Letter 5006: The reverence I owe your holy way of life and the affection I bear you personally have joined forces to compel this...

From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia To: Leontius, abbot Date: ~497 AD Context: A letter to a monastic superior, blending spiritual deference with warm personal affection — typical of Ennodius's correspondence with religious leaders. To Abbot Leontius, from Ennodius. The reverence I owe your holy way of life and the affection I bear you personally have joined forces to compel this letter. I cannot be silent when the heart speaks, and the heart — directed by the example of your faith — speaks constantly of you. I ask your prayers, Father, as one who knows his own weakness. The world presses hard on those of us who live in it, and the shelter you have found in the religious life is a fortress I can only admire from outside. But if your prayers can cover even those who stand beyond the walls, then I am not without hope. Commend me to God, and know that I commend you to my deepest affections. Farewell.

VI. LEONTIO ABBATI ENNODIVS. Supra meritum meum summa circa me beneficii caelestis adoleuit, dum qui poena dignus sum iustorum praemia consecutus exulto. frustra delinquentes periculi mater desperatio ad extrema praecipitat. in errore maximo constituti meo ad spem solidam reparentur exemplo. nescio de quo opere mihi, de qua innocentia epistolarum uestrarum fructus accesserit et animam peccati ubertate locupletem caelestis boni melle satiarit, nisi quia ille qui uulnera nostra suscepit et pro nobis doluit mutata meritorum condicione quos flagellis dignos uiderit castigat muneribus et uersa uice noxiorum animas dum secundis replet, pudore meliorat. superni ergo secreti dignatione confabulationis uestrae fruges elicui. uos de corporis mei sanitate sollicitos ille reddidit, qui animae meae curam per Y. 1 deetenatia B praebites B 2 conscius B parta T ut videtur 3 orbanus B 4 ceptie T 6 rebus om. B 8 mihi BL V 9 ddne P, dominae B, dfie LT, donatione b 10 ostendere] finit add. B VL 14 adolinit B 15 diiperatio LV, disaperatio B . 16 precipitat B 17 solidam spem P (spem s. I.) b 19 animam Bb, adimam LV, animam adunam T (animam e. 1. m, 2) T, ad unam P (al. a ι̃ a * 2. I m. alia) uberate B 21 conditione BLT 23 meliorat∗∗ ur eras.) L 25 aollicituB B spiritales medicos ad statum indultae ualitudinis redire conpellit. quae sit in me substantia membrorum, religiosae sollicitudinis inuestigatione perquiritis, quorum status animae partem neglegens toto mundi istius grauatur imperio. agite oratione me talem fieri, qualem adseritis blandimentis, quia fuci nescia propositi uestri claritudo quem bonum esse praedicat ante tempus innocentiae adnuntiat mox futurum. fratribus meis et conseruis, quos direxistis, quantum exhibere solacii potui uoto potius quam re idoneus non negaui. superest ut accipientes obsequia mea cum uniuerso cui praeestis concilio per dei omnipotentis misericordiam coniurati deo pro paruitate mea precibus insistatis, ut cui deest per actiones suas fiducia bonorum per suffragia uestra contingat.