Letter 3021: The man I commend to you needs few words from me: his own reputation and your long acquaintance with him make a...

Ennodius to Faustus. A man whom both seniority of acquaintance and the speech of good repute commend needs few words to recommend him: he who is supported before your greatness by his own endowments has no need of lengthy discourse. The aforesaid arrangement [of yours] speaks of the eminent man Vitalis, whom your [favor] has made to rejoice in the fellowship of the sacred college. Shall he then be fortified by letters from outsiders, who by the kindness of your speech enters the senate-house not as a stranger, and to whom you have unbarred the inmost chambers of liberty -- shall the secret recesses of the heart be closed to him? But I for my part rejoice in writing at length, because, even if I bestow little on the bearer, I suffer no loss to my own desire. My lord, rendering the greeting that I owe, I pray that the favor of your eminence may show itself more closely toward the aforesaid man, and may have regard for me by the restoration of converse.

XXI. ENNODIVS FAVSTO. Paucis adserendus est quem et notitia senior et opinionis bonae lingua commendat: non indiget prolixitate sermonum qui suis apud magnitudinem uestram dotibus adiuuatur. sublimem uirum Vitalem loquitur praefata concinnatio, quem 08 uestram fecit sacri consortio gandere collegii. ergo extraneis munietur epistulis qui orationis uestrae beneficio curiam non ut peregrinus ingreditur et cui reserastis libertatis penetralia, illi pectoris arcana claudentur? ego autem gaudeo scriptione multiplici, quia, etsi parum trihuam perlatori, nulla proprii desiderii damna sustineo. domine, salutationem restituens quam debeo precor, ut et circa praefatum gratia se culminis uestri. propius manifestet et mihi prospiciat restitutione conloquii.