Letter 6007: It has been a long time now that I, suspended by genuine longing, have been nourished only by the service of letters.

Ennodius to Avienus. It has been a long time now that I, suspended by genuine longing, have been nourished only by the service of letters. For when I address Your Magnitude, I feel as though I am not absent from the sight I pray for. But the mind of an afflicted man grows sick on its own remedies: what is found as food for devotion only wastes me further when it leaves me starved of the harvest of love. Truly, my lord -- as God may keep you, my lights, safe and sound -- if either the strength of my body had allowed it or the haste of my lord had permitted, I would have sought Ravenna with all the force of my determination. But if God wills it, with the life of my lord your father and your lady mother preserved, I will come after Easter with heavenly aid, so that by seeing you I may recover the hope of life itself. My lord, in offering the most generous greeting, I beg that you arrange for all the saints to pray for me most urgently.

VII. ENNODIVS AVIENO. Diu est quod desideriis ueracibus suspensus solo litterarum pascor officio: dum enim magnitudinem uestram alloquor, uotiuo me aestimo non deesse conspectui. sed remediis suis animus aegrescit adflicti, et quod diligentiae pabulum inuenitur, hoc magis macerat de amoris fruge ieiunum. uere, domne, sic uos, lumina mea, deus seruet incolumes, quia si aut uires corporis mei siuissent aut festinatio domni, Rauennam totis intentionis meae uiribus expetissem. sed si deus uoluerit, salua uita domni mei patris uestri et domnae matris post pascha cum adiutorio superno ueniam, ut uobis uisis ad spem uitae reualescam. domine mi, salutationem uberrimam dicens precor, ut omnes sanctos orare pro me instantissime procuretis. 1 secundis LV, secundis T 8 impradentiae b et m. rec. B 4 uirtutum L eaeler B 5 postbac b, potesUac B, posthaec LV, posthec T 7 commedetis L mi Tb, mihi BLV 9 resignent Bb, signent LTY et Strm . prouulgata (aAt . u in ras.) B VH. 13 ueracibus suis L 14 dum (d corr.) B 15 mea Bb eatimo B (e in ę corr. m. rec. ?) 16 egrescit LTV diligente Tl 17 ierunum BVb, ieiunium LT et Sirm . domiae Tb 18 si* B incolumis B aut T s. I . m. 2 19 sinissent T, soiuis- sent b donxini Tb 20 sed om. T 21 domini Tb dominae Bb, dne T ■ 22 spem Bb, opem LTV et SirrA . 23 xecalescam V, recalescam T, reualaeeci (ua et ae in ras. m. ant.) L mihi BLV praecor B