Letter 7028: My wishes have been fulfilled through your efforts, and I write to acknowledge both the result and the agent.
Ennodius of Pavia→Adeodatus|c. 516 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
illness
From: Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To: Adeodatus, priest
Date: ~516 AD
Context: A letter expressing satisfaction that his own wishes have been fulfilled through Adeodatus's efforts.
Ennodius to Adeodatus the priest.
My wishes have been fulfilled through your efforts, and I write to acknowledge both the result and the agent. The man who carries out another's hopes earns a double reward: the gratitude of the one who hoped, and the satisfaction of the task itself. You have earned both. Farewell.
XXVIII. ENNODIVS ADEODATO PRESBVTERO.
Voto meo obsequitur quae ministra ad uos scriptionis existit
occasio. nam et praesentiae uice blanditur adloquium et
1 homine Bb; em. Schottus et Sirm . uoces B 7 primeiuus
B imbuerint B (m. rec.) b., inbuerent B 10 uioessitudinem
B\' 12 equue B (a. I, m. ree.) b, equo B
XXVII. 16 fareiri B\' ut uidetur 19 nulli/ll B 20 ceaoerbata
Bb 22 disciscere B colet emendatus Bb; em. Sirm.
XXVIII. 29 alloquium B\'b .
VL
13
promittit sibi de paginarum promulgatione quod exhibet, quia
emendatissimi homines sicut derogari uirtutibus suis aestimant,
aliquos in diligentiae testimonio praeuios extitisse, ita igno-
miniam reputant exempla neglegere. uixit inter sanctos uiros
ista communio, ut per intimi hominis prouidentiam nil noceret
terrena sequestratio. par est, domine, ut et uotum meam sequaris
et formam. ergo salutans principe loco, ut mei memor
sis, deprecor, ut quod mihi per neglegentiam meam subtrahitur
diuinae gratiae per uos suffragio conferatur. indico ergo
non mentiens, nocte tertia a profectione mea ingratam mihi
sanctam dominam meam Cynegiam apparuisse in ipso lucis
exordio et multum ab ea me de itineris properatione culpatum:
non sub uerborum lenitate conquesta est, quare etiam nullis uersibus
sepulcrum eius esset honoratum. haec quidem ego non
ad imaginem propheticae ueritatis accepi, nec nocturnis forte
inlusionibus operis mei sudore litaui. sed quia facile suadetur
amantibus, debitum opus non laborauit exigere quae monebat.
salua est dominae reuerentia. uersus quos direxi per diem iudicii
te coniuro ut in pariete supra ad pedes scribi mox facias.
gratum noueris et filio tuo futurum: uult enim merita illius
multorum ore celebrari, sed in eo modo quo illos hic inuenis.
domnam meam Stephaniam et domnam Sabianam, sed et domnam
Fadillam pro me saluta. si scripti fuerint, mox rescribe.
domno papae dignare dicere, ut aliquid per sanctum diaconum
Dioscorum de mea causa ordinet. quantum in festinatione ueredarii
potui, scripsi. domnum et fratrem Hormisdam satis pro
me saluta, cui dicite ut clauem illam mittat.
1 exhibet em . Sirm., exibit Bb 3 praeuius B 4 necglegere
Bxb 6 eequares B 8 meam om. Sima . 11 scanctam
B, om. Sirm . cynigiam Bb 12 iteneris B 14 sepulchrum
B b non s. n. laenitate consequestam (om. est) B, exp. B m. rec.,
om. b; conquesta est emendaui 15 propheticae (ph m ras.) B
adcepi B 16 littaui B 17 quae scripsi, qui b, quim B
18 domine Bb 20 unIt (pr. u in ras.) B 21 inuenit b 22 dominam
ter Bb 23 salnta B 8. 1 . 24 domino b, dom.no B
sanctum diaconum Dioscorum scripsi, Bdiacidi hoscoram (idiacidi patdo
minoribus Utteris ab ant. corr. add. in spatio uacuo) B, Secnndiaci Hoscorum
b, sanctum Dioscorum Sirm. 26 dom*num (i eras.) B
hormisdam (s postea add.) B 27 salutate ex salute B m. rec. ?
clauem /// B
◆
From:Ennodius, deacon in Pavia
To:Adeodatus, priest
Date:~516 AD
Context:A letter expressing satisfaction that his own wishes have been fulfilled through Adeodatus's efforts.
Ennodius to Adeodatus the priest.
My wishes have been fulfilled through your efforts, and I write to acknowledge both the result and the agent. The man who carries out another's hopes earns a double reward: the gratitude of the one who hoped, and the satisfaction of the task itself. You have earned both. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.