Letter 16

From: Pope Felix III, bishop of Rome To: Zeno, Bishop [of an unspecified see] Date: ~483 AD Context: Felix III, letter 5; a letter of recommendation for a man named Terentianus, demonstrating the personal correspondence that continued alongside the major theological controversies. Felix, bishop of Rome, to his most beloved brother Zeno, greetings in Christ. Our son Terentianus, a man of distinguished standing who bears this letter, has long since departed for Italy on his own affairs, and on his behalf he asked that we commend him to your brotherly care through this letter of ours. We ask you therefore to receive him as he arrives with the kindness appropriate to a fellow Christian and with the hospitality that the dignity of his person warrants. Whatever assistance he requires in the course of his business in your city, we ask you to provide it as a favor to us and to the relationship of mutual support that should characterize the bishops of the church. The recommendations we make are not made lightly or frequently; when we do commend a person to a brother bishop, it is because we have reason to believe the commendation is warranted. This is such a case. We pray for your health and for the welfare of your church. Felix, bishop of Rome

(a. 483.) Felicis papae ad Zenonem episcopnm. Terenlianus commendatur. Dilectissimo fratri Zenoiii Felix^). Filius uoster*^) vir elarissimus Terentiauus ad Italiam dudum veniens dilectionis tuae singularis exstitit praedicator, talemque te esse vulgavit, qui ita Christi gratia redundares, ut inter mundi tur- bines gubernator Ecclesiae praecip\ms appareres. Quapropter, frater carissime, quuni ad provinciam commearet seduloque deposceret no- stras ad dilectionem tuam litteras^) destinari, gratanter annuimus; quia et diguum l)eo sermone complecti cuperemus antistitem, et per eum maxime vellemus id fieri^ cujus nobis fuerat laudibus intimatus. Quamvis ergo sanctis operibus ex omni parte praeditam fratemitatem tuam vir praefatus adstruxerit, multumque fiduciae de tua benevolen- tia jam teneret, aequum tamen est, ut quod desideravit magnopere, consequatur: (piatenus qui tuis olim gratus est animis, contempla- tione nostri reddatur acceptior, simidque matetiia et sacerdotali con- solatione foveatur^) peregrinationisque praesidium pastorali pietate reperiat^), ut vestrae dignitatis aftectu appareat, apud sinceritatem tuam nostrum quoque non minimum, quo salutaris, valuisse collo- quium. Deus te incolumem custodiat, frater carissime^)! ') Editi addiint c^iscopus. Antea iu inscriptione J*" ad Zenonem /lispalensem {W^ Spalensem) episcopion. ') Alioquot inss. dcslinnre. Mox editi qui et ... praedictam fraternUatem. *•) i* cujus proculdubio ct probetur diynitalis affcctu non parvi apud sinceritaiem tuam nostrum, quo nimium salularis. valuisse coUoquium. Cnjus lectiouid satis sale- brosae fontes quum non dicdntur, retinemus vulgatam solo excepto quo saluta^ ris (^pro salutantis), quod onuies mss. habent {O^ omitt. quo). **) o* addit: (yciius Fclix cpiscopus sanclae Ecclcsia^ cathoticae ttrbis Ramse subscripsi. Data V Kalendarum Autpisti l'enatUio II consule. Simut septem ei sexaginta episcopi absque papa suhsciipserunt. Ciuain nieram Pseudo • Isidoriaiii aliciyus codicis (^nani in 0' deest) appositionem esse, jam nota consularia falaa evincit. Siquidem Venantius priino consul una cum Theodorico rege Gortthomm anno 484 invenitur, secundo demum anno 507 (^una cum Anastasio Augusto II). Deinde toto contextu probatur, eam minime epistohun synodicani esse, sed quae solo a pontifice oblata occasione missa sit. Est autem tota ista subscriptio mere de ei)istohi sequenti transhita, nisi quod loco v. c. positum //. EPISTOLAE 5. 6. 243