Letter 4008: [Pope Symmachus (r. 498-514) was a pope whom Ennodius energetically defended during the disputed papal election of...

ENNODIUS TO POPE SYMMACHUS. By your apostolic favor you have advanced me even to the point of rashness: the confidence granted me has become the mother of audacity. But whoever thinks me ignorant of humility will find me obedient, if he considers your commands. It is presumption when the favors of masters are not followed up by servants: I judge that to be obedience which I expend in readiness to obey. Behold, I have set forth the cause of my writing, because I feared that, after the care of the pen was commanded of me, I might by keeping silent spurn your precepts. To this was added that, in the case of Marius of venerable memory, while I was at the city, you gave hope to my entreaties; whose business was settled with your holy Church by a lawful agreement. But his heirs for very many years lament that the fruits owed to them have been withheld: on their behalf I, conscious of your character, come as an intercessor, because he whose custom it is unceasingly to do pious deeds will not despise just claims, and he who bestows what is his own will not take away what belongs to another. He errs who believes that a conscience near to God is enticed by gains: it is a loss to a holy will not to render a benefit. You think those alone to be profits which arise for you from generosity, you who, while you bestow riches, receive them. The dispensing of holy men is greedy, which, reserving nothing, brings back all things as gain proper to itself: there are no advantages more excellent than those which come to you from open-handedness. Therefore, free from care, in contemplation of you I have promised to the heirs the loss of the labor comprehended above: do you, by your kindly disposition, fulfill my promise, and relieve them by the effect, and me by your conversation.

VIII. ENNODIVS SVMMACHO PAPAE. Vsque ad temeritatem me apostolica dignatione promouistis: fiducia concessa extitit mater audaciae. sed qui me humilitatis putat ignarum oboedientem probabit, si iussa consideret. praesumptio est, si dominorum beneficia famuli non sequantur: obsequium aestimandum puto quod pariturus inpendo. ecce causam scriptionis adserui, quia ueritus sum ne post imperatam stili curam tacens praecepta respuerem. huc accessit quod in causa. uenerabilis memoriae Mari, dum apud urbem essem, spem meis precibus uos dedistis, cuius negotium cum sancta ecclesia uestra legitima pactione decisum est. sed heredes eius per annos plurimos debitos sibi fructus deflent fuisse 1 credatur B, uldeatur LPTVb potentia. B qui fastam T in ras. m. 2 12 ad∗eptus B reaignante T 4 inperiis B libermn Tl tribuites B\', tribuistis L 6 adquirit fort . 7 indicit T (it ex et eorr. recte fort.) 8 admunitionis B 10 specialom potim quam speciatem B\', apecialem b 12 multos B inhereo B 18 nalerSe B 14 actaum L disquiro) finit add. B VIII. 16 symacho BT 17 Mmeritatem L, temperitatem B 19 ppabit T 22|inperatam B 23 adeessit B 24 marii LPTVb 26 decisum (eci m ras.) V 27 fructos B subtractos: pro quibus uestri- conscius precator accedo, quia cui mos est pia iugiter facere iusta non despiciet et qui largitur proprium aliena non subtrahet, errat qui deo proximam conscientiam credit commodis inuitari: detrimentum est sanctae uoluntati non exhibere beneficium. sola putatis lucra, quae uobis de liberalitate nascuntur, qui diuitias dum tribuitis accipitis. auara est dispensatio sanctorum, quae nil reseruando uniuersa proprium reducit ad meritum: nulla sunt potiora quam quae uobis eueniunt de largitate conpendia. ergo securus conprehensi superius heredibus laboris promisi uestra contemplatione iacturam: uos pollicitationem meam benigna dispositione conplete et illos effectu, me releuate conloquio.