Letter 5006: Ad Syagrium episcopum Augustidunensem

To Syagrius, Bishop of Autun To my holy lord and most worthy of the apostolic see, lord Bishop Syagrius — Fortunatus sends greetings. I was sunk in the torpor of mindless idleness, my mind drunk with prolonged decay, growing stupid and brutish in lingering illness — suffused with the dulling heaviness of lazy sleep, drowsing without any concern gnawing at me for the task assigned. It seemed that reading was being neglected and practice misused; I was getting nothing useful from any occasion or theme that could be worked into poetry; and, as it were, nothing was being pulled from the fleece that could be carded into verse. I was burying myself within myself in a kind of self-entombing silence, and, since I was singing nothing, I had rusted with the obsolete plectrum of my tongue. At last, unexpectedly, a fellow captive of mine — but one sent, as I believe, to me by the fortune of your happiness — arrived. While I questioned him: who, from where, and what he was carrying — about the child's calamity he burst forth with the causes of his own necessity, my compassion, and your reward, his sighs barely releasing the words. And while, his voice choked by the grief of his guts and the flood of his eyes, he was not permitted to speak, his tears in their very silence confessed the father. Since the anxious father hangs on his words and cannot express them, with the organ of his throat silent, his pupil spoke with tears. Such is what prevails in love by nature: a parent betrays himself by feeling before by lip. His eyes flowed, then, their suggestion punctuated by caressing weeping — enough to make even a cruel man merciful. His tears watered the seed of misery and the fruit of mercy alike: from one spring flowed the substance of grief and of gift, of mourning and of reward — so that one, watering with his eyes, and the other, drinking with his ears, what one pressed in tears the other stored in fruit. Thus by the sign of his sighing the captive's mind made itself understood, and grief drew onto his face, as in a mirror, the anguish that was visible in his heart. Among the silent, the state of affairs became known; and since with me his weeping availed as much as speaking, affection spoke wonderfully without a tongue. When, then, I was moved by the pitiful fellow-citizen's both loss and homeland — when I saw a father's face drenched in the rain of piety, until I nearly migrated entirely into another man's feeling — his weeping eyes fixed their complaints upon me like ink, and in an admirable way, water — which usually erases — wrote through tears. For who would not believe a weeping man, whom a stone did not beget? Whom would humanity not bend, whom a tigress did not birth? Since the speed of the leopard, the strength of the boar, the tooth of the lion, and the mass of the elephant all soften with caresses. He at last, the clamor of his complaints subsided, designates you as the happy antidote of his grief: the man sick in mind seeks his remedy: if your tongue deigns to lend itself, let it be his poultice. And mixing myself into his words as he spoke, I gave the man my word about you — that through me he should consult you and cease to weep. It remained to be considered whether I should send something for the ransom. Because the offspring was valuable? Or because it would profit you? Thinking of economy — lest the cheapness of the price cheapen your reward for the captive — and fearing especially that if he were bought for a coin, the matter would be lost at the level of talent: since above all I desired that you enjoy treasures equally with your martyr. What, then, would my meager resources bring forth as a gift? While I hesitated in choosing, there came to mind the saying of the lethargic Horace-Pindar: "Painters and poets have always had equal license to dare anything." Considering the verse — if each artist may blend what he will, why not, even if not by an artist, should both be blended? — so that poetry and painting