Letter 3022: Hope mocks me — it demands the frequency of letters but offers no guarantee that they will be received, much less...

From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia To: Faustus Date: ~511 AD Context: A letter lamenting that hope itself seems to deceive him by demanding frequent letters it cannot guarantee will be answered. Ennodius to Faustus. Hope mocks me — it demands the frequency of letters but offers no guarantee that they will be received, much less answered. I write into what may be a void, trusting that somewhere on the other end, my words are landing on attentive ground. If they are, reply. If they are not, I will write again anyway. Farewell.

XXII. ENNODIVS FAVSTO. Inludit mihi spes quae exigit frequentiam litterarum. hac enim fretus inefficacibus animum pasco conloquiis. diu est quod sine intermissione scripta prorogans silentium, quod expugnatum esse credidi, confirmatur. sed quid faciam, quando 2 et a B, a b 3 predicto BLTV inquietndine (ne ex nem corr.) L s|oletis| B oletia tn mg. add. XXI. 8 opiomouia B 9 sarmonis T 10 snblimen T1 12 facit T 13 benefitio V non add. in mg . T m. 2 14 ut om. Pb peregrinis T ingredbtui B1 15 arohana BPT . 16 quia Bb, qui LPTV 18 debeo PTb, debebo BLV praecor V prefatum BTV 19 re manifestet T prospitiat LV colloquii PT, alloqaii Sirm..- XXN. 92 exegit B 83 inefficatibus LTV 25 sed eonfirmatnr B quaodo BT1, quomodo T1Vb, quemo L uii ad consilium reducitur pio amore pectus obsessum ? putat remedia et quae conperit nil iuuisse. salutati ergo obsequium reuerentia exhibens consueta commendo praesentium perlatorem ipsum Constantinum, cui snffragium honestas et pudor est, cui quamuis plnra per affectum debeam, maiora tamen coactus soluo per iudicium.