Letter 5007: Although you have often recognized the meagerness of my talent, you nonetheless wished to risk the fasting of a...

Ennodius to Euprepia. Although you had often known the leanness of my talent, you nevertheless wished to put at risk the fasting of a mouth once proven, with the speed of your command. But I do not refuse to obey one who is diligent, so that if the merit of eloquence is lacking, the grace of compliance may come to its aid. The forms of heavenly gifts are various, even though they proceed from one source: one man is commended by perfection, another is recommended by the fact that he is willing to obey without delay. I composed the epitaph of my lady Cynegia — having scarcely one hour's space for deliberation — with unpolished speed. Consider the necessity: that I should express a woman of such great merits in verbal leaps. May her venerable soul pardon my barrenness, receiving in place of stylistic display the unstained devotion of the speaker. You, my lady, embracing this letter as a substitute for my presence, pray that her spirit may in no way be harmed by my rough services. EPITAPH: Neither sex nor the tomb can harm, nor the final threads of the Sisters, which their deceitful fingers thin to breaking. A woman mingled with God lives on after death through her deeds, carrying manly achievements along a feminine path. Blood, honor, genius, integrity, constancy, beauty — these conquered death at so great a price. By her character she vindicated the lineage of her great parents: a bright mind was proof of her birth. She taught her children to keep a serene life, showing them always by example 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.