might be woven on one loom? Then, wanting to plead in verse for the captive, I considered what the times of the Redeemer were — at what year of his age Christ redeemed us — and I would weave the poem in as many verses as letters. Immediately repelled by the difficulty of this work, or rather imprisoned by the difficulty — constrained by both the necessity of meter and the compression of letters — what could I do, where could I turn? A new calculation expanded my narrow numbers into new straitness, since at the fixed limit there was room neither for prolixity to stretch out nor brevity to take its corner, and the restraining barrier of the descending verses did not allow the weaving to wander. Thus I send you this work, squared in one texture so as to be read in five directions: and since there are thirty-three verses and thirty-three letters alike — in the likeness of Christ's bodily age, in which the one who rose redeemed us — still two are read down the sides, two diagonally, and one through the middle in descent. [Acrostic poem:] I pay you this work for Autun, Syagrius. The divine summit, as he made Adam, gives dreams until, a rib torn out, Eve is fashioned, not unequal: happy together, wrapped in the double garment of light, faces shining among the holy fields, as spouses. The pleasant bank breathed back a fragrant air to the nose, the delights of incense satisfied them with abundant breath, one single pleasure cherishing both in the flowered seat, the region known for its goods fed the blessed in its Tempe. But when they shone with greater honor than so great, the whole earth marvelously obeyed two humans; the hidden liar soon bared the weapons of his venom: the serpent, proud, jealous, the masked enemy, the savage one overcame the innocents with harming bile and crushed by persuasion those whom divine grace had blessed. And the man from earth then again fell down to earth, and by the creeping serpent's trick was expelled from the eastern dawn. Born of these, we die condemned by our parents' law. But God, excelling, from the soul and from the light of light, while from the throne of heaven he freely provides his gifts, the living lamb entered in raw flesh of the chaste one. Thence health came forth, or the lamp of the morning, the light excited from the virgin birth rescued the world: God by right from the Father, then man in the flesh from the womb. To snatch us free, the Author drew himself down to what is cheap. O the King's saleable head, which he fixed from the cross, by weapon, voice, hand — ill-made, by scourge and gall. And by this lot you release captives, Creator: late was the true purchase of life given through death. Whence I speak hymns to God who absolves from guilt. But you, upheld by the praise of the eternal crown, rays of Gaul, that night too may shine for you — break the yokes' straps and take up the arms of day: freedom itself sets you free and will bless you. Grant these holy prayers to Fortunatus, sacred Syagrius. Releasing captives, you will become the Lord's meditation. Christ sent himself when he raised us from death. Sweet gift of God — may this reward crown you, dear one. Dear to God is the piety that grants the soul release from death.

VI Ad Syagrium episcopum Augustidunensem DOMINO SANCTO ET APOSTOLICA SEDE DIGNISSIMO DOMNO SYAGRIO PAPAE FORTV- NATVS. Torpore vecordis otii, quo mens ebria desipit diutina tabe morbescente bru- tiscens, et velut ignavi soporis hebetante marcore suffectus, negotii indulti nulla mor- dente cura dormitans, cum videretur scilicet tam lectio neglegi quam usus abuti, neque nancisceretur quicquam occasionis ex themate quod digereretur in poesi, et, ut ita dictum sit, nihil velleretur ex vellere quod carminaretur in carmine, intra me quodam- modo me ipsum silentio sarcofagante sepeliens, et, cum nulla canerem , obsoleto linguae plectro aeruginavissem; tandem nec opinato concaptivo meo, sed tamen ut arbitror vestrae felicitatis ad me sorte delato, quis, unde, quidve deferat dum per- contor, de fili calamitate