Letter 4015: The road to a favorable hearing is easier when the petition comes from a source that the powerful already trust.
Ennodius of Pavia→Faustus|c. 505 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
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From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To: Faustus [Faustus Niger]
Date: ~504 AD
Context: A letter suggesting that the path to obtaining a favor is smoother when the request comes from someone whose judgment is trusted — possibly accompanying a petition.
Ennodius to Faustus.
The road to a favorable hearing is easier when the petition comes from a source that the powerful already trust. I write to you because you are that source, and the matter I bring deserves the advantage your name provides.
I will not rehearse the details here — the bearer knows them, and you know me well enough to trust that I would not trouble you with a cause I did not believe in. Lend your support, and let the outcome speak for itself.
Your servant in Christ, as always. Farewell.
XV. ENNODIVS FAVSTO.
Procliuior ad inpetrandum uia est, quotiens a religioso aliquid
exigit abiectio deprecantis: coactus enim praestat affectum
qui miseriis supplicis inuitatur: non potest adferre obuias manus
cui imperat propositum adflictos audire. perlator praesentium
XIIII. 8 quotiens quotiens B 4 quodquid Bl fauore b
5 affectu Pb est T s. I. alloquis B 8 necio B, nescia T1
5 affectu Pb est T s. l .alloquis m
10 nequid B esset mihi] esse uidetur Pb 11 subpeterit locinium
B pauper ex semper T m. 2 12 uberam L 13 archana
LPTV 14 arcum Tl 15 foederatam Bl ut uid .
quanquS L 17 circumstripentium B 20 concedat) finit add. B
XV. 23 relegioso B 24 preetat B 25 meeeriie Bl suppliciis
T 26 inperat B
auito se cespite deflet abiectum, qui spei suae residuum in uestro
ponit examine, ne aduersarii eius potentia de lucro et securitate
gratuletur. uos legum sacramenta, uos defensio respicit submissorum:
ego partes meas conmendatione muniui. uenerabile
ergo nomen augete beneficiis, quia dum iusta tribuitis, nec
illa quae ad misericordiam pertinent posthabetis. domine mi,
reuerentiam salutati accipiens, ita precibus meis effectum tribue,
ut proprium desiderium, dum honestas adseritur, possit impleri.
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From:Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To:Faustus [Faustus Niger]
Date:~504 AD
Context:A letter suggesting that the path to obtaining a favor is smoother when the request comes from someone whose judgment is trusted — possibly accompanying a petition.
Ennodius to Faustus.
The road to a favorable hearing is easier when the petition comes from a source that the powerful already trust. I write to you because you are that source, and the matter I bring deserves the advantage your name provides.
I will not rehearse the details here — the bearer knows them, and you know me well enough to trust that I would not trouble you with a cause I did not believe in. Lend your support, and let the outcome speak for itself.
Your servant in Christ, as always. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.