Letter 2025: Ennodius the deacon to Faustus the quaestor.

Ennodius the deacon to Faustus the Quaestor. That, by Heaven's arrangement, news of my return should be made: this was fittingly conveyed by none more than a friend hastening to Ravenna, whose faithful report would have sufficed even though the page itself were lacking. But I could not abstain from the practice, and if I were to ease off from it through any negligence whatsoever, I would seem to have condemned that frequency of the pen which I have loved. There is added the fact that I could not show empty hands in refusal to the aforesaid man, who knows how to demand, assured of himself, from those who love him what he knows how faithfully to render to them in keeping with the scrupulousness of his conscience. Having therefore departed from Ravenna, which embraces whatever I hold sweet in this present life, I reached Milan with the health of my body intact, Christ accompanying me, ill-bearing the speed which, perhaps against my desires, I chose on the return journey as winter drove me on. But all things are to be referred to God, to whom it belongs to set human affairs in order and to change bodily diligence with the savor of eternal love. Now, the humble greeting having been spoken, I betake myself to the matter of writing and to the commendation of the bearer, who, if he gives thanks for benefits in accordance with the serenity of your mind, recognizes that he has either received back what he bestowed upon your people, or in what manner he ought to be roused to love. Compel him to return in haste, even if he should be unwilling, because both his presence is necessary to my affection, and, if God shall have established the promise, when He Himself shall have so ordered, he is awaited as suited to the purpose.

XXV. FAVSTO QVAESTORI ENNODIVS DIACONVS. Pro caelesti dispositione reditus med indicia fieri: nullo magis quam amico Rauennam properante conuenit, cuius fidelis relatio etiam pagina cessante suffecerat. sed usu abstinere non potui, quo si sub quocumque neglectu temperem, uideor damnasse stili frequentiam quam amaui. iungitur quod praedicto obuias in negatione manus exhibere non potui, qui scit ab amantibus sui securus exigere quod eis pro religione conscientiae nouit fideliter exhibere. Rauennam ergo digressus, quae quicquid in praesenti uita habeo dulce conplectitur, Mediolanum salua corporis ualitudine Christo prosequente perueni, male ferens quam in redeundo hieme inpellente optaui forsitan contra desideria celeritatem. sed ad deum cuncta referenda sunt, cui adiacet humana facta conponere et diligentiam corporalem aeterni amoris sapore mutare. nunc ad scriptionis causam dicta humili salutatione et conmendationem me confero perlatoris, qui si pro mentis uestrae serenitate gratuletur beneficiis, agnoscit se aut recepisse quod uestris praestitit aut qualiter amare debeat incitari. quem, si uel nolit, festinum redire conpellite, quia et affectui meo praesentia eius est necessaria et si deus promissionem statuerit, cum ipse iusserit, utilitati expectatur adcommoda. 1 se∗renitate (d fort. eras) L colligitur Tl 2 steli Bx reuelare Tl quidqait B subtrannt B1 XXV. 5 faasto inscr. T 6 iudicia LP 7 amico (a ita ras.) B cui. T 8 cessente B snfficerat B 9 quod L, a qao fort . 11 exibere L (post. ras.) T 14 quidquid. B 15 christus T 17 referenda sunt ouneta T 18 compositione T 19 conmen- dationem scripsi, coameudatione B, commendatione LPTVb 20dicto T\' 22 au se T preetitit B 23 incitare T\' nollit B redire festinum T 26 ezspectatur V acomoda T 5*