Letter 4003: Thanks be to God, the Holy Trinity — who sustains, through the vigor of a strong man at his side, the weight of sins...

Ennodius to Bishop Eulalius. Thanks be to God, the Holy Trinity — who sustains, through the vigor of a strong man at his side, the weight of sins by which I am crushed. He has woven the memory of me into that temple of your holy heart where Christ, the subtle architect, delights to dwell — so that what I have darkened by the cloud of my own conduct may be wiped clean by the radiant serenity of your conscience. I know now that the tears of sinners are not poured out in vain. This is what my prayer has given me, this is what my weeping has accomplished: that a powerful intercessor has risen on my behalf, and that you have placed a hand fortified by heavenly aid beneath my failing shoulders. It is true that before God, only despair destroys the one who strays. Already our tares, our thorns and thistles, give promise of barley, wheat, and vines. Go on, chosen one of God — do for me, a humble man, what you have begun, and lend your support while, through the constancy of your prayers, you wash from me what I have accumulated through an abundance of faults. Nourish also the one you have taken in with frequent conversation, so that you may strengthen with the salt of your counsel a heart that is tasteless and propped up by no steadfastness of virtue. I return to the duties of greeting you, and — having exceeded the limits proper to a letter — I add one thing more, like a man who chatters, yes, but is insistent out of genuine need: that you help me with your prayers just as much as you strengthen me with your words. Farewell.

III. EVLALIO EPISCOPO ENNODIVS. Trinitati gratias deo nostro, qui fascem quo deprimor pecca. torum fortis apud se uiri alacritate sustentat, qui memoriam mei in illo sancti pectoris tui templo quo gaudet Christus subtilis fabricator interserit, ut quod propriae conuersationis nube fuscaui splendida conscientiae uestrae serenitate detergeat. iam noui quia non inefficaciter funduntur lamenta peccantium. hoc mihi principe loco oratio mea, hoc lacrimae contulerunt, ut robustus pro me precator exsurgeres, ut labantibus umeris caelesti munitam auxilio dexteram subrogares. uerum est quia sola apud deum desperatio perdit errantem. ecce iam lolium nostrum spinae uel tribuli hordea triticum uineas pollicentur. age, electe dei, pro me humili quod coepisti et partibus tuis adesto, dum precum in me adsiduitate diluis quod ego collegi ubertate culparum. frequentibus etiam susceptum pasce conloquiis, ut insulsum pectus nec ulla uirtutum stabilitate subnixum admonitionis sale confortes. ad obsequia salutationis reuertor et epistularem transgressus terminum unum uelut garrulus sed pro necessitatibus inportunus adiungo, ut me sine cessatione tantum iuues precibus, quantum confirmas alloquiis. uale.