Letter 8037: Although my poor efforts cannot adequately praise your accomplishments, the attempt itself is a duty I owe to...

Although eloquence rises from the slender effect of a petition, and prosperous affairs both win and endow eloquence: in whatever satiety of words, pages go hungry if they are rejected from obtaining their request. More praise is owed to successful letters than to skillful ones. He rightly speaks in words sublime with brilliance who captivates the greatest men with the charm of his diction: any rhetorical figure is scattered by adverse fortune, for the tongue grows rich when nourished by favors. Some time ago I directed to Your Eminence a letter, with whatever boldness producing it, a conversation which you so elevated with the genius of your response that I believed I had lost, through my idleness, the seasons of worthy favor, when a modest effort had attracted the judgment of one who holds the summit. You had also promised that the house I had requested would not be denied. Elevated by these twin successes, I was walking tall — if both the reputation of a perfect man had grown through his endorsement and my wealth had increased through the gift of a most rich man. But I detest the delay, which barren sins indeed have begotten. For both the man of your household whom I was awaiting arrived, and he declared that nothing had been entrusted to him that could benefit my desires. See the dark dealings of my merits: they cannot break the faith of those who strive against me, but they exact delay. Far be it from my conscience to distrust the brilliance of your character: it is a mark of a base mind to think that the memory of a man of purpose does not endure. But I ask that while you assert the light of your intention, you overcome the darkness of what is owed to me. Therefore pour the spirit of speed into your generosity. My lord, offering the devotion of greeting, I add my prayers that I may receive the consular gift-basket together with the answer to my aforesaid petition.

XXXVII. ENNODIVS BOETIO. Quamuis tenui effectu petitionis surgit eloquium, et conciliant et dotant facundiam res secundae: in qualibet uerborum i 1 iassistds B praeseius B reia B 2 nros T 3 prea n standi B 4 celeetis B adulationem T sic carr. m. 2 domine b 5 mi Pb, m T, mihi BLV 6 uestre B oportunitas BLPTVb 7 reuelletis B XXXVI. 9 boethio BLVb 10 precium B reticis B 11 credibatur B 12 efferuuit B 13 epistolas L 15 florum B 16 essis B haberis B 18 temporem B frigiscas B 21 multis B incombas T1 XXXVII. 23 boethio BLV . 24 tenue B surget BPT1 Vb 25 secunde B saturitate paginas, si repudientur ab inpetratione, ieiunant: plus felicibus epistolis debetur laudatio quam peritis. iure loquitur uerbis nitore sublimibus qui summates uiros dicendi uenustate captiuat: quoduis oratorium schema sinistra fors dissipat: ditescit enim lingua nutrita beneficiis. dudum ad eminentiam uestram direxi qualicumque audacia producente conloquium, quod ita responsi genio subleuastis, ut crederem me perdidisse digni fauoris tempora per quietem, quando modicus sudor iudicium arcem tenentis inlexerat. promiseratis etiam domum, quam poposceram, non negandam. geminis eleuatus successibus incedebam, si et opinio perfecti adstipulatione et census locupletissimi creuisset inpendio. sed detestor moram, quam sterilia quidem peccata pepererunt. nam et homo culminis uestri quem praestolabar aduenit, et nihil sibi mandatum esse, quod desideriis meis prodesse posset, adseruit. uide meritorum meorum fusca commercia: quorum contra me nitentia fidem frangere nequeunt, exigunt tarditatem. absit a conscientia mea de uestrae claritate diffidere: obscenae mentis est putare constituti memoriam non manere. sed rogo, ut dum propositi uestri lucem adseritis, eorum quae mihi debenturm obscura superetis. ergo praestationi uestrae genium dono celeritatis infundite. domine mi, cultum salutationis inpertiens preces adicio, ut consularem sportulam cum responso praefatae petitionis accipiam. mis 1 repudiunt B 2 debitur B 8 summatis B 4 quod L scema B foris T1, sors Pb 5 ditiscet B immi lingua B 6 aram B qualecumque B audatia B 7 Bubleuastes B credirem B 8 digna B 9 inlixerat B 11 incidebam B si etl. L 13 peperiroat B 14 praestalabar B 15 posBit B 16 uide om. B me] mi B 17 quae.unt B exigunt om. B tarditate mi B 18 ure B, uestra Pb 19 potare B 20 adseretis BLV, asseretis T1 21 supalatesB22eeleritatis(tamras.)BaLmiPb, m T, mihi BL V 23 praeoes B additio T eportula B 24 adcipiam B