply, though ignorance stood in the way — since for some time the hope of keeping silent had put an end to my writing ambitions, and I counted silence in place of glory. But had I not replied, you would not have known you were found out — that you had mocked less polished talents with your artful eloquence and the veneer of Romulean sophistication. The cutting power of a burnished blade is not equal to one that rust has claimed, nor can practice and torpor take up an equal fight.
For now, content with the brevity of a letter, I turn to the duties of salutation, intending to compensate with goodwill what I could not with eloquence — offering friendship in return for rhetorical display and the pomp of speech. See how much I could snatch from my occupations: I have written in haste. God grant that if you desire replies, you may find the heart you have struck unencumbered by cares.
XV. FLORIANO ENNODIVS.
Idem est terminum in adrogantia non tenere quod in humilitate
transcendere. supercilii affectus est iusto amplius esse
subiectum: familiare est grauiter hiantibus nouas inuenire
blanditias et grandis coturnus in eloquentia simulare formidinem
uel examen metuere de laude securum. ego uero diligentiam
proposito inpenderem, si sanguini non deberem. suscepi epistulam
tuam Romana dote locupletem et stilum Latiarem in
ipsa principiorum luce monstrantem: cui me respondere opponente
manus inscitia coegit affectio, cum diu esset quod antiquauerat
apud me scribendi studium spes tacendi et in locum
gloriae silentium conputabat. sed nisi respondissem, nescires
te esse deprehensum, quod minus fabricatis ingeniis artifici
facundia et fuco Romuleae calliditatis inluseris. non aequa ad
secandum uirtus est politae laminae et eius, quam rubigo
possederit, nec parem conflictum usus potest et torpor adsumere.
nunc epistulae breuitate contentus ad salutationis debita me
conuerto, quod eloquio non potui, gratia pensaturus, reddendo
amicitiam pro schemate et pompa sermonum. ecce quantum
1 aneipiti) accipienti L 2 scribtionis B 4 mi T, mihi
BL Y salatem eft\'usam T
XV. 8 arrogantia LPTY 12 neri B 13 sangoini* T epistolam
LTV 14 laciarem PT 16 inscijcia T 18 conpotabat
B, computabat LTV nescire L 19 depraehensum B
20 fuco BPTY, BUCO L, succo Pb romolee B eq T
21 secundam B lamminae BV 22 posaiderit B 2S epistulae
V* n in o corr. m., 1, epistolae LT 24 potui BPTb, potuit
L Y 25 scemate B, stemate T
occupatoni subducere potui, celer scripsi. dabit deus, ut si
responsa desideras, uacuum curis pulsati pectus inuenias.
◆
Ennodius to Florianus.
It is the same thing to observe no limit in arrogance as to exceed the bounds of humility. It is an affectation of haughtiness to be excessively subservient; it is characteristic of those with great pretensions to devise new flatteries, and a grand buskin in eloquence to feign timidity or to fear examination when one is secure in praise.
For my part, I would devote my attention to purpose, were it not owed to kinship. I received your letter, rich with the Roman dowry and displaying a Latian style in the very light of its opening. Affection compelled me to reply, though ignorance stood in the way — since for some time the hope of keeping silent had put an end to my writing ambitions, and I counted silence in place of glory. But had I not replied, you would not have known you were found out — that you had mocked less polished talents with your artful eloquence and the veneer of Romulean sophistication. The cutting power of a burnished blade is not equal to one that rust has claimed, nor can practice and torpor take up an equal fight.
For now, content with the brevity of a letter, I turn to the duties of salutation, intending to compensate with goodwill what I could not with eloquence — offering friendship in return for rhetorical display and the pomp of speech. See how much I could snatch from my occupations: I have written in haste. God grant that if you desire replies, you may find the heart you have struck unencumbered by cares.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.