Letter 7015: Thanks be to God, whose generosity toward Your Greatness has exceeded what mere human merit could claim.
Ennodius of Pavia→Agnellus|c. 505 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
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From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To: Agnellus
Date: ~504 AD
Context: A letter of thanks, praising God's generosity toward Agnellus and the bounty that has attended his affairs.
Ennodius to Agnellus.
Thanks be to God, whose generosity toward Your Greatness has exceeded what mere human merit could claim. When heaven bestows its favors, the recipient does well to acknowledge the source — and I write to celebrate what has been given to you, as one who benefits from your prosperity almost as much as you do.
May the blessings continue. May they grow. And may you never lose sight of the hand that bestows them. Farewell.
XV. ENNODIVS AGNELLO.
Deo gratias, qui circa magnitudinem uestram licet protulerit
cupita, non reppulit. etenim ne fides claudicet supplicantis,
desideria differuntur, quia deuenustat secuturae hilaritatis genium
uelox impetratio. et uos quidem honores meruisse, non
optasse manifestum est. sed praecedens concinnatio eloquitur
uota diligentum. nouit omnipotens et generis uestri luce permotus
et gratiae quam polliciti estis inuitatus fiducia: praecessit
in prosperis uestris quicquid uos disciplina aut ratione
cohibetis. sufficiant in foribus stricta conloquia: respondete
de prosperitate uestra sollicito, quamuis de amore non dubio.
domine mi, salutationis plenissimae obsequia dependens litterarum
portitorem commendo, quia mihi fide et honestate conpertus
est, uolens uniuersis quid dignationis uestrae habeam
non taceri, ut sperantes de communis gratiae messe pascantur.
3 Prou. 27, 2
1 sis] se Bb 2 monimentis (ni ex nu corr.) L 3 lauden
L 4 nelim B2b, uellim Bl domino Tb 5 praesbitero B
6 mi scripsi, mihi BLTVb 7 aepistolae B 8 depraecans B
9 ũquã L, nquam B
XV. 13 uestram magnitudinem T 14 repulit BT, reppullit
L 16 meruiesS & optasse L 17 manifestum L man in ras.
minoribus litteris 18 diligentium LTV 19 estis] est B
praecessi B, praeceasit V 21 cohebetis Bb strieta ex scripta
B respondente Bb 23 mihi BLVb 24 fede B 26 communi
T
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From:Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia
To:Agnellus
Date:~504 AD
Context:A letter of thanks, praising God's generosity toward Agnellus and the bounty that has attended his affairs.
Ennodius to Agnellus.
Thanks be to God, whose generosity toward Your Greatness has exceeded what mere human merit could claim. When heaven bestows its favors, the recipient does well to acknowledge the source — and I write to celebrate what has been given to you, as one who benefits from your prosperity almost as much as you do.
May the blessings continue. May they grow. And may you never lose sight of the hand that bestows them. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.