Letter 4016: A reply would rightly be owed to multiple previous letters.

A reply would justly be demanded by many addresses, if the silence of your greatness did not testify that my pages were unwelcome. For your taciturnity proclaims that a chatterbox displeases, and, as I think, it seeks a new kind of revenge, when it sees that it has not advanced itself by keeping silent. By your epistolary abstinence you bring it about that writings are not sent to you by the unskilled: yet the effect has been lost. Devise what is advantageous for your foresight: I have become more frequent in writing because of contempt. But it befits one who has grieved greatly to display a brief discourse. My brother Pamfronius, your devotee, is accompanied by epistolary care on his way to your eminence. Whatever grace is granted to him will also bind me with the chains of obligation; to him also I have entrusted certain matters concerning the dignity of the Vicariate to suggest. Bring my petition to effect, because I am present on my own behalf whenever before the most refined of men I am compelled to undergo testimony, while I display it to those who are certain.

XVI. ENNODIVS AGAPITO. Iure responsum multiplicibus posceretur alloquiis, si non ingratas extitisse paginas meas magnitudinis tuae silentium testaretur. clamat enim taciturnitas uestra garrulum displicere et nouum uindictae genus, ut opinor. inquirit, quando se non uidet promouisse, quod siluit. agitis epistolari abstinentia, ne ab inperitis ad uos scripta mittantur: ademptus tamen est effectus. prouidentiae uestrae profutura tractate: crebrior factus sum in scriptione contemptus. sed breuem sermonem decet exhibere eum, qui magna doluerit. cultorem uestrum fratrem meum Panfronium epistolaris apud culmen uestrum cura comitatur, cui quicquid gratiae concessum fuerit me quoque inpensorum uinculis obligabit, cui etiam aliqua de Vicariae dignitate suggerenda conmisi. uos petitionem meam ad effectum perducite, quia adsum partibus meis, quotiens apud emendatissimos hominum cogor subire testimonium, dum certis exhibeo. 1 abieotum deBet T residuum] al. remedium P in mg. m. alia 2 et ** B 3 sublimissorum B 4 muniui om. T 5 iusta (a ex c uel cc corr. m. 1) V tribuistis L\'Pb 6 posthabetes B mihi BL V 7 saluti T\' 8 imperi L; finit add. B XVI. 10 acapito L 11 poscentur Tl, poscetur L1 13 di- 1 spicere B 14 inquiret B 16 ademtus B 17 affectus Pb tractare Pb 18 contemtus B 19 uestrum] uero T 20 apnt T 21 quicquid (quic 8. I. m. 1) V, quidquid B quoquo B impensarum b, al. IpSafl P in mg. m. alia 22 obligbit L uicariae (caria in raa.) Y 23 cdmissi L1 25 oertis] al. disertis P in mg. m. alia elhibeo] finit add. B