Letter 1014: I have sent the horse you requested: gentle in temperament, strong in limbs, solid in build, handsome in form,...
To Celsus, lord of my heart — Ruricius.
I have sent the horse you requested: gentle in temperament, strong in limbs, solid in build, handsome in form, well-proportioned in frame, balanced in spirit — neither recklessly fast nor sluggishly slow. The rider's will serves as both his bridle and his spur. He has the willingness and the strength to carry a load, so that he neither buckles under a mounted rider nor throws off what has been placed upon him.
With these qualities duly reported, I send my greetings first and my request second: please keep your promise and come to us for the saints' feast day, God willing, together with your sister.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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