Letter 2024: Ennodius the deacon to his lord Faustus.

I believe it a loss to diligence that no hands of travelers should be rewarded with the dowry of letters, which are accustomed even by their reading to carry faces to distant places and to present the images of dear ones through the service of speech. To this is also added the occasion of the most distinguished bearer Luminosus, who deserves well of both of us, who adds the fruits of his own grace to the worship of your merits. Who of these two would endure that affection be dulled under any negligence — if I should refrain from pages which your condescension demands, and if the one named should not receive them for delivery? Thanks be to God — which had to be placed at the front of the letter — because your good fortune is raised, enlarged by welcome successes, and because the swollen neck of enemies, burdened by Christ our God, is giving way. I had anticipated by hope what the outcome shows. For he who knows the quality of a heavenly judgment from the serenity of human actions well foreknows its end. Therefore be well for a long time, my lord, and relieve one who loves you by the use of the pen, so that whatever the intervals of lands subtract, a letter's offering may compensate.

XXIIII. DOMNO SVO FAVSTO ENNODIVS DIACONVS. Dispendium credo esse diligentiae nullas commeantium manus litterarum dote munerari, quae solent lectione etiam uultus ad longinqua portare et carorum imagines officio praesentare sermonis. ad ista iungitur etiam bene de utrisque merentis sublimissimi Luminosi portitoris occasio, qui ad religionem meritorum. uestrorum suae quoque gratiae fructus adiungit. quis geminus patiatur ut sub quacumque neglegentia hebetetur affectus, si a paginis temperem, quas dignatio uestra exigit, et si illas nominatus non accipiat perferendas ? deo gratias, quod in fronte epistulae locandum fuit, quia felicitas uestra uotiuis erigitur aucta successibus, quod tumida inimicorum ceruix Christo deo nostro grauata subcumbit. spe praeceperam quod effectus ostendit. bene enim sententiae caelestis finem praenoscit qui nouit qualitatem eius de actuum humanorum allis 2 adserit V, asserit aliis T 3 prestare B 5 adiauit B 6indicateTlsaV 6 indicate T1 8 u postoulo V XXIIII. 10 domino L fansto inscr. T 11 nulla seommeantium B 13 presentare TV 14 de om. T utrisqaae B, utriasqae Pb merentes B 15 occasio L\' 17 geminos B F1, gemin\' T (sed in mg . geniI, genius b negligentia B\'T 18 18 haebetetar L\', hebitar B, habitetur b effectus T temperiem LVl 19 nominatas V* 21 ersgitar B aata T 22 noatro scripsi, non BLTVb, nunc P praeciperam B 28 effectus (pr . e in ras.) B 24 acUum L serenitate colligere. uale ergo longum, mi domine, et amantem uestri stili usu releuate, ut quicquid subtrahunt interualla terrarum tabellaria conpenset oblatio.