Letter 7029: I do not submit my letter to the judgment of critics — it was written for a friend, not for an audience.

I do not confine my letter within the narrow limits of Spartan brevity, nor do I mock your style with the effort of compressed speech: far be it from me to speak few words with modest men. It is the way of urbane folk to subtract length from short pieces and, without any necessity, to shape pages that match the measure of men. Whatever subtlety you may find in what I have said above, haste — not always a friend of art — and chance have produced. It is a great thing for me if accidents have given you something to admire. Therefore I lay before you the reason for my writing, which I commend to you with a greeting prefixed. After I had departed from the city, the admonition of my lady Cynegia met me from afar, asking why I had not honored her tomb with the praise of speech drawn into verse. Although I would do this out of reverence for her husband, I reflected that what shines with the light of merits must be celebrated with the richness of style. For God does not reject the service even of the unskilled, and content with what He Himself has granted, He does not demand diadems of words from the rustic. Therefore I have sent these verses to be inscribed as an epitaph. As to what is thought of them — so may your father live and Rome not make you its own (as far as those things which are criticized in her are concerned) — indicate simply and purely, and do not flatter my ears or my judgment with the veneer of feigned approval. Do not blush to share my page with some people, especially and deservedly my lady Barbara, since she is placed with you. Yet I wish that my little tablet may have as much savor as your hope, which in its white blossom surpasses the desires — however greedy — of both me and her parents. Greet the lord Cethegus and the lady Blesilla his sister on my behalf. Greet Fidelis, Marcellus, Georgius, Solatium, Simplicianus on my behalf. Tell them: if you care about the instruction of the lady Barbara, visit her lord or her fathers or brothers frequently, because she is chaste and free from luxury. Whoever does otherwise should not hope to return to me. The reward of the best desires, by the gift of Christ: she who was my life, the Cross has given to the tomb, dissolving the offspring of the flesh without wound to the mind, because, blest, I die before my husband Faustus. The healing of the heart has scattered tears. Let the matron who keeps the marriage-bed faithful to his merits hope for a like destiny.

XXVIIII. ENNODIVS BEATO. Non ego epistolam meam intra breues terminos Spartanae memor concinnationis includo nec formam tuam studio coacti sermonis inrideo: abest a me loqui pauca cum modicis. urbanorum eat exiguis producta subtrahere et sine aliqua necessitate paginas, quales poscit hominum mensura, formare. quod in me de his, quae praefatus sum, subtile putaueris, festinatio non semper amica artis et casus exhibuit. magnum mihi est, si dederunt fortuita quod mireris. ergo causam scriptionis insinuo, quam tibi praelata salutatione commendo. digresso mihi urbe procul domnae meae Cynegiae occurrit admonitio, quare sepulcrum eius non honorassem laude ducti in carmen eloquii: quod quamuis reuerentia uiri ipsius facerem, tractaui, quia quod radiat luce meritorum stili ubertate celebrandum est. nam nec deus officium respuit imperiti et contentus ipse quod tribuit a rusticantibus uerborum diademata non requirit. his ergo uersibus scribendum epitaphium destinaui. de quo quid sentiatur, sic pater tuus uiuat et Roma te, quantum ad illa quae in ipsa reprehenduntur, non suum faciat, ut simpliciter et pure indices, nec auribus meis aut sensui fuco mentitae gratiae blandiaris. non erubescas, etiam aliquibus, praecipue tamen et merito domnae Barbarae paginam meam recensere, quia tecum locatur. opto tamen ut tantum tabella mea quantum spes tua sapiat, quae in cano flore et mea et parentum suorum, quamuis sint auara, uota transgreditur. domnum Cethegum et domnam Blesillam sororem eius pro me saluta. Fidelem, Marcellum, Georgium, Solatium, • XXVIIII. 6 lubtraere B\' 8 que B prefatns B1 9 exibnit B 12 domne B*, dominae B (s. I. m. rec.) b cynigiae B (gi s. I.) b 13 sepulchrum B 14 fecerem B 15 q ̲ B s. I . luce (supra e ras.) B caelebrandum B 17 requiret B 18 epitaflum B distinaui B 20 repraehenduntur B 22 blandiares B etiam B, et etiam b praecipuae B 23 tamen] dominae add. Bb; deleui barbare B 26 et uota Bb; et deleui 27 dominum b oythegum B b dominam b blessillam B b 28 fidelem Marcellum b 13* Simplicianum pro me saluta. quibus dic: si uobis cordi est disciplina domnae Barbarae, domnum uel patres aut fratres eius frequentate, quia est casta luxuque carens: qui aliud fecerit, ad me non speret se esse rediturum. Optimi pretium uotorum munere Christi: Quae mihi uita fuit, crux dedit hanc tumulis, Dissoluens carni subolem sine uulnere mentis, Quod Fausto felix coniuge praemorior. Disiecit lacrimas medela cordis. Quae seruat meritis torum fidelem, Exoptet similem matrona sortem.