Letter 8035: The unloveliness of the situation speaks for itself, and I will not make it worse by dwelling on details that only...

An unlovely occasion indeed has served my desires, and a necessity scarcely bearable has opened an entrance to my wishes: having embraced a page whose preface was flattering, I was confounded by what followed in its utterance. For the sweet beginning and the honey of serene conversation were obscured, as if by a garment of night, by the calamity it related. Truly, as you spoke, the things I was reading were thrust before my eyes. For while a page of the wise intervened against the happiness of absence, I was compelled to see that Aetheria was far too earthly and had been cast down from the loftiness of her name into Tartarus, with guilt as her guide. I pass over what she owed to her parents, what to modesty, from what house the wretched woman proceeded to her crime — for she followed, having abandoned the worshippers of God, a marriage that served as a brothel. Believe me: while she committed her crime, she executed the punishment of that crime, and plunged into a shameful union, she found in her husband both the outrage and the penalty for outrage. The woman carried in herself the role of both the accused and the judge when she chose an unworthy man. I would extend my letter further, but I wish the memory of the ill-fated woman to be buried in oblivion. You choose that those people be relieved by expulsion from Gaul: we wish that Italy not be contaminated. Let them rather seek the Libyan quicksands and be cut off from the fellowship of humanity — because if they have fled from lord Aurelianus there, and from Ennodius here, to what places will they turn? I have pressed more urgently upon the lord prefect the matters you instructed, and he immediately exacted the royal commands, through which we believe that good men and friends have found an occasion for generosity. And yet, remove your mind from anxiety, because the force of heavenly judgment will suffice for the punishment of the wicked. My lord, presenting the duties of greeting, I pray that you relieve me frequently with messages of your prosperity, since the opportunity of travelers presents itself.

XXXV. ENNODIVS AVRELIANO PRESBVTERO. Inamabilis quidem desideriis meis militauit occasio et uotis aditum necessitas uix ferenda patefecit: amplexus paginam praefatione blandientem sequenti eius elocutione confusus sum. nam dulce principium et sereni mella conloquii relata calamitas quasi ueste noctis obnubit. uere loquentibus uobis ingesta sunt oculis quae legebam. nam dum absentiae felicitatem pagina sapientis intercepit, coactus sum illam Aetheriam nimis uidisse terrenam et a sublimitate uocabuli in tartarum duce culpa depositam. taceo quid debuerit parentibus, quid pudori, ex qua domo infelix processit ad scelus, quod secuta est relictis dei cultoribus lupanaris uice coniugium. credite mihi: ultionem criminis, dum admittit crimen, exsecuta est, et turpi mersa contubernio et flagitium et poenam flagitii repperit in marito. secum rei personam portauit et iudicis mulier, dum elegit indignum. producerem litteras, nisi memoriam infaustae feminae desiderarem obliuione sepeliri. uos, ut Galliae expulsione illorum subleuentur, eligitis: nos, ne Italia coinquinetur optamus. expetant potius Libycas Syrtes et ab humanitatis consortio diuidantur: quia si inde domnum Aurelianum fugerint, hinc Ennodium, ad quae loca declinabunt? domno praefecto quae 1 sequestratio L 2 adceptis Bb, om. LTV aduliscet B XXXV. 5 presbitero B, om. T 6 desiderii B ocasio B 7 additum B inplexus B 9 relata relatamitas B 10 obnubet B 11 infelicitatem fort., felicitate B 12 intercipit fort . 13 a om. T, as B 17 admittet B, admitit 1x 19 eliget B, eligit fort . 20 nisi om. B, uncinauit Schottue infauete B 21 sepiliri B 22 eligitis T1, eligetis LTlVb, religetis B quoinquinetur B, coinquinentur LTV optamus om. Sirm . 23 lybicas BLV, libicas PT sirtes T 24 diuidant Bb fugerent B 25 innodium Bl ad quae] atque B iussistis pressius intimaui, qui praecepta regia mox exegit, per quae credimus uiros bonos et amicos occasionem inuenisse praestandi et uos tamen animum ab anxietate remouete, quia caelestis sufficiet ad ultionem malorum uigor examinis. domini mi, salutationis obsequia praesentans precor, ut crebro me prosperitatis uestrae, quia commeantium opportunitas ingeritur, releuetis alloquiis.