Letter 1016: To the venerable, admirable, and equal of all the saints, my brother Sidonius the Seer — Ruricius.

XVI. To his venerable lord, admirable and to be ranked with all the saints, brother Sidonius, Ruricius, who has not yet seen him. Long ago, dearest brother, I came to know you when most renowned report proclaimed you, and in the seat of charity I beheld you with the eyes of the mind among those by whose office you yourself better look down upon earthly things and contemplate the heavenly and divine; from which I have inscribed the very name of Him by whose gift I saw that you had been bestowed. And therefore, while in the mirror of my heart I diligently and vehemently admire the beauty of your inner man, you have stirred the inmost parts of my soul to longing, which have been moved with the purest love into so great an affection for you that the one whom I contemplate with spiritual eyes I also desire to discern with the eyes of the flesh. Wherefore, sending you abundant greeting in Christ the Lord, I more particularly ask that, together with my lord the bishop, whom I trust will come to us by his own gracious condescension, you do an injury to our humility by visiting us, so that, set together in one place, we may take fruit each from the other's presence, while the intention of the one inquiring becomes the instruction of the one answering, and a mutual advancement is in some manner achieved both of the learner and of the teacher. Peace, peace, peace.

XVI. DOMINI UENERABILI, ADMIRABILI ET SANCTIS OMNIBUS AEQVIPERANDO FRATRI SIDONIO UIDENTI RURICIUS. Olim te, frater carissime, fama celeberrima praedicante cognoui et in sede caritatis illis, quibus ipse melius terrena dispicis et caelestia diuinaque consideras, oculis mentis aspexi, unde ipsius nomen adscripsi, cuius munere donatum esse te uidi. et ideo, dum te in speculo cordis diligenter et pulchritudinem interioris hominis tui uehementer admiror, ad 22] cf. 1 Reg. 9, 9. 1 se melius v, semilius S 5 quod v, quotquot S 6 pietate a 9 retuleram scripsx, retulerim S accersioue v, arcersione S 10 offitium S 18 flducia S presummo S 14 feceritis v, facieritis S 15 dictis v intellen v 16 beatitudinis S 17 tanto v 28 carissimae S predicante S 24 despicis v 27 post diligenter Mommseim intueor imerit desiderandum animi mei uiscera concitasti, quae in tantum affectum tuum meracissima dilectione commota sunt, ut, quem spiritalibus oculis contemplor, etiam carnalibus cernere concupiscam. quam ob rem salue in Christo domino plurimum dicens specialius quaeso, ut una cum domno meo episcopo, quem ad nos uenturum pro sua dignatione confido, uobis ad humilitatem nostram uisitandam faciatis iniuriam, ut possimus in unum positi fructum de nostra inuicem capere praesentia, dum sciscitantis intentio fit respondentis eruditio et mutuus quodam modo profectus discentis efficitur et docentis. pax, pax, pax.