Letter 8020: If I could follow you in body, I would spare myself the trouble of words.
Ennodius to Agnellus.
If I were able to follow you in body, I would refrain from words; but when bodily strength fails, written speech comes to the rescue. The searcher of secrets knows that even when separated in presence I cannot be absent from you. Therefore I relieve your concern with news of my good health and, for the sake of this gift of epistolary exchange, I inquire after yours — indicating, with the honor of a greeting paid, that I have sent a boy to receive a horse. All that remains is that you send one such that it is clear you gave it, and I may rejoice to have received it as a mark of the highest honor.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
XX. ENNODIVS AGNELLO.
Si ualerem uos corpore prosequi, uerbis abstinerem: at cum
illa res ualitudine deficit, ista subcurrit. scit secretorum discussor,
me et diuisum praesentia a uobis abesse non posse.
proinde sollicitudinem uestram nuntio prosperitatis meae releuo
et, propter quod concessum est epistolare commercium, uestram
requiro, indicans honore salutationis inpenso puerum me ad
suscipiendum caballum direxisse. tantum est ut talem mittatis,
quem et uos dedisse clareat et ego pro honoris summa me
gaudeam suscepisse.
1 uestre B neglictis B occassiouibus B
XYIin. 5 omnes B 6 pare ista] per est B 8 offitia B
10 disperationis B inteposuisse B 11 petioaem B* 13 prelens
B 15 respondit B -
XX. 18 nos om. Sinn . ad B 19 ualitudini Lb subcurret
B 20 presentia B 91 pinde L sollicitudi∗∗ne ̃ (udi
in rae.) L meae prosperitatis LPTVb 22 nestmm b
24 cauallum B mittates B 25 qualem coni. Schottus 26 gau-
diam B
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