Letter 3017: Now that your merits have received the dignity they deserve, I write to add my voice to the chorus of congratulations.
Ennodius of Pavia→Stephen, Abbot|c. 506 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
friendship
From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To: Stephen, bishop [newly elevated to the episcopate]
Date: ~506 AD
Context: A congratulatory letter on Stephen's elevation to the episcopate — Ennodius celebrates the promotion as a deserved reward for years of faithful service.
To Bishop Stephen, from Ennodius.
Now that your merits have received the dignity they deserve, I write to add my voice to the chorus of congratulations. The office finds in you a man worthy of it — and that is rarer than it should be.
Your elevation is a credit to those who chose you and a blessing to those who will serve under you. May God grant you strength equal to the burden and wisdom equal to the responsibility.
I remain your devoted friend and brother. Farewell.
XVII. STEPHANO EPISCOPO ENNODIVS.
Postquam meritis uestris dignitas restituta est et honor
quem exigit uita conlatus, nulla beatitudinis uestrae pro peccatis
meis scripta suscepi. aliena est a proposito uel a moribus
uestris circa supplices quae in me seruatur obliuio. temeritatem
meam pontificalis non accuset auctoritas: uix est ut
diligentia quid iuris possit habere respiciat: numquam se metitur
quem stimulat caritatis imperium. additur quod perlatori
XVL 3 quae B rl releua L 4 torquitur B silentia
silentia B 5 neque] mea Sirm . 6 sed] si T 9 in radice
quadam T 10 prospititint V scripta nos propt (tra—hominem
8 . 1. add. corr.) B bene natum TV 11 commendo BT 13 accelera
renelare (reuelare in ras. m. 2) T, acceierare LV, adcelerare
B, attolle Sirm. 14 sermonibus quatinns T ift ras . m. 2 quatinus
LTV benefltio V, befieSo L
XYIL 17 Ennodius Stepbsno episcopo Sirm. stefano BL
18 dignitas] uestra add. Sirm. 19 exegit B 21 snpHces B
temeritatem V te postea add. m. 1 22 accuBat B 24 addetur
B
praesentium obuias manus adhibere non potui, nisi ut Benenatum
hominem Gallias pro certis negotiis expetentem ad
coronae uestrae notitiam mei perducerem sermonis officio,
quem tota humilitate commendans rogo, ut per eum uicariis
releuari procurer alloquiis. domine, salutationis seruitutem
tota deuotione persoluens spero principe loco, ut precum uestrarum
serenitas meae quoque mentionem non omittat facere, cum
diuinitati subplicat sine intermissione, personae.
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From:Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To:Stephen, bishop [newly elevated to the episcopate]
Date:~506 AD
Context:A congratulatory letter on Stephen's elevation to the episcopate — Ennodius celebrates the promotion as a deserved reward for years of faithful service.
To Bishop Stephen, from Ennodius.
Now that your merits have received the dignity they deserve, I write to add my voice to the chorus of congratulations. The office finds in you a man worthy of it — and that is rarer than it should be.
Your elevation is a credit to those who chose you and a blessing to those who will serve under you. May God grant you strength equal to the burden and wisdom equal to the responsibility.
I remain your devoted friend and brother. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.