LETTER V
Sidonius to his lord Bishop Agroecius, greetings.
1. I have come to Bourges [Bituriges] at the request of the citizens. The reason for this summons was the tottering state of the church, which, recently widowed of its supreme pontiff, had sounded a kind of trumpet call for candidates from both the clerical and lay orders. The populace seethes, divided by rivalries. A few put forward others; many put forward not only themselves but thrust themselves upon the office. If you weigh matters according to God and the truth, everything that presents itself is superficial, changeable, false, and -- what can I say? -- the only simple thing in the whole affair is the shamelessness.
2. And unless you thought I was complaining unfairly, I would dare to say that most are of such reckless and dangerous ambition that they do not shrink from seeking to buy the sacred see and its dignity by offering money. The matter could long since have been put up for auction and sale, if only as ready a seller could be found as a buyer. I therefore ask you to grace the novelty, modesty, and necessity of my office with your presence, to defend it with your support, and to hasten your most eagerly awaited arrival. Farewell.
EPISTULA V
Sidonius domino papae Agroecio salutem.
1. Bituricas decreto civium petitus adveni: causa fuit evocationis titubans ecclesiae status, quae nuper summo viduata pontifice utriusque professionis ordinibus ambiendi sacerdotii quoddam classicum cecinit. fremit populus per studia divisus; pauci alteros, multi sese non offerunt solum sed inferunt. si aliquid pro virili portione secundum deum consulas veritatemque, omnia occurrunt levia varia fucata, et (quid dicam?) sola est illic simplex impudentia.
2. et nisi me immerito queri iudicaretis, dicere auderem tam praecipitis animi esse plerosque tamque periculosi, ut sacrosanctam sedem dignitatemque affectare pretio oblato non reformident, remque iam dudum in nundinam mitti auctionemque potuisse, si quam paratus invenitur emptor, venditor tam desperatus inveniretur. proin quaeso, ut officii mei novitatem pudorem necessitatem exspectatissimi adventus tui ornes contubernio, tuteris auxilio.
3. nec te, quamquam Senoniae caput es, inter haec dubia subtraxeris intentionibus medendis Aquitanorum, quia minimum refert, quod nobis est in habitatione divisa provincia, quando in religione causa coniungitur. his accedit, quod de urbibus Aquitanicae primae solum oppidum Arvernum Romanorum reliquum partibus bella fecerunt. quapropter in constituendo praefatae civitatis antistite provincialium collegarum deficimur numero, nisi metropolitanorum reficiamur assensu.
4. de cetero, quod ad honoris vestri spectat praerogativam, nullus a me hactenus nominatus, nullus adhibitus, nullus electus est; omnia censurae tuae salva inlibata solida servantur. tantum hoc meum duco, vestras invitare personas expectare voluntates laudare sententias, [et] cum in locum statumque pontificis quisque sufficitur, ut a vobis praeceptum, a me procedat obsequium.
5. sed si, quod tamen arbitror minime fore, precibus meis apud vos malesuadus obstiterit interpres, poteritis praesentiam vestram potius excusare quam culpam; sicut e diverso, si venitis, ostenditis, quia terminus potuerit poni vestrae quidem regioni, sed non potuerit caritati. memor nostri esse dignare, domine papa.
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LETTER V
Sidonius to his lord Bishop Agroecius, greetings.
1. I have come to Bourges [Bituriges] at the request of the citizens. The reason for this summons was the tottering state of the church, which, recently widowed of its supreme pontiff, had sounded a kind of trumpet call for candidates from both the clerical and lay orders. The populace seethes, divided by rivalries. A few put forward others; many put forward not only themselves but thrust themselves upon the office. If you weigh matters according to God and the truth, everything that presents itself is superficial, changeable, false, and -- what can I say? -- the only simple thing in the whole affair is the shamelessness.
2. And unless you thought I was complaining unfairly, I would dare to say that most are of such reckless and dangerous ambition that they do not shrink from seeking to buy the sacred see and its dignity by offering money. The matter could long since have been put up for auction and sale, if only as ready a seller could be found as a buyer. I therefore ask you to grace the novelty, modesty, and necessity of my office with your presence, to defend it with your support, and to hasten your most eagerly awaited arrival. Farewell.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.