Letter 3002: I write briefly, because the season is busy and the messenger cannot wait, but I wanted you to have some word of...

To my most blessed and most reverend lord, to be singularly honored by me with the homage I owe, my patron in Christ, Bishop Ruricius: Victorinus. Although I have been granted the privilege of seeing your Blessedness only for the briefest time and only on a single occasion, nevertheless, at that first meeting of your acquaintance and regard, you so watered my senses from the purest fountain of your kindly heart that, even though I cannot grasp the precious gifts of your discourse, I yet possess your presence within the depths of my mind, so that, even if I do not receive from outside the means of reviving my longing, I still find them within myself whenever I recall your favor. For it is not right that that good thing which is poured into the very marrow should require its increase only from added supports. Hence it comes about that the love which, renewed by continual remembrance of you, grows sweet in my inmost being, promises me in return the reciprocation of your love. And thus my own affection toward you comes to me as a guarantor of your disposition toward me, and in a certain way the awareness of my inner self stands by me as a mutual witness of your love, and I question my own mind, which burns with the whole ardor of love toward you, as to how much I ought to presume concerning you. Therefore, offering my salutation and earnestly begging your intercession on behalf of the bearer of this letter, I render insufficient thanks. And because death, following at once upon the redeemed woman, frustrated the labor of that unhappy man, by which he was tossed through the exiles of various regions for the ransoming of his wife, and now once more a father's anxiety is stretched taut for the ransoming of his daughter, may you order that you accompany him with your letters, for the heaping up of the abundance of your reward. May the merciful Lord deign to multiply your Blessedness, reverend to me, in years and in merits, for the advancement and adornment of His Church, O most blessed and most reverend lord, to be singularly honored by me with the homage I owe, my 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.