Letter 3004: What a sweet thing the business of your letters is -- they bring me a spiritual gift!

Ennodius to Abbot Stephen. What a sweet thing the business of your letters is -- they bring me a spiritual gift! What a welcome necessity it is that those who come seeking help should, through their own pursuit of a remedy, heal the longings of another! I confess that if it did not conflict with my principles, I would almost form hostile wishes to disturb the peace of certain people. Adversity provides what prosperity does not. From what merit of my own would I, a sinner, have received letters from holy men in peaceful times -- letters that the brightness of my conduct has never earned? See how much benefit I have gained from those who claim to have won their case before you. I judge these things to be the work of divine providence. I already believe I have set down a great deal of the burden of my sinful way of life. The man who earns the conversation of the saints is close to innocence. For as long as the impurity of worldly license possessed me, I never deserved the letters of so great a man; and even afterward, through long intervals, I never received such blessings. Great God, what dignity you bestow on those who serve you -- that those upon whom you begin to look favorably you also make acceptable to your friends! Truly, I have always regarded you with singular devotion, and have always bowed my neck -- weighed down by sins -- before your venerable character. And now I am addressed almost as an equal. The long-maintained submission has raised me up. Nourish me, then, with your prayers: your letters show that the protection you offer is no fragile thing. For those who were received [the monks seeking help] are the very ones who brought me the blessings I rejoice in. Let me return to the matter at hand. That wayward cleric was afraid to plead his case before the bishop, once he saw that I was defending those you had placed in my care. I suggest, if you approve, that one of them should go to Ravenna with your letters of introduction to your son, the lord Faustus -- so that the verdict of the venal judges who abound in Milan may not be pronounced to the prejudice of your people.

IIII. ENNODIVS ABBATI STEPHANO. Litterarum uestrarum quam dulce negotium est, quod mihi spiritale munus exhibuit! quam uotiua perlatorum necessitas, quae remedii sui studio desideriis medetur alienis! confiteor, nisi repugnaret proposito, inimica pene ad turbandam aliquorum securitatem uota conciperem. ecce praestant aduersa quod secunda non tribuunt. sanctorum litteras tranquillis rebus unde peccator acciperem, quas numquam meritorum meorum nitor exegit? ecce quantum mihi contulerunt suffragium qui a uobis obtinuisse se confitentur. diuinam aestimo prouidentiam ista tribuere. multum iam credo quod de malae conuersationis fasce deposui. proximus est innocentiae qui sanctorum meretur alloquia. quare dum me saecularis licentia inmunda possedit, numquam tanti uiri apices merui, post etiam per longa interualla numquam huiusmodi bona suscepi. deus magne, quam dignitatem seruientibus tibi tribuis, ut quos respicere coeperis etiam amicis tuis reddas acceptos! uere semper uos singulari cultura suspexi, semper uenerandis moribus 3 precator (ca in ras.) V fabore B IIII. 5 ennodius—l. 16 prozimus est bis exh. B, priore apographo expuncto folii 55r quod relicum erat et totum folium 55 uacuum ennodius om. T stefano BIV 7 manos B (apogr. 1 et 2) exibnit B (apogr. 1) L* 8 studio] stimulo B (apogr. 2) desiderio T* 9 penae B (apogr. 1 et 2) alicorum B (apogr. 1) 10 conceperem B (apogr. 1), conceperim B (apogr. 2) s qua ecce T s qua exp . preetant B (apogr. 1. et 2) 11 tribuunt (u eras.) L 12 peccatorum T\' acceperem B (apogr. 1), acceperim B (apogr. 2) quam L 13 contolerunt B (apogr. 1) quia T in ras. m. 2 16 ista] illa Sirm . male B (apogr. t et 2) LTV 17 colloquia Sirm . secularis B 19 per] qui L suscipi B 20 seruientibua] credentibus T 21 ceperu BL TV acceptus B granata peccatis colla submisi. ecce iam quasi aequalis appellor. erexit me diu custodita subiectio, foue ergo me orationibus tuis: ostendis enim paginis fragile a uobis non exhiberi patrocinium. nam et isti suscepti sunt, qui mihi bona, de quibus gestio, contulerunt. ad rem redeo. perditus ille clericus expauit causam dicere apud episcopum, postquam defendi a me uidit eos, quibus meum deputastis obsequium. suggero, si iubetis, ut unus de ipsis Rauennam ambulet cum uestris ad filium uestrum domnum Faustum commendaticiis, ne in praeiudicio ipsorum uenalis iudicum, qui Mediolani exuberant, sententia depromatur.