Letter 18: With you it began; with you it shall end.

Sidonius to his friend Constantius, greetings. 1. With you it began, with you it shall end. For we have sent the requested work, the copies having been hurriedly selected, of which few have come into our hands for this reason: that to me, who had given no forethought up to now to the compiling of this little book, nothing unguarded can be found. To be sure, these few pieces, which are indeed slight, I finished off quickly, although the spirit, once roused, had not yet ceased to itch for writing, while I carefully preserved this kind of moderation: that the text of the letters should be extended if their number were curtailed. 2. At the same time I judged that the book, which you, a most fastidious reader, were longing for, would be sufficiently handy and not a little excusable if, since the slightness of the thoughts and of their constructions could give you offence, you were at least less burdened with bundles of parchment. I commit, therefore, to your judgement the various motions of our heart, by no means unaware that the mind lies as open in a book as the face does in a mirror. For I have dictated some things by way of exhortation, very many by way of praise, and certain ones by way of persuasion, a few in mourning, and not a few in jest. 3. And if anywhere you have read me to be rather heated against certain persons, I would have you know that, with the right hand of Christ lending aid, I shall never endure servitude of the spirit, holding it most fully ascertained that men's judgement upon such conduct is twofold. For just as the timid call me rash, so the steadfast call me free. Amid these things I myself determine that the character of that man lies low enough whose opinion must needs lie hidden. 4. I return to my purpose. Meanwhile you, if you breathe at all free from the continuous reading of sacred scripture, may be permitted to be diverted by these trifling songs. Nor will the matter, being boundless, produce loathing, because, since the individual subjects are nearly all brought to an end within individual letters, the things on which you have fixed your eye being quickly grasped, you will cease reading before you leave off itching to read. Farewell. Apollinaris Sidonius

EPISTULA XVIII Sidonius Constantio suo salutem. 1. A te principium, tibi desinet. nam petitum misimus opus raptim electis exemplaribus, quae ob hoc in manus pauca venerunt, quia mihi nil de libelli huiusce conscriptione meditanti hactenus incustodita nequeunt inveniri. sane ista pauca, quae quidem et levia sunt, celeriter absolvi, quamquam incitatus semel animus necdum scripturire desineret, servans hoc sedulo genus temperamenti, ut epistularum produceretur textus, si numerus breviaretur. 2. pariter et censui librum, quem lector delicatissimus desiderares, et satis habilem nec parum excusabilem fore, si, quoniam te sensuum structurarumque levitas poterat offendere, membranarum certe fascibus minus onerarere. commendo igitur varios iudicio tuo nostri pectoris motus, minime ignarus, quod ita mens pateat in libro velut vultus in speculo. dictavi enim quaepiam hortando, laudando plurima et aliqua suadendo, maerendo pauca iocandoque nonnulla. 3. et si me uspiam lectitavisti in aliquos concitatiorem, scias volo Christi dextera opitulante me numquam toleraturum animi servitutem, compertissimum tenens bipertitam super his moribus hominum esse censuram. nam ut timidi me temerarium, ita constantes liberum appellant. inter quae ipse decerno satis illius iacere personam, cuius necesse est latere sententiam. 4. ad propositum redeo. interea tu, si quid a lectionis sacrae continuatione respiras, his licebit neniis avocere. nec faciet materia ut immensa fastidium, quia cum singulae causae singulis ferme epistulis finiantur, cito cognitis in quae oculum intenderis ante legere cessabis quam lecturire desistas. vale. Apollinaris Sidonius The Miscellany The Latin Library The Classics Page