Letter 9002: Your Eminence's conscience is well aware of what we owe to the distinguished Faustinus — both on account of his...
Ennodius of Pavia→Faustus of Riez|c. 494 AD|Ennodius of Pavia
diplomatic
Ennodius to Faustus.
Your Eminence's conscience is well aware of what we owe to the distinguished Faustinus — both on account of his wishes and his lineage. And so, although he believes it should suffice that a father has personally pleaded on his son's behalf, his concern does not rest, and through me he renews his petition — hoping that, with God's blessing, you will guide his young man toward mature habits. He asks you to give instructions on what the boy should pursue and what he should avoid, and to write on his behalf to whomever you think necessary.
But Your Eminence, I know, would have done all this even without my asking. Yet I could not and should not fail the entreaties of so great a man. Moved by his tears, I too — weeping — add my own supplication. By that conscience which God has granted us — and may the pious witness of the martyrs commend your prayers to our Savior — I beg that both the Creator may effectively intercede with you on behalf of a son, and that the lord Faustinus may intercede on behalf of Ambrosius.
Take the young man in hand; pray for him, so that Rome may destroy the boy neither with its vices nor with its diseases. I know that you prevail much among men, but even more with God, and so I already confidently promise results to those I commend. Having paid my tribute of greeting, I have woven much into a few words. It is enough for the proven devotion of a man who pleases God to be informed. Let both the case and the person be arranged by your efforts, with God's help.
II. FAVSTO ENNODIVS.
stat apud conscientiam culminis uestri quid sublimis uiri
Faustini uoto debeamus et generi: et ideo quamuis apud uos
credat sufficere quod pro filio pater rogauit, per me tamen
quia parum putat eius sollicitudo quod egerit, preces frequentat,
sperans ut uestra adulescens ad maturos deo auspice mores
erigatur: uos detis praecepta, quid sequi debeat, quid cauere,
uos apud quos necessarium credideritis scriptione prosequamini.
haec sed culmen uestrum, etiam si taceam, esse facturum:
sed nec potui tanti uiri precibus deesse nec debui. qua de re
permotus lacrimis superius conprehensi et ego flens subplico
per illam quae nobis a deo concessa est conscientiam (sic
petitiones uestras pia martyrum saluatori nostro commendet
adsertio), ut efficaciter apud uos et creator pro filio et domnus
Faustinus pro Ambrosio supplicet: et ordinate praedictum
iuuenem et orate pro ipso, ut adulescentem Roma nec uitiis
possit nec morbis extinguers. scio uos plura apud homines,
sed maiora apud deum praeualere, et ideo securus iam effectum
illis polliceor quos commendo. ergo reuerentiam salutationis
exsoluens paucis multa contexui. sufficit deo placentis uiri
1 connenientibos L curis deesBe scripri, coris donesse B, donaase
curis LPTVb 2 infelicem Pb itscitia fort. scribendum et qui
praecedit (= praelatum) ad honorem refcrendum est 8 rescribe (seri
sup . ras. 2 Utt.) L 4 flagitis B
II. 8 ueri B 9 debeamns BT, debeam LPVb deo. L
12 uestra] noster Pb, nester Schottus aduliscens B 15 hoc
Pb 16 uc debni—nec potai LPTVb 18 conscientia B
19 et petitiones T piam B commend it B 22 iuniem B
aduliscente| B romam L 28 morbis B, moribus LPTVb
26 sufficet B placentes BL2T1V
instructam esse pietatem: et causa et persona cum dei solacio
uestro disponatur studio.
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Ennodius to Faustus.
Your Eminence's conscience is well aware of what we owe to the distinguished Faustinus — both on account of his wishes and his lineage. And so, although he believes it should suffice that a father has personally pleaded on his son's behalf, his concern does not rest, and through me he renews his petition — hoping that, with God's blessing, you will guide his young man toward mature habits. He asks you to give instructions on what the boy should pursue and what he should avoid, and to write on his behalf to whomever you think necessary.
But Your Eminence, I know, would have done all this even without my asking. Yet I could not and should not fail the entreaties of so great a man. Moved by his tears, I too — weeping — add my own supplication. By that conscience which God has granted us — and may the pious witness of the martyrs commend your prayers to our Savior — I beg that both the Creator may effectively intercede with you on behalf of a son, and that the lord Faustinus may intercede on behalf of Ambrosius.
Take the young man in hand; pray for him, so that Rome may destroy the boy neither with its vices nor with its diseases. I know that you prevail much among men, but even more with God, and so I already confidently promise results to those I commend. Having paid my tribute of greeting, I have woven much into a few words. It is enough for the proven devotion of a man who pleases God to be informed. Let both the case and the person be arranged by your efforts, with God's help.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.