Letter 2017: No one should condemn competence simply because it arrives without ornamental packaging.
Ennodius of Pavia→Constantius|c. 506 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
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From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To: Constantius
Date: ~506 AD
Context: A letter defending plain speech against the charge of vulgarity — Ennodius argues that no one should condemn expertise in pompous language.
Ennodius to Constantius.
No one should condemn competence simply because it arrives without ornamental packaging. Skill wrapped in modest words is still skill, and the man who dismisses it because the wrapping is plain has mistaken the container for the contents.
I offer you my thoughts without gilding. Take them for what they are worth, which — I trust — is more than their presentation might suggest. Farewell.
XVII. ENNODIVS CONSTANTIO.
Nemo peritiam pomposa elocutione condemnat nec spernendum
cum pudore ducit esse quod sequitur: sui inpugnator est
quisquis elucubratis sermonibus linguae cultum praedicat abiurari.
ego tamen in epistulis magnitudinis uestrae diligentiam
semper, non uerba pensaui nec adiutricem malitiae facundiam
maius pretium habere censui quam simplicitatem, quae infucata
fronte secretum mentis enuntiat. hoc in sanctis hominibus
et amaui semper et colui. ago nunc atque habeo gratias, quod
1 eius T 8. I. m. 2 2 licit Bl 4 prolatoris B\' praestis
B iouamenis B 5 merewtar (re? eras.) L 6 benificium
B iouat B 7 occSsione L\' ut uidetur miminisse
L\' 8 nihil Sirm . ita om. Sirm . 9 uos om. T 10 pe-
culiriter L\' expectentem B eius///// (eius ? eras.) L 11 quidquid
B precipit T sed s. I. m. 2 t presnmit 19 leuandum
B 14 meroris BLTV
XVII. 19 dicit Pb 20 quisque Pb elocubratia B, elucabrantis
L 23 magis T cens.ui (i eras.) L 24 odiibus
T 25 adque B
paruitatem meam litterarii sermonis uisitatis affatu et inter
occupationes et excubias, quibus uniuersos Rauenna distringit,
mei cura non ponitur. reddo ergo effusissimae salutationis
officia sperans, ut praesentiam meam apud domnos meos
amantes uestri pro dignatione, qua credentem fouetis, faciatis
optabilem.
◆
From:Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To:Constantius
Date:~506 AD
Context:A letter defending plain speech against the charge of vulgarity — Ennodius argues that no one should condemn expertise in pompous language.
Ennodius to Constantius.
No one should condemn competence simply because it arrives without ornamental packaging. Skill wrapped in modest words is still skill, and the man who dismisses it because the wrapping is plain has mistaken the container for the contents.
I offer you my thoughts without gilding. Take them for what they are worth, which — I trust — is more than their presentation might suggest. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.