Letter 8009: If the divine favor has at last turned you from your habit of negligence toward the correspondence I have long...

To Messala, from Ennodius. If the divine favor has at last turned you from your habit of negligence toward the correspondence I have long desired, then I welcome the change — and I welcome it without complaint about the delay. A late letter, when it comes from a talented pen, more than compensates for the silence that preceded it. I received your writing, and I must tell you honestly: I could not read it without tears — tears of joy. I will not embarrass you by cataloguing your virtues in excessive detail. But I will say this: work at what you have begun. What flows naturally from your mind, shape with the discipline of study. You have everything your father's son should have, and nothing less than what I expected. God bless you. Continue as you have begun. Farewell.

VIIII. MESSALAE ENNODIVS. Si iam te fauor diuinus a proposito neglegentiae ad uotiua ducit studia, si quo te uena, quo domnus Faustus uocat adtendis, optata scriptione non taceas. sed timeo, ne dum officiosum desidero, sustineam rusticantem et incipiat hoc desideriis meis resistere quod cupiui. caelestes diuitiae illam inertiam stimulo pietatis exsuscitent et mendicitatem oris tui superna ope locupletent. ecce uel iniuriis prouocatus scribe. salutem ergo dicens rogo, ut quid circa te agitur tabellarum promulgatione cognoscam. 1 peruenisseB T, puer aeniases LV, puer uenissis B, puer oenisaet Pb pagine B signaris BL V, resignares fort . an BT, ante V, ante L, aut Pb circa] contra Pb 2 me illam] millam B, melli L cautillitatem B designaris B 8 quaeaiti B 4 te om. Pb uicio V qua T, quam. BLPVb anbolare solis B; inambulare fort . 5 alius B 6 constitni B 7 indeco B 8 inequalitate BLTV pacina iocus B 9 distensam om. T1, post tormenta inserendum esse significauit T m. 2 in mg . fknolam B 10 coequabo LTV VIllI. 12 messale BLT 13 labor B 14 ducis LV si qua (a ex o) T domnus B, domus LV, dSnus PT, dominns b, te domnus Sirm . auendis T 15 non taceas scriptione LT Vb 16 desiderio T1 17 caelestis B stitulo B (s postea add.) 19 uel om. Strm . inriis B pronooatis L 20 agatur Sinn . tabularum Sirm .