Letter 4030: After the first hope you raised, I waited — and the waiting was the hardest part.

Ennodius to Eugenetes, a man of perfect distinction. After the first conversations gave fulfillment to my hope, I loosened for the practice of speech a mouth long kept on holiday; for even one to whom, by his own awareness, Latin learning is not at hand is animated by successes. When studies fall idle, joys have often rendered a man eloquent. If cheerfulness drives away the clouds of grief, soon glowing words run forth through the clear air. And so either gladness shows us to be accomplished, or adversity makes us infants. These things, my lord, are confirmed for us, with us too giving our assent. Therefore, having embraced a time of prosperity, I render the affection of the greeting that is owed, hoping that the noble promise concerning me, which took its beginning from the fullness of grace, may be doubled, as though it were in need of increase. Farewell.

XXX. EVGENETI V. I. ENNODIVS. Postquam prima spei meae effectum dedere conloquia, ad usum sermonis ora diu feriata laxaui: animatur enim successibus etiam cui per conscientiam non subpetit Latiaris eruditio. cessantibus studiis saepe facundum gaudia reddiderunt: XXVIII. 1 peregrinatums ducerem T 4 continnatio L 6 domine om. B, domini B (8. I. m. rec. F) b mi T, mihi BLPV, nostri B (s . 2. m. rec. ?) b 8 imperandum L 9 congrua ̃ t B perducatur] flnit add. B , XXVIIII. 12 sequatium LT inauspica T 13 de deo ex debeo B bona L1 ingerit s. dispensatio om. T 14 praesumet B 16 aquiligensi B, aquiliensi T 17 numerum L 19 diliget B XXX. 21 eugeniti t ι̃ c. B 22 dederet Tl 24 latiares B, lanaris T 25 cessantibus ergo Pb facundus B, facondum Tl meroris BLTV maeroris nubila si hilaritas depellit, mox rutilantia per sudum uerba discurrunt. itaque aut perfectos nos laetitia monstrat aut infantes facit aduersitas. haec, mi domine, nobis etiam adstipulantibus confirmantur. ergo tempus prosperitatis amplexus reddo debendae salutationis affectum, sperans ut circa me nobilis promissio, quae a plenitudine gratiae sumpsit exordium, quasi incrementis egena geminetur. uale.