Letter 5007: Although you have often recognized the meagerness of my talent, you nonetheless wished to risk the fasting of a...
Ennodius of Pavia→Euprepia|c. 498 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
education booksgrief deathwomen
Ennodius to Euprepia.
Although you have often recognized the meagerness of my talent, you nonetheless wished to risk the fasting of a mouth long tested, ordering me to write with speed. But I do not refuse to obey one who cares for me: if the merit of eloquence is lacking, let the grace of obedience come to its aid. The gifts of heaven come in many forms, though they proceed from one source: one man is commended by perfection, another by his willingness to obey without delay.
Our lady Cynegia's epitaph I composed in unpolished haste, having scarcely one hour for reflection. See the difficulty: I had to capture in the leaps of words a woman of such great merit. May her venerable soul pardon my barrenness, receiving in place of a polished composition the cloudless devotion of the writer.
You, my lady, embracing this letter in place of my presence, pray that her spirit may not be offended by my rough service.
EPITAPH:
Neither sex nor the tomb have power, nor the Sisters' final threads
Which their deceitful fingers spin so thin:
A woman joined to God lives on through deeds beyond the grave,
Bearing masculine achievements on a feminine path.
Blood, honor, genius, integrity, constancy, beauty --
These conquered death at so great a price.
By her character she upheld the lineage of her great parents:
A clear mind was the proof of her birth.
She taught her children to preserve a life of serenity,
Showing by example how always to love God.
VII. EVPREPIAE ENNODIVS.
Quamuis saepe ingenii mei maciem cognouisses, periclitari
tamen ieiunia oris olim probati iussionis celeritate uoluisti.
sed ego non abnuo oboedire diligenti, ut si facundiae deest
meritum, gratia subueniat obsequendi. uariae sunt donorum
caelestium, licet ab uno auctore progrediantur, species: alium
commendat perfectio, alterum insinuat quod sine tarditate
aliqua uult parere. domnae meae Cynegiae epitaphium uix una
hora habens tractandi spatium inelimata uelocitate conposui.
1 spiritalis B medicos (o corr.) B s. I . indultate La
2 religiosae L (supra ae rae.) 3 perquiretis B ∗quorum (r in
ras.) B 4 negligens B ( post corr.) LT oratione ̃ | et talem B,
me talem oratione (Orationem L1) LPTVb 5 adseritisr B
8 quintum B 10 presentis (r ex a) B 11 misericordi B
12 actionis B\' 13 contingat] finit add. B
VII. 15 enpraepiae B, eapremie T 16 sepe B cognoaisses
(ui in ras.) L 17 ante ieiunia (afi a. I. P) Pb probari Tl
al. celebrate persoluisti P in mg . uoluisti B 18 faoondie T1
19 ueDiat Sirm . 20 actore T 22 unl L dfie T, dom.ne
(i eras.) L cynegiae B epytafiam B, epitafiam T 23 spadum
BL inelimenta Ll
VI.
9
uide necessitatem, ut illam tantorum meritorum feminam uerborum
saltibus explicarem. parca.t sterilitati meae uenerabilis
anima, suscipiens pro schemate dictionis studium sine nube
dictoris. tu, mi domina, epistolam praesentiae meae uice conplectens
ora, ut spiritus illius scabridis nequaquam laedatur
officiis.
EPITAPHIVM.
Nil sexus nec busta nocent, nil fila sororum
Vltima, fallaci pollice quae tenuant:
Mixta deo mulier uiuit post funera factis,
Mascula femineo tramite gesta ferens.
Sanguis honor genius probitas constantia uultus
Vicerunt tantis exitium pretiis.
Moribus adseruit magnorum stemma parentum
Indicium generis mens cui clara fuit.
Instituit natos uitam seruare serenam,
Dum docet exemplis semper amare deum.
◆
Ennodius to Euprepia.
Although you have often recognized the meagerness of my talent, you nonetheless wished to risk the fasting of a mouth long tested, ordering me to write with speed. But I do not refuse to obey one who cares for me: if the merit of eloquence is lacking, let the grace of obedience come to its aid. The gifts of heaven come in many forms, though they proceed from one source: one man is commended by perfection, another by his willingness to obey without delay.
Our lady Cynegia's epitaph I composed in unpolished haste, having scarcely one hour for reflection. See the difficulty: I had to capture in the leaps of words a woman of such great merit. May her venerable soul pardon my barrenness, receiving in place of a polished composition the cloudless devotion of the writer.
You, my lady, embracing this letter in place of my presence, pray that her spirit may not be offended by my rough service.
EPITAPH:
Neither sex nor the tomb have power, nor the Sisters' final threads Which their deceitful fingers spin so thin: A woman joined to God lives on through deeds beyond the grave, Bearing masculine achievements on a feminine path. Blood, honor, genius, integrity, constancy, beauty -- These conquered death at so great a price. By her character she upheld the lineage of her great parents: A clear mind was the proof of her birth. She taught her children to preserve a life of serenity, Showing by example how always to love God.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.