Letter 2002: Victorinus to my lord, the most blessed and most reverend Ruricius, bishop and patron in Christ, to be honored by me...
Ruricius of Limoges→Ruricius of Limoges|c. 481 AD|Ruricius of Limoges
women
From: Victorinus, a cleric
To: Ruricius, bishop of Limoges
Date: ~481 AD
Context: Victorinus writes to thank Bishop Ruricius for his hospitality during a brief visit and asks him to write a letter of support for a man whose wife died just after being ransomed, and who now needs help ransoming his daughter.
Victorinus to my lord, the most blessed and most reverend Ruricius, bishop and patron in Christ, to be honored by me with singular devotion.
Although I was only able to see Your Beatitude for the briefest time and on a single occasion, at that first encounter of meeting and contemplating you, you flooded my senses from the pure spring of your generous heart. Even though I cannot receive the precious gifts of your conversation, I nonetheless possess your presence in the depths of my mind. Even if I receive no outward occasions to renew my longing, I find them within me whenever I recall your kindness. It would not be right for that good which is planted in the very marrow to require only external nourishment for its growth. And so the love that grows sweet in my heart through the constant remembrance of you promises me your love in return. My affection for you becomes a guarantee of your feelings toward me, and the witness of my inner self somehow testifies to your love for me. Whenever I want to know how much I should presume upon your goodness, I ask my own heart, which burns with the full fire of love for you.
And so, offering my greetings and asking for your prayers, I give what thanks I can — though they are not enough — on behalf of the bearer of this letter. This unfortunate man endured great labor to ransom his wife, wandering through the exile of many regions, only to have her death follow immediately upon her redemption. Now the anguish of a father is stretched thin again over his daughter's ransom. I ask that you honor him with a letter of support, to add to the abundance of your own reward.
May the gracious Lord see fit to multiply Your Beatitude in years and merits, for the advancement and glory of his church — my most blessed and most reverend lord and patron in Christ.
II. DOMINO BEATISSIMO AC REUERENTISSIMO ATQVE A ME DEBITO CULTU SINGULARITER OBSERUANDO IN CHRISTO PATRONO RURICIO EPISCOPO UICTORINUS.
Cum beatitudinem uestram uidere et breuissimo tempore
et una tantum uice meruerim, ita tamen ad primum uestrae
agnitionis contemplationisque congressum sensus meos fonte
8] Rom. 12, 11
1 epistulas a Fausto ad Ruricium scriptas exhibuimus p. 208 sqq .
6 operi S 9 uitae addidi, om. 8 aeterne Kr . 10 aquiritis S
12 quae v, qua S solo v 13 pensum v, pensam S, fort . pensa acribendum
15 ut Kr., et 8 16 minoratur e inperciens S que S
17 habet add. v, om. S 19 debit occultu 8 20 obserdo S, corr. v
21 uicturinus S 23 et v, ut S meruerim v, meruero S Kr . 24 agnicionis
S, cognitionis v contemplacionisque S sensos S,
purissimo benigni pectoris inrigastis, ut, quamlibet alloquiorum
uestrorum munera pretiosa non capiam, praesentiam tamen
uestram intra mentis profunda possideam, ut, etsi causas desiderii
refouendi extrinsecus non accipiam, intra me eas tamen,
dum gratiae uestrae reminiscor, inueniam. neque enim fas
est, ut bonum illud ex accedentibus tantum requirat adiutoriis
incrementum, quod medullis constat infusum. quo fit, ut caritas,
quae in uisceribus meis iugi recordatione uestri innouata
dulcescit, caritatis mihi uestrae uicissitudinem repromittat. ac
sic affectus erga uos meus uestri mihi animi fideiussor accedit
et quodam modo conscientia interioris mei mutuo mihi uestrae
testis dilectionis adsistit, quantumque mihi de uobis praesumere
debeam, mentem meam, quae toto erga uos amoris ardore
flagrat, interrogo. unde salutationem deferens et intercessionem
deposcens pro harum portitore insufficientes gratias refero. et
quia infelicis ipsius laborem, quo pro absolutione uxoris per
diuersarum regionum est iactatus exilia, mors redemptae protinus
subsecuta cassauit et nunc rursus pro filiae redemptione
anxietas paterna distenditur, uestris eum litteris prosequi pro
cumulanda mercedis uestrae ubertate iubeatis.
Pius dominus reuerendam mihi beatitudinem uestram ad
profectum et ornatum ecclesiae suae et annis multiplicare dignetur
et meritis, domine beatissime ac reuerentissime atque
a me debito cultu singulariter obseruande in Christo patrone.
◆
From:Victorinus, a cleric
To:Ruricius, bishop of Limoges
Date:~481 AD
Context:Victorinus writes to thank Bishop Ruricius for his hospitality during a brief visit and asks him to write a letter of support for a man whose wife died just after being ransomed, and who now needs help ransoming his daughter.
Victorinus to my lord, the most blessed and most reverend Ruricius, bishop and patron in Christ, to be honored by me with singular devotion.
Although I was only able to see Your Beatitude for the briefest time and on a single occasion, at that first encounter of meeting and contemplating you, you flooded my senses from the pure spring of your generous heart. Even though I cannot receive the precious gifts of your conversation, I nonetheless possess your presence in the depths of my mind. Even if I receive no outward occasions to renew my longing, I find them within me whenever I recall your kindness. It would not be right for that good which is planted in the very marrow to require only external nourishment for its growth. And so the love that grows sweet in my heart through the constant remembrance of you promises me your love in return. My affection for you becomes a guarantee of your feelings toward me, and the witness of my inner self somehow testifies to your love for me. Whenever I want to know how much I should presume upon your goodness, I ask my own heart, which burns with the full fire of love for you.
And so, offering my greetings and asking for your prayers, I give what thanks I can — though they are not enough — on behalf of the bearer of this letter. This unfortunate man endured great labor to ransom his wife, wandering through the exile of many regions, only to have her death follow immediately upon her redemption. Now the anguish of a father is stretched thin again over his daughter's ransom. I ask that you honor him with a letter of support, to add to the abundance of your own reward.
May the gracious Lord see fit to multiply Your Beatitude in years and merits, for the advancement and glory of his church — my most blessed and most reverend lord and patron in Christ.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.