From: Ennodius, deacon of Pavia, writing on behalf of his bishop
To: Faustus [Flavius Anicius Probus Faustus Niger, senior Roman aristocrat and high official]
Date: ~503–506 AD
Context: Carrying an urgent episcopal commission, Ennodius alerts Faustus that corrupt agents are maneuvering to seize the fiscal advocacy of Liguria in the unstable aftermath of Mauricellius's death, and begs him to hold firm to his promise.
---
A letter satisfies every vow and longing when, in the presence of one who loves you, it renders service on behalf of another's urgent need. How gladly I would wish — if my settled purpose did not forbid it — that the tranquility of many would more often be shaken into uncertainty, so that in lending my voice to those who are troubled, I might discharge the debt that tenacious affection demands of me!
I render the duty of this present letter at the command of my lord your father [the bishop of this province], whose spirit, while it labors ceaselessly to provide for the security of all, holds its own peace in contempt under this very burden. He is deeply troubled, for he has not yet seen the evils of Liguria laid to rest in the wake of Mauricellius's death [a local figure whose passing left a dangerous vacuum of influence]. Our province, you see, is laboring under renewed conspiracies — as though the graves refuse to keep hold of what has already been buried.
While certain individuals are straining, through corrupt intermediaries, to obtain the fiscal advocacy [advocationem fisci — the lucrative and powerful office of imperial treasury agent for the region], they reveal, even before they have achieved their aim, precisely what they intend to do with it. For my part, I have not concealed from anyone what Your Greatness has resolved concerning the public good: I have maintained, and will maintain, that you would commit that office to no one — God standing with you in this purpose. Yet the anxiety of the provincials is such that they believe every disaster they dread is already on the verge of happening.
This commission of intercession I have received from my lord the bishop: to reach Your Conscience through the service of this letter, so that no one's covert scheming may be carried through to its intended result. Guard your most faithful promise, I implore you, with the full integrity of your resolve.
I, for my part, have discharged the duties of this greeting and borne faithful witness to the case I was given to present. I hope nonetheless that I may be informed, by the grace of a reply, what decision has been reached on this matter.
XXVI. ENNODIVS FAVSTO.
Votis et desideriis satisfacit pagina, quae apud amantem
uestri necessitatibus alienis praestat obsequium. quam uellem,
1 in Test T in ras . lymfas BPV, limfas L, limphas
T conuertit Sinn . 2 dominatur Sirm . 3 tuos B
4 irritetur LV, nutriretur T oro b et Sirm . 5 debeo uocem
Sirm . 6 elegitis B litteras T s in ras . frequenter om.
Pb ammonitione T, monitione Pb 8 diliges B eluuie
em. Schot., ellubiae LV, ellubie BPTb
XXV. 12 prodigia L 13 tabula Sirm . 14 uerecundii V fl
in ras . penitrale B 16 colloquia LTV 18 sollicite B
pericula Pb 19 uale T, ualete ergo B mei b domine
P TVI (e in i corr. V m. 1) scribtionis B 20 nec T
21 quid B, quia T forsitam B
\'
XXVI. 24 satisfaciat LxPTVlb .
si propositum non uetaret, multorum saepe quieta titubare,
ut dum dubiis uocem tribuo, debitum obnixae caritatis exsoluam!
domini mei, patris uestri iussionibus inpendo praesentis
scriptionis officium, cuius animus dum omnium securitati prouidet,
suam quietem sub hac intentione contemnit, qui dum
mala Ligurum post Mauricelli obitum nondum uidit occidisse,
confunditur. recidiuis enim prouincia nostra, quasi praefatum
sepulcra non teneant, laborat insidiis. aduocationem fisci dum
aliqui per iniquos homines nituntur obtinere, ante uotorum
copiam quid in ea meditentur ostendunt. ego quidem deliberationem
magnitudinis uestrae de bono publico non celaui,
adserens uos praefatam dignitatem nulli uobiscum deo adnitente
conmittere. sed anxietas prouincialium totum credit posse
euenire quod metuit. hanc a domno meo episcopo allegationis
suscepi prouinciam, ut conscientiam uestram obsequio paginae
conuenirem, ne cuius subreptio ad huius rei perducatur effectum.
uos fidissimam pollicitationem solliciti custodite integritate
propositi. ego salutationis officia dependens quae susceperam
alleganda testatus sum. spero tamen ut quid de ea parte deliberatum
sit instruar officio litterarum.
1 pposito V corr. m. 1 turbare Pb 2 obnixe LT, obnoiae
B, obnoiiae fort . 3 impendo LTV; uariantes id genus ex his
codicibus posthac nisi ubi causa aderat, iam no-n notaui in rebus
orthographicia B solum in uniuersum secutus . 4 Bcribtionis B
pronidit B 5 quietem BPb, quietam TV, quiet∗u ̃ L i eras .
contempnit BLV 7 quasi] quia uas T 8 sepulchra BL V
fisci ex feci L m. 2 12 nos Pb nobiscum Pb 13 posse
ex poslst T 14 euenire posse Pb 15 obsequio uestram T
16 nec T 18 susciperam BV 19 spcro-litterarum om. b
◆
From:Ennodius, deacon of Pavia, writing on behalf of his bishop
To:Faustus [Flavius Anicius Probus Faustus Niger, senior Roman aristocrat and high official]
Date:~503–506 AD
Context:Carrying an urgent episcopal commission, Ennodius alerts Faustus that corrupt agents are maneuvering to seize the fiscal advocacy of Liguria in the unstable aftermath of Mauricellius's death, and begs him to hold firm to his promise.
---
A letter satisfies every vow and longing when, in the presence of one who loves you, it renders service on behalf of another's urgent need. How gladly I would wish — if my settled purpose did not forbid it — that the tranquility of many would more often be shaken into uncertainty, so that in lending my voice to those who are troubled, I might discharge the debt that tenacious affection demands of me!
I render the duty of this present letter at the command of my lord your father [the bishop of this province], whose spirit, while it labors ceaselessly to provide for the security of all, holds its own peace in contempt under this very burden. He is deeply troubled, for he has not yet seen the evils of Liguria laid to rest in the wake of Mauricellius's death [a local figure whose passing left a dangerous vacuum of influence]. Our province, you see, is laboring under renewed conspiracies — as though the graves refuse to keep hold of what has already been buried.
While certain individuals are straining, through corrupt intermediaries, to obtain the fiscal advocacy [advocationem fisci — the lucrative and powerful office of imperial treasury agent for the region], they reveal, even before they have achieved their aim, precisely what they intend to do with it. For my part, I have not concealed from anyone what Your Greatness has resolved concerning the public good: I have maintained, and will maintain, that you would commit that office to no one — God standing with you in this purpose. Yet the anxiety of the provincials is such that they believe every disaster they dread is already on the verge of happening.
This commission of intercession I have received from my lord the bishop: to reach Your Conscience through the service of this letter, so that no one's covert scheming may be carried through to its intended result. Guard your most faithful promise, I implore you, with the full integrity of your resolve.
I, for my part, have discharged the duties of this greeting and borne faithful witness to the case I was given to present. I hope nonetheless that I may be informed, by the grace of a reply, what decision has been reached on this matter.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.