Letter 2027: You live in the neighborhood, and yet you write as though continents divided us — which is to say, you do not write...

In the vicinity you indicated by your recent letter that you dwell, adding to the detriment of my joys the diminished state of your health. I do not deny it — so do I deserve that bitter things should always be joined with sweet for me. Until now adverse circumstances held you occupied with duties at Ravenna, and because of what befell Lazarus, your bodily substance was weakened, lest it be permitted to obtain what was desired in full. How harsh is the condition of human affairs, which whenever it has responded to desires with some savor, at once exchanges what has been granted even at the very threshold. I have however unraveled the calumny which you wove into your letter with oratorical and overly Daedalian foresight, that — as you wove it — you should believe I am unwilling for your advantage, if I indicate that I was unable to accomplish it. O the secret of an ingenious craftsman, who looks more to advantage than trusts in love\! God is my witness that I would not deny you what I am able to do. You pray to God that he not allow my activity in the unfortunate profession of letters which you esteem to be impeded by calamities. For there is nothing I fear more as an obstacle to the action imposed upon me than this: that I know a scholar who receives nothing deserves nothing. Rather turn your talent to the rough courts of law, through which whatever a coarse tongue has demanded it soon obtained, or if it did not obtain, soon tore away. My lord, paying the grace of greeting, I hope that you will aid my labor with abundant prayers, because, though I have not the merit of a learned or educated man, I often endure in legal cases the destiny of an accomplished one.

XXVII. HONORATO ENNODIVS. In uicinitate uos degere moderna scriptione signastis, iungentes ad dispendia gaudiorum statum uestrae ualitudinis inminutum. non nego, sic mereor, ut semper mihi cum dulcibus XXVL 2 ennodius om. T 3 aUtor B scriptionem T1, sabscriptione L 5 repraesentat Sirm . depciat LPT quem T 7 dignationem Sirm . nestra BTb, nestram LPV et Sirm . potior BPb, patior TV et Sirm., patior L 8 uendicare T 11 loquilla B 13 qui Tl 14 disserui T corr . M. 2 15 coepiBtis b, cepistis b 16 paciantnr B 17 elegerit T mihi BL V 20 plenissimns fort . cdmodorum (c5 ex con) L h XXVII. 23 ennodias om. T 24 nicinate L deg.ere L 26 ego Т1b at Y a. I. m. 1, ut T s. I. m. 2, et L, om. P amara socientur. hactenus uos Rauennatibus occupatos excubiis aduersa tenuerunt, unde quia lazari contigit, corporalia in uobis est labefactata substantia, ne in totum liceret optata promereri. quam dura est humanarum rerum condicio, quae quotiens desideriis aliquo sapore responderit, mox et in foribus concessa permutat. expani tamen calumniam, quam oratoria et nimis Daedala preuisione litteris indidisti, ut indidisti pro utilitate tua nolle me credas, si efficere non potuisse signauero. o artificis ingenii secretum, quod plus commoditati prospicit quam de amore confidat! deus testis est me tibi non negaturum esse quod ualeo. tu deum roga, ut actionem. meam infelicium quas diligis litterarum non patiatur calamitatibus inpediri. nihil est enim quod magis pro obice metuam actionis inpositae, quam illud, quod noui, accipere scolasticum nil mereri. confer magis ingenium tuum ad squalentia iura, per quae quicquid scabrida poposcit lingua mox meruit aut, si non meruit, mox auulsit. domine, salutationis gratiam soluens spero, at effusis laborem meum precibus iuues, quia, cum non habeam. docti aut eruditi meritum, saepe in causis sustineo fata perfecti.