Letter 8006: I would have you know that my affection for you does not waver with distance or cool with the passage of time.

From: Ennodius, deacon and literary figure in Pavia To: Avienus [a member of the powerful Roman senatorial aristocracy] Date: ~497 AD Context: A letter to a Roman nobleman, sustaining the aristocratic literary network that connected Pavia, Rome, and Ravenna in Ostrogothic Italy. To Avienus, from Ennodius. I would have you know that my affection for you does not waver with distance or cool with the passage of time. The obligations of friendship are permanent, and a man who forgets them forgets himself. I have written to you before; I write again now. If my persistence seems excessive, blame the heart that drives the pen. I would rather be thought a nuisance than a negligent friend. The former at least proves I care; the latter would prove I had stopped. Let me hear from you. A single page in your hand would be worth more than any report carried by others. Farewell.

VI. AVIENO ENNODIVS. Credo ad iustitiam pertinere, ut quod a uobis expecto primus exhibeam. decet enim, ut qui bona opera praestolatur inuitet 1 praeeio B additio T 2 est et scripsi, est B, et LTVb poto B scantia B, canctia Lx ut uidctur 3 cristianis B 4 sterelitas (r ex 1 corr.) V, insterilitas L solatium BTV secnli B 6 agnagnosticis LPTV 7 animaent B\' detergat Pr\'b 8 iuxta (ta s l. m. 2) T, iux L V men ne desideria uestra fabrica V in ras . m. 1 10 omemorationem T 11 feoeram fort . 12 efficatia BLTV nos] aostra fori . praessisset B 13 nihic L accione B proficimus B 14 miBeri T 15 graciam B . uicessitndine B, uicissitudinem b 18 periclitatae (iclitat m ras.) V, periclitate B hutilitatis V 20 dampna PTl gfl pernicibus su ̃ T . VI. 24 exspecto LV 25 praestulatur B exemple. expugnat ealcaribus tarditatem qui formam ministrat officii. his. ergo salutationis munus inpertiens sanum me esse post inaequalitatem, quam pro peccatis sum passus, enuntio et statum uestrae prosperitatis inquiro, sperans ut in huius rei solutione multus incumbas.