Letter 5021: ---

21. Ennodius to Avitus. Your Greatness asks by entreaty that I become a backer of your own opinion, as though I had only just now been shaped on the anvil to friendships, or as though the man does not cheat his own character who alters a settled purpose of diligence under any pretext whatever. Let a wavering verdict about one who loves be banished from Christian manners: he who has dedicated the service of his mouth to praises is not free to abandon what he has begun, lest he disfigure the honey of the aforesaid commendation by the cheapness of what follows. I shall see in time the man who believes it to be the mark of a free spirit to chase after novelty: for my part, just as I choose my friends slowly, so in them I persevere unchangeably. I am present to myself whenever I have set your reputation level with the stars, since among those by whom we are unknown we are judged by our manners from our companions. Truly I confess that I have poured out the splendor of your conscience abundantly in place of report: before the arrival of your eminence it was made known in Liguria, by the obedient service of my speech, how great you were. Thanks be to God, who has made the general public hold accord with my opinion. Would that the poverty of my eloquence did not humble me! My prayers hold more concerning your merits than my tongue can bring forth concerning your praises: poor in fluency, [I have nonetheless] not been silent about whatever clamors could befit your glory. The light of your character has been made the demonstration of my conscience. May the Divinity turn far away the chance that ever, through my testimony, frailty hostile to bright manners should creep in. There is no cause of error in you, which you have so richly woven [for yourself], that I might recall it; and even had it arisen in proportion to my own deserts, it would be lulled to rest by the remembrance of the good men of old. For what remains, farewell, my lords, and having sped my journey by the kindness of your good wishes, make up for the losses of my absence by the remembrance of love.

XXI. AVITO ENNODIVS. Adstipulatorem me opinionis suae fieri magnitudo uestra ita supplicatione postulat, quasi ad amicitias recenti adhuc sim incude formatus aut non genio suo defrudet qui propositum diligentiae sub quacumque occasione commutat. facessat a Christianis moribus uaria de amante sententia: qui officium oris sui dedicauerit laudibus liberum non habet inchoata deserere, ne deuenustet praefati mella praeconii uilitate sequentium. uidero qui ingenuum credat esse sectari nouitatem: ego ut tarde amicos eligo, ita in his indemutabiliter perseuero. mihi adsum, quotiens opinionem uestram astris aequauero, quia apud quos ignoti sumus moribus nostris de sodalibus aestimamur. uere fateor splendorem conscientiae uestrae famae uice copiosus effudi: ante aduentum culminis tui obsequio sermonis mei in Liguria quanti essetis innotuit. deo gratias, qui cum sententia mea generalitatem fecit habere concordiam. utinam me non humiliaret paupertas eloquii! plus habent uota de meritis tuis, quam proferat lingua de laudibus: inops facundiae per 1 iubetur B 2 act.ū L 3 depremitur B mihi BLV 4 accipientes Pb, accipientis BLV, accipiens T plenę (ę corr.) B, plene TV exorari L?, exoranti Pb 5 consueuistis Pb uestri Pb (falso, navi uestris pro uestris amicis dixit) 6 liceatj exp add. B XXI. 9 oppinionis L fieri om. Sirm . 10 amititias L 11 defrudit B, defraudet PTb propositum snum V sed suum exp. m. 1 12 occiUione L1 13 cristianis B 14 oris V in ras., moris B suis P 16 ingenium Sirm . 17 amicus B immutabiliter PTb 20 uic.e (a eras.) L copiosus B, copiosius L (u in raa.) PTVb 21 effundi PTb 22 essites Bl 25 inobs T quoscumque strepitus quae gloriae tuae potuerunt conuenire non tacui. facta est lux genii uestri conscientiae meae demonstratio. procul auertat diuinitas, ne umquam testimonio meo fragilitas claris moribus inimica subripiat. nulla est quam opime texuistis in uobis erroris causa, quam recolam, et si pro meis meritis extitisset, bonorum ueterum recordatione sopiretur. quod restat, ualete, mi domini, et iter meum uotorum benignitate prosecuti caritatis recordatione absentiae meae damna pensate.