suae necessitatis, meae conpassionis, vestrae mercedis causas, indice singultu vix laxante, prorupit: quo voce intercepta tam viscerum maerore quam luminum flumine dum loqui non permittitur, ipso silentio patrem lacrimae fatebantur; quia, dum anxius in verbo genitor pendet nec exprimit, tacente faucis organo pupilla fletibus loquebatur. tantum est in caritate natura quod praevalet, ut parens ante se prodat affectu quam labio. (2) Fluebant igitur lumina suggestionem suam blandito ploratu conpunctam , ut etiam quamvis crudelem redderent lamenta clementem; inri- gabant lacrimae tam semen miseriae quam frugem misericordiae: uno fonte manabant res maeroris et muneris, uno luctus et merces, ut unus rigans oculis alter bibens auribus quod iste torcularet in fletu ille apothecaret in fructu. (3) Itaque signo singulti fecit se intellegi mens captivi. et quasi speculariter traxit maeror in facie qui videbatur angor in corde. unde inter tacentes causa rerum cognita, dum apud me valuit hoc fari quod flere, videbatur affectus mire sine lingua sic loqui. (4) Igitur cum me moveret lamentabilis concivis tam iactura quam patria, cum cernerentur vultus patris pietatis imbre perfundi, ut paene totus et ipse in alieno affectu migrarem, lacrimantes oculi querellas mihi fixerunt ad vicem incausti et admirabili modo aqua, quae delere solet, per fletus scripsit. quis enim flenti non crederet quem lapis non genuit? quem non humanitas flecteret quem partus tigridis non effudit? cum lentiscat blanditiis cursus pardi, virtus apri, dens leonis et moles elephanti. (5) Qui tandem sedato querellarum strepitu doloris sui prosperum te designat antidotum: scilicet dum aeger mente sibi poscit medellam, si se dignanter inpendat vestra lingua sit malagma. quo loquente media per verba me miscens, mihi de vobis credulus fidem feci homini, ex hoc per me te consuli, se non flere. (6) Restabat tamen conici, utrumne pro redemptione dirigerem: quod suboles valeret? an quod vobis proficeret? de conpendio cogitans, ne vilitate pretii depretiaretur tibi merces captivi; illud certe metuens, si caperetur in nummo, res periret in talento: praesertim cum desiderem, thesauros ex aequo te tuo frui cum martyre. (7) Quid vero pro munere modicitas proferret? cum in electione cunctarer, venit in mentem letargico dictum Flacci Pindarici : pictoribus atque poetis quaelibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas. considerans versiculum, si quae vult artifex permiscet uterque, cur [non], etsi non ab artifice, misceantur utraque, ut ordiretur una tela simul poesis et pictura? (8) Dehinc cum pro captivo velim versu suggerere, adtendens quae fuerint tempora redemptoris, quoto nos suae aetatis anno Christus absolverit, totidemque versiculis texerem carmen quot litteris, hac protenus operis difficultate repulsus aut magis difficulter inclusus tam metri necessitate quam litterarum epitome quid facerem, quo prodirem? nova calcula- tione angustus mihi numerus angustias dilatavit, quia praefixo termino non erat nec ubi se prolixitas excuteret aut brevitas angularet, nec evagari propter descendentes versus frenante repagulo orditura permisit. in quo quippe exordio supercrescente apice non licuit vel solvere vel fila laxare, ne numerum transiliens erratica se tela turbaret. (9) Hinc cura commoveor, ut duo per capita, duo ex obliquo, unus vero per medium descendentes integri versiculi legerentur. altera pars restiterat, quam inter omnes litteram meditullio conlocarem, quae sic reciperet omnem ut offenderet nemi- nem. (10) Igitur huius telae cum licia numero collegissem, ut texere coeperam, et se et me fila rumpebant; incipiens ego opere propter absoluturo ligari, atque mutata vice, dum captivi solvere lora cupio, me catena constringo. nam huius opusculi quae sit hinc conicitur difficultas: ubicumque volueris, si addis, crescit linea; subtrahis, perit gratia; mutas, non consonant capita: figis nec fugis litteram. (11) Itaque cum penderet haec tela versibus laqueata, ut si duo transirem, adhuc tria non fuge- rem, ego incautus