Letter 3001: Ad Eufronium episcopum Turonensem

I. Ad Eufronium episcopum Turonensem To Euphronius, Bishop of Tours To my holy lord, apostolic in his merits, my dear lord and sweet father, Bishop Euphronius [bishop of Tours, c.556-573, predecessor of Gregory of Tours] — Fortunatus sends greetings. A few days ago, when your letter was brought by its bearer, I received the greeting of your venerable lips as a gift from heaven, and I embraced it, God as my witness, with the same eagerness I have always known in your most devoted heart toward me. I know myself to be a suppliant filled with many blessings. Though I live in another city, God knows that I am absent from you only in place, not in spirit; and wherever I go, I carry you within me. I say it truly: no heart is made of flesh if it cannot receive the wondrous sweetness of your soul — it would be harder than marble to refuse the warmth of so great a love. For who could praise you as fitly as a truly holy mind desires? Who could satisfy his own heart and express your affection as it deserves? You are so humble on earth that you dwell upright in heaven — bowing down to lowly things, you lift yourself to the highest; and since you freely embrace Christ's humility, we may already know what you will receive from the gift of his kingdom. For as his commandments declare, whoever wishes to be seen as small among men will look upon himself exalted on high. Each person reaches what he desires and fights for. I rejoice in my heart that I have felt the love of my lord Euphronius for my lord Martin [Saint Martin of Tours, buried at Tours, the great patron of Merovingian Gaul]. And so, commending myself to your apostolic care and holy love with many prayers, I ask you — through the Lord Martin himself, in whose fellowship you rejoice — to remember me, your servant and devotee, before him, and to show whatever power your merits grant you before him in the protection of my humble self. Pray for me, holy and apostolic lord, my own dear father.

I Ad Eufronium episcopum Turonensem DOMINO SANCTO ET MERITIS APOSTOLICO DOMNO ET DVLCI PATRI EVFRONIO PAPAE FORTVNATVS. Ante paucorum dierum volubilitatem transcursam, deferente praesentium portitore, venerabilis oris vestri salutare conloquium a me caelesti pro munere signi- fico fuisse perceptum; quod ea aviditate, teste rerum creatore, conplexus sum, qua et vestrum piissimum animum circa meam humilitatem iugiter adprobavi profusum: et me supplicem multis repletum beneficiis agnosco devotum. qui quamvis in altera commorer civitate, novit deus quia [a] vobis absens sum tantummodo loco, non animo; et quocumque fuero, intra me vos clausos habebo. (2) Vere dico, non est illud cor carneum ubi vestrae animae non recipitur miranda dulcedo, sed est marmore durior si tantae caritatis non amplectitur blandimentum. nam quis de te tam con- grua praedicet quam mens vere sancta deposcit? aut quis suo sic satisfaciat animo, ut vestrum sicut condecet digne prodat affectum? qui in terra sic humilis es, ut ha- bites erectus in caelis et inclinando ad infima te sublevari facias ad excelsa, ut iam agnoscaris, qui Christi humilitatem libenter amplecteris, de eius regni munere quid habebis. quoniam, sicut ipsius mandata sunt, qui se parvulum inter homines vult videri magnificum se elatus respiciet in supernis; unusquisque qualiter desiderat et expugnat. (3) Ego vero gratulor in corde domni Eufronii dilectionem domni mei sensisse Martini: quapropter multiplici me prece apostolatui et sanctae caritati vestrae commendans, rogo per ipsum domnum Martinum, cuius frueris participato consortio, ut apud eum memorari praecipias me famulum et devotum, quatenus quid apud eum meritis praevaletis in meae humilitatis protectione iugiter ostendatis. ora pro me, do- mine sancte et apostolice, peculiaris domne et pater.