Letter 3013: The solicitude I feel for you, which grows daily through the bond of kinship that links my affection to yours, would...

Ennodius to Apollinaris. Great as is the care of mine which, through our close bond, does daily service to your affection, I would have devised no complaint about the loss of those who travel back and forth, were it not that I am hastening toward that one solace of the absent which divine providence has found in letters. But what am I to do, when so great is the throng of those arriving that you cannot know who above all ought to be chosen, to whom writings to be delivered to your holy conscience might be entrusted? For the meaner sort drag off into the occasion of their own profit whatever we offer to affection, and it is a grievous thing that what the force of love demands should be made to serve covetousness. For that reason I held my mind back from writing until the opportunity of a household letter-carrier, lest the principle of my diligence, scattered among undeserving carriers, should grow rancid through another's importunity, and the fault return to me which did not take its beginning from me. Therefore, briefly setting forth the necessity of my enforced silence, I turn myself to the use of the page, through which the words I have awaited grant me, by the secret journeys of our spirits, the presence of your greatness across the pages. Farewell then, my lord, and with that serenity which you owe to your lineage cherish one who loves you with frequent conversations, since there is no gift so worthy of reverence to one in anxious care as that I should often learn of your well-being and inquire after my own.

XIII. ENNODIVS APOLLINARI. Quantam cura mea, quae affectui uestro per necessitudinem militat in dies suggerit, nulla commeantium essem damna commentus, nisi ad illud unicum solamen absentium, quod in XU. 2 ennodius om. T stefano L 4 Buperna gratia L Pb largiBsime actibus celestium B 5 percurret B transeant V1 aurientis BP, aurientis L 8 sicientis LV 9 limpfa B 10 estuante B, eetuanti T gignet B 11 quantam b, quantum BLPTV affe r ̃ | L sacietatem LTV 12 anmenta L post ras . 14 cognata T 16 mi] mihi BL V 17 presta B 18 pliylosophyam LV, lilosophiam B uita tantum LPTVb XIII. 20 Epistulas 13-18 primus edidit Sirm . 21 apollenari BLV 22 nostro T 23 suggesserit L1, suggere B essent Sirm., ee T, essem uel esse in B 24 commentus scripsi, contentus d u BL V, contemptus T alud L unicum illud Sirm . litteris inuenit prouidentia superna, concurrerem. sed quid faciam, quando tanta est uenientum confusio, ut nescias qui potissimum deligendus sit, cui reddenda sanctae conscientiae uestrae possint scripta committi? trahunt enim in occasionem conpendii sui uiliores quicquid nos praestamus affectui, et graue est ut seruiat cupiditati quod exigit uis amoris. idcirco animum usque ad domestici perlatoris opportunitatem \'b scriptione suspendi, ne diligentiae ratio sparsa pot inmeritos perlatores aliena inportunitate ranciscat et ad me culpa redeat quae a me non sumpsit exordium. necessitatem ergo procurati silentii breuiter explicans ad usum me paginalem conuerto, per quod magnitudinis uestrae mihi praesentiam secretis animorum itineribus expectata per paginas uerba concedunt. uale ergo, mi domine, et illa quam debes generi serenitate frequentibus amantem foue conloquiis, quia nullum est tam uenerabile munus sollicito, quam si saepe uos agnoscam uestram nuntiare, meam quaerere sospitatem.