Letter 7018: If a judge of humble persons takes the trouble to hear their case, how much more should a man of your stature attend...

Ennodius to Avienus. If a judge of humble persons takes the trouble to hear their case, how much more should a man of your stature attend to the concerns of those who look to you for guidance? The powerful have obligations that come with their position, and one of the chief among them is attention to those beneath them. I bring a case to your notice — not because the person involved is great, but because the cause is just. Farewell.

XVIII. ENNODIVS AVIENO. Si iudex uilium personarum laboret iniuriis, nescio utrum possit ab hoc onere alios subleuare, cui ipse subcumbit. grauibus medica manus est adhibenda uulneribus, ne inpunitate morbus adolescat. sublimis uir Vicarius haec a me, quamuis pro iustitiae consideratione deberentur, tamen extorsit alloquia: quid pertulerit, ipse manifestet. unum scio, quia, nisi succurritis, generale futurum est malum, cui ipse est disciplinae tutor expositus. hoc non est alienum a christianitate, cum defero, quia impium est rerum ordinem sub hac permixtione confundi. domine mi, salutationis honore praelato XVII. 4 maximae B, et mwime b dominae Bb, dne T, ///dn ̃ e L 7 non] etiam non T 8 cathenis T 9 fauore fudit B b 11 dedicistis B meroris BLTV 12 post deum] potestatem fort . m T, mihi BLVb 18 domino B\'Тb 14 digna B 8. I . XVIII. 18 honore B subcumbet B, succnmbet b, anboombit T*, o sucnmbit L 20 uigarius Bb 21 pr B iusti.tiae (a ertu.) L deberent (nt u: m) L 23 subcurretis B, succurretis B (a. L x m. rec.) b 25 hac] ac B piomistione B 26 m T, mihi BLVb nos uocem supplicis gratanter accipite, ut qui tanti fascem laboris adripuit conualescat effectu.