Letter 6020: The taste of blessings is unknown to those who live in prosperity.
Ennodius of Pavia→Faustus Junior|c. 509 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
friendship
From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To: Faustus
Date: ~509 AD
Context: A philosophical reflection on how the value of blessings is only understood in adversity.
Ennodius to Faustus.
The taste of blessings is unknown to those who live in prosperity. We scarcely recognize what we have until we lose it, and the value of peace is understood only by those who have known its absence.
I say this not to complain but to observe — and to note that the trials we have passed through together have given us a deeper appreciation of the good that remains. Farewell.
XX. ENNODIVS FAVSTO.
Ignoratur bonorum sapor in prosperis: uix dinoscitur superni
qualitas bonorum, dum tenetur: post migrationem capita dulcescunt:
desiderii pretia in manibus constituta nescimus. uere
fateor, quamdiu Rauenna uos habuit, sinistrum omen credidi
cogitare quae patior nec inter res secundas quasi malignus
propriae felicitatis interpres quae per absentiam uestram euenire
poterant suspiraui. non debui merita mea, si ab homine non.
separarer, agnoscere nec intellegere fugitiuum esse quod sectanti
peccata blanditur. sed quid epistolaris concinnatio castigatae
terminum dictionis excedit? ferat his rebus medelam cuius
XVIUI. 4 reuertitur b adiaratom T sed d ex b corr. uidetur
4-
5 cupi|is B d s. l. m. ree., enpidis b 8 ad (d in ras.) L 9 boneris
B\'T, honoris В\'b 10 conditio BLTb 14 interim] itaram*
Bb 16 incidis. L
XX. 24 abstinentiam L1 26 Beotaodi Tl 28 eioedet B
medellam B*
imperio uniuersa famulantur. ego tamen, propter quod adtributae
sunt paginae, ualeo substantia corporali et per haec
munia sub dei ope, ut prosperitas uestra nuntietur, expecto.
accipite ergo obsequia mea, et si quid inter haec, quae mecum
geri didicistis, euentus dexter adtulerit, sine dissimulationis
obstaculo nuntiate.
◆
From:Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To:Faustus
Date:~509 AD
Context:A philosophical reflection on how the value of blessings is only understood in adversity.
Ennodius to Faustus.
The taste of blessings is unknown to those who live in prosperity. We scarcely recognize what we have until we lose it, and the value of peace is understood only by those who have known its absence.
I say this not to complain but to observe — and to note that the trials we have passed through together have given us a deeper appreciation of the good that remains. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.