passer quasi mentita per nubila incurri pantheram, quia quod cavere volebam huc pinna ligabar, aut magis. ut dictum sit, velut plumis inlitis quinquifida viscatura tendebar; inter haec illud me commovens, quod tale non solum feceram, sed nec_exemplo simili trahente ducebar. (12) His incertus et trepidus, ipsa novitate suspensus utrumne temptarem quae numquam adgressus sim, an cautius respuerem quam incaute proferrem, tamen, licet invitus. loquor paene quae nescio; et tu me vincis amore, ne vincar ab opere. ecce exigis a me et quod in me vix invenis; violen- tiam facis qui tuus, non rebellis est: extorques nec repelleris; amor blandus tyrannus est. (13) Vt hoc pararem conmercii, per incertum pelagi rudis nauta vela suspendi: affectu raptus deferor per fluctus et scopulos. urgues me praecipitem per ignota trans- ire: quid est quod non obtineas? sicut amas, sic imperas. (14) Habes igitur opus sic uno textu quadratum, ut sit legendo quinquifidum; et cum sint triginta tres tam versus quam litterae, ad similitudinem Christi carnalis aetatis, qua nos absolvit unus resurgens, adhuc duo per capita, duo ex obliquo, unus quoque per medium legitur in descensu: unde fit ut se finito versu littera non finiret, quia etsi indirecto pervenit ad terminum, tamen cursus illi superest in descensu, quia adhuc coniungitur in finali versiculo. (15) In meditullio autem parvi huius opusculi illam fiximus litteram quae inter viginti tres numeratur permedia ac tantas ante se respicit quantas et post se transilit, quia concurrentibus versibus et dividitur tota et manet integra res divisa. littera vero quae tinguitur in descenderiti versiculo, et tenetur in uno et currit in altero et, ut ita dicatur, et stat pro stamine et pro trama currit in tramite, ut esse potest in pagina: licia litterata. (16) Ne tamen causa nos oneret, quod velut aragnaea arte videmur picta fila miscere: quod vobis conpertum est in Moysi prophetae libris, polymitarius artifex vestes texuit sacerdotis. unde, cum desit hic coccinum, res est texta de minio. versus autem ex obliquo descendentes ab angulis ratione stant, etsi positione succlinant. qualiter autem conexi sint singulive quid continent satis est prudentiae sine indice rem probare. (17) In summa, commendato me piae beatitati et exuberanti vestrae dulcedini, tribuentes petita confidenti vicarietate servitii, si placet, hoc opere parieti conscripto pro me ostiario pictura servet vestibulum. ora pro me. Augustidunensis opus tibi solvo, Syagri. Dius apex Adam ut fecit, dat somnia, donec avulsa costa plasmata est Eva nec inpar: felices pariter, diploide lucis operti, ore coruscantes inter pia rura iugales; ripae iucundae nari grata aura redibat, turis deliciae saturabant ubere flatu, una fovens ambos florosa sede voluptas, nota bonis regio pascebat Tempe beatos. at cum tam magno pollerent maius honore, tota hominum mire parebat terra duorum, occultus mendax mox exerit arma veneni: serpens elatus, zelator, larveus hostis, atrox innocuos evincens felle nocenti conlisit suasu quos gratia diva bearat. et homo de terra tum denuo decidit illuc reptantisque dolo Eoois excluditur ortu. hac nati morimur damnati lege parentum. at deus excellens aie et de lumine lumen e caeli solio dum munera providet ultro, castae carne rudi vivax introiit agnus. prodiit inde salus matutinive lucerna intactae partu lux eruit excita mundum: a patre iure deus, homo dehinc carneus alvo, ut nos eriperet, vili se detrahit auctor. o regis venale caput, quod de cruce fixit, telo voce manu malfactus verbere felle, ac tu hac solvis captivos sorte, creator: sero vera data est vitalis emptio morte; ymnos unde deo loquor absolvente reatu. at vos, aeternae suffulti laude coronae, Gallorum radii, vobis quo fulgeat et nox, rumpite lora iugis et sumitis arma diei: ipsave libertas vos liberat atque beabit. Da Fortunato sacer haec pia vota Syagri. Captivos laxans domini meditatio fies. Cristus se misit cum nos a morte revexit. Dulce dei munus quo merx te care coronet, Cara deo pietas animam dat de nece solvi.