Letter 7005: Although the king's business rightly claims the first loyalty of a man like you, my lord — and although the...
Ennodius of Pavia→Senarius, an man (a Roman official at Burgundian court)|c. 496 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
friendship
From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To: Senarius [a high-ranking official at the court of Theoderic in Ravenna]
Date: ~496 AD
Context: A letter to a powerful courtier, praising his ability to balance the demands of state service with personal loyalty — a delicate compliment in the world of Ostrogothic Ravenna.
Ennodius to Senarius.
Although the king's business rightly claims the first loyalty of a man like you, my lord — and although the brilliance of your character has so woven you into public affairs that the sweetness of private life can hardly reach you — I do not believe that the claims of friendship are so far forgotten that you cannot, with God's help, satisfy both the demands of your sovereign and the debts of affection.
You know what the court requires and what friendship asks. You serve both at the same time, because the integrity of a Christian mind is only strengthened when it is divided among worthy claims. I trust, then, that my concerns are relieved by the very habits that keep our bond alive.
Continue as you are: a man who serves his king without abandoning his friends. Farewell.
V. ENNODIVS SENARIO
Quamuis te dominum meum per intemeratae documenta
fidei principalis sibi cura coniungat et morum claritudo ita
publicis rebus misceat, ut amabilis a te saporem quietis excludat,
non credo tamen ita religionem amicitiae posthaberi,
ut non satisfaciens deo adiuuante regnantis imperiis debita
sua refundas affectui. nostis quid poscat aula, quid gratia et
uno eodemque tempore nec rerum deestis domino nec amori,
quando Christianae mentis integritas per has partes diuisa
solidatur. his ergo sollicitudinem meam credo releuari, quibus
uenerabilis consuetudo seruatur studiis. tantum est, ut dei
nostri solaciis magnitudo uestra adiuta gratuletur. domine mi,
salutationis obsequia praesentans spero, ut de uestro uel amici
uestri domni Fausti statu hilarem me fieri uotiuo litterarum
contingat indicio.
2 cl∗usis (a eras.) L negligentiam BT 4 obstineam B1
intelliguntur BTV accessisse] aoridisse Sirm . 5 animum meum
scripsi, animo meo BLTVb 6 euadit B innooentiae coni.
Schottus propolitum] pocitum B b 7 ad om. Sirm. quia
BLVb, qua T et Sirm . 8 incitate L
V. 11 intimeratae B 12 claritudo (r in ras.) B 13 micescat
L 14 postaueri B 16 noetes B et om. Sirm.
20 seruatur—magnitudo om. B add. a. I . carr. 21 Bolatiis LTV
m T, mibi BLVb 22 praestans LV1 epero T 8 . I. m. 3, sperans
L2V, sperant L\' 23 domini Tb
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From:Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To:Senarius [a high-ranking official at the court of Theoderic in Ravenna]
Date:~496 AD
Context:A letter to a powerful courtier, praising his ability to balance the demands of state service with personal loyalty — a delicate compliment in the world of Ostrogothic Ravenna.
Ennodius to Senarius.
Although the king's business rightly claims the first loyalty of a man like you, my lord — and although the brilliance of your character has so woven you into public affairs that the sweetness of private life can hardly reach you — I do not believe that the claims of friendship are so far forgotten that you cannot, with God's help, satisfy both the demands of your sovereign and the debts of affection.
You know what the court requires and what friendship asks. You serve both at the same time, because the integrity of a Christian mind is only strengthened when it is divided among worthy claims. I trust, then, that my concerns are relieved by the very habits that keep our bond alive.
Continue as you are: a man who serves his king without abandoning his friends. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.