Letter 3008: Sedatus, bishop, to the most holy Brother Ruricius.

From: Sedatus, Bishop To: Ruricius, Bishop of Limoges Date: ~490 AD Context: Sedatus acknowledges receiving a gift of a horse from Ruricius and thanks him warmly — revealing the network of practical as well as spiritual exchange that characterized Gallic episcopal correspondence. Sedatus, bishop, to the most holy Brother Ruricius. The horse has arrived and I am delighted. I say this without ceremony, because there is something about receiving a useful and beautiful thing from a friend that calls for simple expression rather than elaborate thanks. He is exactly what I needed — sound, well-tempered, strong enough for the roads between here and the places I need to reach without the constant anxiety that my previous horse occasioned. I have named him for you, which is the kind of tribute I hope you will receive as the compliment it is intended to be. More seriously: the gift arrived at a moment when I had been worrying about my ability to continue the visitations I try to maintain. The roads are bad; the distances are real; and a bishop without a reliable horse is a bishop who cannot do his work properly. You have given me back a practical capacity that I was in danger of losing. I will find a way to be useful to you in return, in due time and in ways appropriate to the season. Your brother in all things, Sedatus

VIII. DOMINO SANCTO AC BEATISSIMO ET APOSTOLICA REUERENTIA SUSPICIENDO DOMNO ET PAPAE RURICIO EPISCOPO SEDATUS EPISCOPUS. Equum, quem per fratrem nostrum presbyterum transmisistis, accepi magnificis uerborum uestrorum phaleris oneratum, in 1 ac frequenti et v 5 presentiam S 6 persentimus v utrum dictis an datis in 8 exstet dubium, dictis v 9 commendetis S . ut Kr., et S 10 et Kr., ut S 11 tholosa S, Tolosae v Kr . 12 hispanus Sl 13 oro te v tam S dignaretur affectum S, cenT. v 21 expetit coni. Mmumsenus 22 meae om. v 23 distinarem S 24 desiderio S 26 domino v suspiciendo Kr., suscipiendo S 27 papae] patrono Kr . 28 aequum S 29 faleris S oneratum scrijm, honeratum S, honoratum vKr . XXI. Fauat. 29 uita uilem, in epistula pretiosum, mouentem se, cum foditur calcaribus aut urgetur uerberibus, et nihil penitus promouentem, forma deterrimum, colore uilissimum, molliorem plumis, statuis pigriorem, solida corpora pauescentem, umbras solum, ut credo, de consuetudine non timentem, fugitiuum, cum dimittitur, inmobilem, cum sedetur, in planis stantem, in asperis conruentem, qui teneri nesciat, ambulare non possit. quem priusquam uiderem, dum epistulas uestras relego, illorum de gente esse credidi,. quos Daedala Circe subposita de matre nothos furata creauit. Putabam illum calidum animis, acrem cursibus, ignem, cum exhiberetur, elatis naribus efflaturum, concussurum solido cornu campos, celeritate uentos et flumina praecursurum. talem enim mihi splendidissimus epistulae sermo promiserat. credebam etiam, quod illum mandentem frenos, terentem morsibus ferrum duo fortiores uiri, ne euaderet, retinerent. nec me fefellit. nam trahebant eum aliquot, inpingebant alii et plures caedebant. quem ut sic exhibitum uidi, optaui, ut talia, qualia erant, non, qualia epistula mea continet, semper caris uestris munera mitteretis. ego tamen, quia mihi non reliquistis in transmissi muneris laude quod dicerem, ne omnino ..... 10] Uerg. Aen. VII 282 sq.. 1 uita scripsi, uia S preciosum S se-promouentem Sbis 2 et] ex S paenitus S 3 statuis v, status S 4 pauiscentem S 5 fugitium S 6 caeditur v 9 crededi S dedala S 11 notus S 12 potabam S callidum S 13 exiberetur S 14 campus Sl uentus S 16 mandantem S (e man. alt.), manducantem t\' frenus S1 terentem r, erentem S 17 forciores S feuellit S 18 aliquod S cedebant S 19 ut r, ad 8 20 muneris v, munere S lacunam indicaui; quae sequuntur in S, ex Sidonii epistula (II, 1) deprompta ntnt, cf. prolegomena