Letter 2005: Our son refreshed me by bringing news of your health and your greeting.
Ruricius of Limoges→Ruricius of Limoges|c. 483 AD|Ruricius of Limoges
illness
From: Sedatus, a bishop
To: Ruricius, bishop of Limoges
Date: ~483 AD
Context: A brief, warm letter from Sedatus reporting that a mutual acquaintance brought news of Ruricius's health, and begging for more frequent letters.
Sedatus to his holy and most blessed lord, the Pope Ruricius, to be revered with apostolic respect, my special patron before the Lord.
Our son refreshed me by bringing news of your health and your greeting. Through him — though I have not earned it — I am sending this letter, satisfying my longing at least in this: that a page of dutiful greeting might reach you.
I greet you warmly and ask, by that love which conveys to me your affection and your regard, that it not weary you to visit your servant with the gift of letters whenever the opportunity arises. For I call God as my witness: after your presence itself, nothing is sweeter to me than if I should earn the conversation of your most longed-for devotion, even if only through the honor of a letter.
I also ask and beg with every prayer that you deign to intercede and pray for me without ceasing, as I am certain you do.
I greet our sons with both reverence and longing.
V. DOMINO SANCTO AC BEATISSIMO ET APOSTOLICA REUERENTIA SUSPICIENDO PAPAE BT MEO SPECIALI APUD DOMINUM PATRONO RURICIO SEDATUS.
Refecit me filius noster salutem salutationemque tuam nuntians,
per quem ego, quas non merui, litteras dedi ex hoc
desiderio meo satisfaciens, si uel officii ad uos pagina perueniret.
saluto itaque plurimum et rogo per illam caritatem,
quae mihi affectum dignationemque tuam nuntiat, ne te pigeat,
quotiens oportunum, seruum tuum litterarum munere uisitare,
quia testor deum, quod post praesentiam tuam nihil mihi
dulcius est, quam si conloquium desiderantissimae pietatis uel
litterarum dignatione meruero. rogo etiam et omni prece deposco,
ut pro me, sicut facere uos certus sum, sine cessatione
intercedere et orare dignemini. filios nostros et uenerans et
desiderans saluto.
h
1 comolatur S 3 aetates S 4 possit itineres S 5 tolosa S
beatitudines S 7 que S 8 representit S 9 paciamini S offitiorum S
10 obfuscit S 12 dignimini S 14 reuerencia 8 suspiciendo Kr.,
suscipiendo S 15 pape S 18 litteras. dedi ex hoc S, litteras accepi
et has reddidi tnauult Kr . 23 dm S, dominum v presentiam S
24 desiderantissime S 25 dignationem v 26 cessacione 8 27 dignimini
S
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From:Sedatus, a bishop
To:Ruricius, bishop of Limoges
Date:~483 AD
Context:A brief, warm letter from Sedatus reporting that a mutual acquaintance brought news of Ruricius's health, and begging for more frequent letters.
Sedatus to his holy and most blessed lord, the Pope Ruricius, to be revered with apostolic respect, my special patron before the Lord.
Our son refreshed me by bringing news of your health and your greeting. Through him — though I have not earned it — I am sending this letter, satisfying my longing at least in this: that a page of dutiful greeting might reach you.
I greet you warmly and ask, by that love which conveys to me your affection and your regard, that it not weary you to visit your servant with the gift of letters whenever the opportunity arises. For I call God as my witness: after your presence itself, nothing is sweeter to me than if I should earn the conversation of your most longed-for devotion, even if only through the honor of a letter.
I also ask and beg with every prayer that you deign to intercede and pray for me without ceasing, as I am certain you do.
I greet our sons with both reverence and longing.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.