Letter 2016: It would have been proper for the distinguished Panfronius to carry his own introduction — a man of his stature...
Ennodius of Pavia→Faustus|c. 505 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
education books
From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To: Faustus [Faustus Niger]
Date: ~505 AD
Context: A letter of commendation for Panfronius, a prominent man — Ennodius connects two members of his network, a classic function of late antique correspondence.
Ennodius to Faustus.
It would have been proper for the distinguished Panfronius to carry his own introduction — a man of his stature hardly needs a letter from me to open your door. But custom demands what modesty provides, and I commend him to you with the confidence that his own merits will speak louder than my words.
Receive him as you would anyone sent by a friend who knows the value of your time. Farewell.
XVI. ENNODIVS FAVSTO.
Par quidem fuerat sublimi uiro Pamfronio commeante ministerium
paginae ad uiui sermonis officia transferri nec illum
epistulari fasce onerari, quem non tam uerba mea contigit
nosse quam studia. sed eius in his officiis manus dantur imperio.
postulat adiutricem paginam latentium scrutator animorum,
et ideo, ne quid apud eum nostri deesse contingat
obsequii, scripta concessi, etsi commendationi non necessaria,
1 mutatio adceesit B, a ̉ ccescit mntatio LV cum mutatione (cum
in rae. m. 2) T, commutatione b 2 innecesso B 3 effensa T
IU
sti
inlesa BV dedi P, dedisti b 4 innocentem innocentem B
5 ezprobatio T1V respicitur Sirm . 6 inquiritur Sirm., inspi-
ciatur Pb omni] dl T ducidinie B 7 negligentiam BT
9 presentas L 11 consideranti T\' 12 uellis BV 13 praecum
B adsiduetate B
XVI. 18 panfronio T comeante T 19 pagine T 8. I. m. 2
20 bonerari L2T V, honorari BLl contegit B 21 studea L\'
22 postolat B 23 ideo L quit T\' contigat B 24 obsequii.
T
praeceptis eius adcommoda. quibus enim sermonibus prosequendus
est cui totum magnitudinis uestrae licet sperare de
gratia ? ita eueniet, ut angustiora sint supplicantis uerba quam
merita perlatoris. quid enim praestes iuuaminis illi, pro quo
quantumuis poposceris, plus meretur ? ergo ad stili exercitium
iunguntur haec, non ad beneficium conmeantis. iuuat animum
sub quauis occasione uestri meminisse, licet nominato scriptione
nil tribuam. ecce tamen quia ita iussus sum, illa quae
praestantur extraneis insinuationis dicta subiungo. iuuate uos
peculiariter expetentem, fiduciam eius dignatione roborantes:
quicquid spe praecipit inueniat, ut si meritorum suorum angustus
aestimator est, ad me referat quicquid fuerit consecutus. obsequium
salutationis inpendens supplico, ut crebris me releuandum
ducatis adfatibus, cui inter maeroris sarcinas nullum
praeter oris uestri solacia potest esse subsidium.
◆
From:Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To:Faustus [Faustus Niger]
Date:~505 AD
Context:A letter of commendation for Panfronius, a prominent man — Ennodius connects two members of his network, a classic function of late antique correspondence.
Ennodius to Faustus.
It would have been proper for the distinguished Panfronius to carry his own introduction — a man of his stature hardly needs a letter from me to open your door. But custom demands what modesty provides, and I commend him to you with the confidence that his own merits will speak louder than my words.
Receive him as you would anyone sent by a friend who knows the value of your time. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.