Letter 5: Your Clemency is right to trust, as your glorious letter conveyed to me, that your republic will especially prosper...

Hormisdas to the Emperor Anastasius Augustus. Delivered by Severianus. Your Clemency is right to trust, as your glorious letter conveyed to me, that your republic will especially prosper if the cause of orthodox faith is placed before all other business. This is indeed the wisest course for a ruler who has taken up the helm of governance, venerable Emperor: to win the favor of the One who both grants and governs all imperial power, through good works. I too must pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that he who has moved Your Piety to think about the harmony of his church will deign to grant the fulfillment of this desire, so that in your time the whole world may rejoice, grounded in the orthodox faith. As for what you have directed concerning the convening of a council — I have entrusted to my brothers and fellow bishops, who will follow shortly, instructions to be presented to Your Glory on what ought to be done. Through their report, if God's favor attends my wishes, you will be able to learn everything in proper detail. Given the eighth day before the Ides of July, in the consulship of Florentius.

HORKISDA ANASTASIO ArGUSTO. PER SEUERIANUM. Beue cIb- mentia uestra confidit, sicut datis ad me gloriosis designauit affatibus, quod rei publicae uestrae specialiter proficiat, si negotiis omnibus orthodoxae fidei causa praeponatur. haec est enim, uenerabilis imperator, de suscepto moderamine rectoris so cura salubrior, ut eius sibi fauorem per opera bona conciliet, 2 qui uniuersum et tribuet et reget imperium. proinde me quoque et domino nostro lesu Christo conuenit supplicare, ut qui de ecclesiae suae concordia pietatem uestram cogitare uoluit, hunc super hac parte concedere dignetur effectum, 25 quatenus temporibus uestris orthodoxa fide praeditus uniuersus terrarum orbis exultet. de his uero, quae pro synodali con- 1 quia 0: qua V 4 areodeotana F, corr. 9 quos 0: quod com- pendio pictum V 11 eracleotanam V die F, corr. 0 14 mias V 110. Dat a. 515 die 8 lul. per Seuerianum; respondet epistulae 109, Edd. Car. P 441; Bar. ad a. 515, 16; CoUect. Concil; BTA I 371; Thiel 747. 16 per Seuerianum minutiore charactere in ipso uerhorum ordine V 22 tribuit et regit Bar, 23 et fort. delendum 24 qui de 0: qui d V Epist. CIX 2 — CXI 5. 503 gregatione praecepistis, quid fieri opoiteat, per fratres et coepiscopos meos, qui propere subsequentur, gloriae uestrae insinuanda mandaui, quorum suggestione, si diuinus fauor mea uota prosequitur, competentius poteritis uniuersa cogno- 5 scere. Data VIII. Idus lul. Florentio consule.