Letter 9009: You have taken up our counsel — though I am not entirely sure which particular advice you followed.

To Camilla, from Ennodius. You have intercepted our counsel — following I know not which advice. For your little one, whom the care of liberal studies ought to have received first, you have marked with the titles of religion before the time of fitting judgment. Venerable indeed is the form of ecclesiastical service, but it does not relax the mind toward two directions at once: the road by which one travels to Christ is one and difficult, and the narrow way has never accepted those occupied with many things. The maker of salvation does not refuse those hastening to Him from secular disciplines, but He does not allow anyone to go from His own brightness to those disciplines. If you have already withdrawn him from the world, do not seek the world's trappings in him: I blush to polish with worldly ornaments one who professes the ecclesiastical life. I had agreed to what you requested through the deacon Patricius, as he himself declared: why was the boy sent to me dressed otherwise than as he was found in those very days? If you consult my judgment, I wish those who belong to me to be holy more by merit than by title. Truly you have driven my mind from its station of rest into a sea of anxious thoughts. Nevertheless, with God as my guide, I have taken in my kinsman. Now it remains for heavenly favor to smile upon my efforts and to correct human negligences with the richness of its pious governance. My lady, offering the due greeting as before, I ask that you now take up a double concern for both of them and not cease to commend us to God in your constant prayers.

VIIII. CAMILLAE ENNODIVS. Intercepisti nostrum nescio quem secuta consilium. nam paruulum tuum, quem studiorum liberalium debuit cura suscepisse, ante iudicii conuenientis tempora religionis titulis insignisti. ueneranda quidem ecclesiastici forma seruitii, sed quae ad duas partes animum non relaxet: unum et difficile iter est quo itur ad Christum nec occupatos multipliciter aliquando uia arta suscepit. properantes ad se de disciplinis saecularibus salutis opifex non refutat, sed ire ad illas quemquam de suo nitore non patitur. iam si eum mundo subtraxeras, mundi in eo schemata non requiras: erubesco ecclesiastica profitentem ornamentis saecularibus expolire. adnueram quod per Patricium diaconum, quantum ipse asseruit, postulasti: quid oportuit eum aliter ad me, quam diebus ipsis inuentus est, destinari? si iudicium meum consulis, uolo ad me pertinentes magis merito sanctos esse quam titulo. uere animum meum de quietis statione ad cogitationum pelagus expulisti. suscepi tamen deo auspice sanguinis mei uernulam. nunc restat, ut conatibus meis fauor caelestis adrideat et neglegentias hominum piae moderationis ubertate conponat. domina, ut supra, salutem debitam dicens precor, ut nunc geminam sollicitudinem pro utrisque suscipias et deo nos commendare adsiduis precibus non omittas.