Letter 5017: Your Greatness does well when you honor both your birth and your character equally.

From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia To: Avienus Date: ~506 AD Context: A letter praising Avienus for living up to both his noble lineage and his moral character. To Avienus, from Ennodius. Your Greatness does well when you honor both your birth and your character equally. The man who lives up to his origins while adding the luster of personal virtue has achieved what most can only aspire to. I write to acknowledge what others may take for granted: that your example matters, and that those of us who watch from a distance take strength from it. Continue as you are, and know that you are admired. Farewell.

XVII. AVIENO ENNODIVS. Bene magnitudo uestra, dum origini et moribus praestat obsequium, emendationem sine interuallo coniungit errori et quod peccatum sapienter intellegit, priusquam altero denuntietur, auertit. quis credat deliquisse in correctione uelocissimum? pene non uocandus est sectator excessuum qui obuiam manum ponit in subreptione culparum. haec, mi domine, ad ea, quae es dignatus scribere, gratia uestra duce respondeo. ceterum humiliorem me proposito actuum meorum pondera reddiderunt: uix miseria remansi idoneus reformare conloquia. domine mi, salutationis obsequia praesentans deum rogo, qui culminibus uestris fructum pro hac qua humilem non spernitis consideratione restituat. 1 tu om. B, recte fort., nam alter uel PamfroniuB intercidisse uidetur 2 de om. P\'b dei om. B 3 concede Lx sponditur B 4 prestitum B mihi BLV 5 tribues B dominum PTb 7 comulo B decerpsisti] finit add. B XYIL 9 ennodius auieno LV 10 uestra] tua P2T 12 defitietur LT 13 auertet B, aduertit T delinquisse B 14 ezcess∗u ̃ L 16 que B dignatus ea Pb 17 caeterum LV I me] te Pb act.ū L 18 misera T 19 m V, mi∗∗ L, mihi B salutationes Lx 21 restituatj legi add. BLPTYb, initium ut uidetur subscriptionis formulae cutus uestigium B etiam in fine Dictionis XXI fol . 179? exhtbet ENNODITS EMENDAVI MEAM DEO MEO IVTASTE