Letter 4007: Ennodius to Julianus, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Count of the Patrimony.

VII. Ennodius to Julianus, most illustrious and distinguished count and patrician. I have received your letter, radiant with a twofold splendor, in which the purple of a dictator, joined to your high esteem, increased its value, while I rendered thanks to almighty God, who surpasses the leanness of our prayers by the abundance of His benefit, and who, when in our desires we, conscious of our merits, pursue what is straitened, does not restrain the riches of His generous indulgence. I had believed it enough if you should make me exalted by a most ample piece of writing; but you, not content to grant only this much, which a beggar's request asks for, dispatched pages that were eloquent and rich in praise, after the manner of a great river, which, as often as it is invited away from its channels to the side, so that it may temper the dryness of the neighboring land, glides whole into the slender rivulet for the one who longs for it, and through the drunkenness of its saving water pours over the withered, deep-squalid backs of the fields. Yet, preserving the custom of strong persons, let the greatness of your stature not abandon, in regard to my smallness, what it has well begun, so that the care expended on the page may be held as testimony of your diligence, and the flatteries of conversation may bring forward the confirmation of pure love. Let the affection which you promised before the heights know no setting: let your favor toward me grow as great as the summits of dignities are joined to you, lest the high standing which my mediocrity has nourished should be believed to have forsworn friendship; for he who chastens pride in his exaltation teaches that he has deserved what he has obtained. Make known, through the uprightness of your conscience, that happiness can be submitted to the commands of love: those necks of nobles, free as they are, while you grant them a model, subjugate to your diligence; let it be permitted to grow accustomed to you, so that the most ample man may retain in fellowship the one whom a lesser man will acquire. Fortune mocks those men in whom she shows forgetfulness of their own people, those whom she leads to lofty places. With one who knows affairs, to recall good things over again is not a necessity of admonition but an occasion for praise. I have known the tranquility of your character, fashioned for good pursuits, which I therefore mention especially in order to show that, where affection is solid, nothing is permitted to honors. But I have overstepped the limit of a letter, while I cling at length to my own commendation: I return to the duties of conversation on the page, and, announcing that I am well, I straightway inquire after the favorable circumstances of your prosperity.

VII. ENNODIVS IVLIANO V. I. C. P. Suscepi litteras gemino splendore radiantes, quibus purpura dictatoris uestrae iuncta dignationi creuit in pretium, gratias omnipotenti deo restituens, qui uotorum maciem beneficii ubertate transgreditur et quando in desideriis meritorum conscii sectamur angustiam, diuitis indulgentiae copias non refrenat. credidi satis esse, si me feceritis amplissima scriptione sublimem: sed uos non hoc tantum contenti praestare, quod habet mendica postulatio, linguae idonei et laude locupletes paginas destinastis magni more fluminis, qui quotiens ab alueis, ut ariditatem finitimam temperet, ad obliqua inuitatur, optanti tenuem riuulum totus inlabitur et marcida profundo squalore terga per ebrietatem undae salutaris infundit. fortium tamen seruans consuetudinem personarum magnitudo tua circa exiguitatem meam bene coepta non deserat, ut in testimonio diligentiae cura paginalis habeatur et puri amoris adstipulationem deferant blandimenta conloquii. occasum nesciat caritas, quam ante culmina promisistis: tantum circa me crescat gratia, quantum uobis iuncta sunt fastigia dignitatum, ne amicitiam, quam fouit 1 quaerellis (el eae il corr.) B ,3 ∗effectum (a eras.) V uale om. Pb --1 VII. 5. UI. CP B, VI Episcopo b 6 suscipi B spendore B purpore B 7 praetium B 9 et scripsi, nt BLPTVb et Sirm . 10 indulgentij Tl cupias B refrenat (re s. I. m. 1) V, refrenet T1 et Sirm. . [11 fecerites B1 12 contSpti T prestare B mondica Tl y13 idonei et scripsi, idonei sed LTV, idoneas et BPb locuples L destinastes BI, destinatis PTb 15 a.d L b uidetur eras . riuolum B 16 Bterga T 17 nfi (i. e . unde) T infundet Bl 18 exiguita∗∗∗tem L 19 cepta T 21 occisum L1 22 ntu qua (* supra a eras.) B 23 iuncta] iauicta Sirm . mediocritas, credatur abiurasse potentia: nam qui fastum in sublimitate castigat docet se meruisse quod adeptus est. resignate per probitatem conscientiae, felicitatem submitti posse amoris imperiis: illa libera procerum colla, dum formam tribuitis, subiugate diligentiae: fas sit de uobis adsuesci, ut amplissimus in societate retineat quem minor adquiret. ludit de illis casus, quibus obliuionem suorum indicet, quos ad celsa perducit. apud scientem rerum relegere bona non est admonitionis necessitas sed laudis occasio. noui fabricatam ad bona studia ingenii uestri tranquillitatem, quam ideo speciatim conmemoro, ut ostendam ubi affectio solida est honoribus nil licere. sed epistolarem transcendi terminum, dum commendationi meae multus inhaereo : redeo ad officia paginalis alloquii et ualere me nuntians prosperitatis uestrae actutum secunda disquiro.