Letter 7004: The letters that normally serve my affection as willing messengers are now, for once, drafted by pain.

Ennodius to Agnellus. Grief now compels pages that have always served carefulness to betray their own purpose, and it has dragged into the voice of a wrong that must be laid bare those same pages that were once the attendants of joys; nor, content with the cosmetic of polished dissimulation, has it either clothed the secrets of the heart in silence or shifted them over into some other quarter by flattery. I know well enough things that are contrived, but I flee them, and, content with simplicity, I meet those who love me with a serene brow of mind. Where in the world was that binding pledge that was promised between us under an oath to God, that you would, on setting out, leave me ungreeted as though I were a stranger, and that I, remaining behind, should obtain no power of supplying what was necessary? I believe you provided for this, so that, being weak in the eyes, I might lose the whole of my light together with you, and might not behold my day in the presence of my friend with my orbs closed off. If these things came about through negligence, you will leave it to my estimation what place I hold in your regard: they are to be borne more bitterly if they are understood to have come about through deliberate intent. Now farewell, my lord, and invite my mind—which innocence, its origin, and my fixed purpose persuade to remain at its post—toward the better part of your favor, since it has lain open to you in sincerity.

IIII. ENNODIVS AGNELLO. Semper famulantes diligentiae paginas nunc in proditione sui dolor exigit et gaudiorum ministras in uocem reserandae traxit iniuriae nec contenta fuco dissimulationis urbanae secreta pectoris aut taciturnitate uestiuit aut in partem aliam transtulit blandimento. noui quidem fabricata, sed fugio et simplicitate contentus cum amantibus serena animi fronte congredior. ubi gentium fuit sub obtestatione dei inter nos promissa deuinctio, ut proficiscentes insalutatum me uelut incognitum linqueretis nec potestatem remanens sortirer necessaria suggerendi? credo prouidistis, ut inbecillus oculis 1 supponit fort . 2 praesentia V 6 aertuanti B 7 arriperes B (8. I. m. rec.) Tb, adriperis B, arriperis LTav multoB b, multis LTV 9 substantia fort . 11 honorem honorem B 13 saluti* T 14 statas] stat et Bb gratiae Bb, gratia LTV IIII. 17 nunc (nc m ras.) L 18 sui — l. 25 incog T alia manu exar . eziget B reseruande T 19 secretum Bb 20 pectoris] corporis T 21 fabricati L et in es corr. L m. ant . 22 camantibus T 23 ostfitatione T, testatione B dei (i postea add.) B, de b 24 diuinctio B 25 liqueritia B sortis L rerls. 2. m. ant . 26 inbicellus B totum uobiscum lumen amitteret nec diem meum sub amici praesentia clausis orbibus intuerer. haec si per neglegentiam contigerunt, aestimationi relinquetis quem apud uos locum obtineam: ferenda sunt acerbius, si intelleguntur accessisse per studium. nunc uale, mi domine, et animum meum quem in statione consistere suadet innocentia origo propositum, ad potiorem gratiae partem, quia uobis sinceritate patuit, inuitate.