Letter 4008: [Pope Symmachus (r. 498-514) was a pope whom Ennodius energetically defended during the disputed papal election of...

Ennodius to Pope Symmachus. [Pope Symmachus (r. 498-514) was a pope whom Ennodius energetically defended during the disputed papal election of 498-502. This letter concerns a property settlement.] Your apostolic condescension has raised me to the point of boldness: the confidence you granted has become the mother of my audacity. But anyone who thinks me ignorant of humility will find me obedient, if he considers what I was commanded to do. It would be presumption if a servant did not follow his master's favors; what I offer in obedience, I think, should be judged as service. There -- I have justified my reason for writing, since I was afraid that by remaining silent after you ordered me to take up the pen, I would appear to be rejecting your command. To this I add the case of Marus of venerable memory. While I was in Rome, you gave me hope through my prayers on his behalf; his case with your holy church was settled by a legitimate agreement. But his heirs lament that for many years the income owed to them has been withheld. On their behalf I approach you as a petitioner conscious of your character -- for one whose habit it is to do what is merciful will not despise what is just, and one who gives away his own property will not withhold what belongs to others. Anyone who thinks a conscience close to God can be tempted by profit is mistaken. For a holy will, failing to bestow a benefit is itself a loss. You consider the only gains to be those that arise from your own generosity -- you who receive riches in the very act of giving them away. The stewardship of the saints is a kind of greed in reverse: by keeping nothing back, it brings everything to the account of merit. There are no better returns than those that come to you from your own generosity. Confident, then, I have promised the aforementioned heirs that the labor described above would be relieved through your grace. Fulfill my promise with your gracious arrangement: relieve them with the outcome, and relieve me with your reply.

VIII. ENNODIVS SVMMACHO PAPAE. Vsque ad temeritatem me apostolica dignatione promouistis: fiducia concessa extitit mater audaciae. sed qui me humilitatis putat ignarum oboedientem probabit, si iussa consideret. praesumptio est, si dominorum beneficia famuli non sequantur: obsequium aestimandum puto quod pariturus inpendo. ecce causam scriptionis adserui, quia ueritus sum ne post imperatam stili curam tacens praecepta respuerem. huc accessit quod in causa. uenerabilis memoriae Mari, dum apud urbem essem, spem meis precibus uos dedistis, cuius negotium cum sancta ecclesia uestra legitima pactione decisum est. sed heredes eius per annos plurimos debitos sibi fructus deflent fuisse 1 credatur B, uldeatur LPTVb potentia. B qui fastam T in ras. m. 2 12 ad∗eptus B reaignante T 4 inperiis B libermn Tl tribuites B\', tribuistis L 6 adquirit fort . 7 indicit T (it ex et eorr. recte fort.) 8 admunitionis B 10 specialom potim quam speciatem B\', apecialem b 12 multos B inhereo B 18 nalerSe B 14 actaum L disquiro) finit add. B VIII. 16 symacho BT 17 Mmeritatem L, temperitatem B 19 ppabit T 22|inperatam B 23 adeessit B 24 marii LPTVb 26 decisum (eci m ras.) V 27 fructos B subtractos: pro quibus uestri- conscius precator accedo, quia cui mos est pia iugiter facere iusta non despiciet et qui largitur proprium aliena non subtrahet, errat qui deo proximam conscientiam credit commodis inuitari: detrimentum est sanctae uoluntati non exhibere beneficium. sola putatis lucra, quae uobis de liberalitate nascuntur, qui diuitias dum tribuitis accipitis. auara est dispensatio sanctorum, quae nil reseruando uniuersa proprium reducit ad meritum: nulla sunt potiora quam quae uobis eueniunt de largitate conpendia. ergo securus conprehensi superius heredibus laboris promisi uestra contemplatione iacturam: uos pollicitationem meam benigna dispositione conplete et illos effectu, me releuate conloquio.