Letter 8033: What you are to me and what I am to you — these are things that titles cannot change and promotions cannot diminish.

From: Ennodius, bishop of Pavia To: Hormisdas, deacon [now Pope Hormisdas] Date: ~520 AD Context: A letter to the pope — despite the formal change in Hormisdas's status, Ennodius still writes with the warmth of their old friendship. Ennodius to Hormisdas the deacon. What you are to me and what I am to you — these are things that titles cannot change and promotions cannot diminish. I write to you now as I have always written: as a friend first, and as everything else second. The world may address you by new titles, but I still hear the voice of the man I knew before the tiara. May God preserve that man, and the friendship between us. Farewell.

XXXIII. ENNODIVS HORMISDAE DIACONO. Et quod es miseratione ornatur et quod futurus es pietate conquiritur, et diaconum his studiis extulisti, cuius rei promittit cura pontificem. praesentium baiulus honestus moribus natura sublimis genuini solacii orbatus praesidio Romam pro honestis artibus, licet peregrinaturus, expetiit. uide si mereantur a religioso bene nato locupleti iuuari ista quae praetuli. nunc officio salutationis exhibito rogo, ut si me, si bonam quam coemisti opinionem diligis, inpensis portitori adulescat auxiliis.