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

Ennodius to Agapitus. A reply would rightly be demanded by my repeated addresses, were it not that the silence of your Greatness bears witness that my pages have proved unwelcome. For your taciturnity proclaims that a chatterbox displeases you, and a new kind of vengeance, as I think. It seeks, when it does not see that it has gained anything, the very thing about which it has kept silent. You practice abstinence from letter-writing, so that writings may not be sent to you by the unskilled; yet the intended effect has been lost. While you treat of matters that will profit your foresight, I have become more frequent in writing, though held in contempt. But it befits one who has grieved over great things to offer a brief discourse. Your devoted servant, my brother Panfronius, is accompanied by epistolary attention to your Eminence; whatever favor shall be granted to him will bind me also by the bonds of obligations incurred, and to him I have likewise entrusted certain matters concerning the dignity of the Vicariate to be suggested. Bring my petition to fulfillment, since I stand by my own concerns whenever I am compelled to undergo testimony among the most blameless of men, while I present myself to discerning ones.

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