Letter 5003: Ennodius to Opilio, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious].

Ennodius to Opilio, vir inlustris [an illustrious man]. I owe replies to our earlier conversations, and in deference to my resolve and to modesty, I ought to redouble the favors I have received-unless I displease you with a page gone rustic-lest the esteem of a superior turn back to regret over having renounced disdain. For by our fault those set on the summit do not lose the memory of their haughtiness, if they suspect that even the lowly pursue that same species of evil. For since one's own chastening exalts the most eminent, and the fullness of worldly honors suffers increase by this art alone, we must consider what loss the narrowness of an unmeasured station brings to those who are cast down. Let it therefore suffice for your greatness that, after writing twice, I perceive what error I incurred through silence. But I was afraid, I confess, lest flight from faults should lead me into fault, and lest a discourse assigned to win favor, while polished by no file of skill, should meet with offense. I shrank from the dread that arises in the ignorant from an occasion of obeying. Behold, I have asserted that I possessed both the soul of one who confesses a thing deposited in trust and the modesty, in making restitution, of one well aware of his own powers. It remains, however, most blameless of men, that I should learn this too pleases you upon inspection of my plea: that hitherto I have not returned what I received. For the consideration of our own capacity is a faithful index, and just as it is paramount in all things, so, when it is kept watch over, it fortifies one's reputation as regards leanness of tongue; because, if the endowment of the eloquent grows through modesty, it easily attains the name of prudence, since through that very modesty inarticulateness falls silent. Nevertheless, for the cause you laid upon me, I display a loss of my own front, and while I carry out your commands, I commit my repute to uncertain outcomes. Agnellus, concerning the cottages, mocks me through various semblances of promises, wishing the sum of the price to be fixed by us. But you have learned that the ardor of a wicked man is insatiable, one who cannot be cured except by contempt of money. My lord, I greet you and ask that the bond of dutiful love toward me, and of our compact, be kept.

III. ENNODIVS OPILIONI V. I. Debeo equidem prioribus responsa conloquiis et in obsequio propositi uel pudoris, nisi pagina rusticante displiceam, accepta geminare, ne potioris dignatio ad paenitentiam redeat 1 dotis LV 2 stimmata B, stemata LTV continuisset Bb 4 in ueteribuB ex meteribus L m. ant . 5 consuetus B 6 cum ex con T m. 2 7 erudieio BL bono ex beato T m. 3 sobolis LTV sepulchra LPTYb 8 actenus B et Bb, om. LPTV 9 concessus] censondus b w mg . reglgens B, negligens LTV 10 potui om. B disperare B 12 facites ee (es ex is eorr.) B 14 infeconda Tl 16 causedicus BL V 17 reserastis B 18 incombe T\' 19 utj aut L 20 sarculo T, arculo L purgandoJ finit add. B III. 22 ui. B, VI b, om. T 28 pro prioribus B 25 penitentiam BLTV . de abiuratione fastidii. nostro enim uitio in culmine constituti supercilii memoriam non amittunt, si illud mali genus sectari et humiles suspicentur. cum enim eminentissimos adtollat castigatio sua et honorum plenitudo saecularium hoc solo artificio patiatur augmenta, considerandum est quid abiectis detrimenti pariat status angustia non metiti. ergo sufficiat magnitudini uestrae, quod post duplicem scriptionem sentio quid per silentium erroris incurrerim. sed timui confiteor, ne ad uitium me duceret fuga culparum et [sermo deputatus ad gratiam, dum nulla peritiae lima comeretur, inueniret offensam. refugi horrorem, qui ignaris de parendi occasione generatur. ecce asserui habuisse me et animam depositum confitentis et bene de uiribus conscii in restitutione uerecundiam. restat autem, emendatissimi hominum, et illud placere uobis allegationis meae inspectione cognoscam, quod hactenus accepta non reddidi. fida enim index est possibilitatis nostrae consideratio et sicut in omnibus praecipua, ita famam muniens circa linguae maciem custodita, quia, si crescit eloquentium dos pudore, facile prudentiae nomen adipiscitur, cum per ipsum conticescat, infantia. causae tamen, quam iniunxistis, iacturam frontis exhibeo et dum imperata exsequor, opinionem ad incerta transmitto. Agnellus de casis per uarias promissionum mihi inludit effigies, uolens a nobis summam pretii designari. sed mali 9 cf. Hor. A. p. us. 31 1 abiurtatione T 2 rapplicii T 3 eminentissim| B .0 4 plenifcuda L1 saecularum L 5 aumenta B, agmenta T 7 post om. T p 8. I. add . m. 2 8 silentium V sed sil in ras. 3 lite. quarum prima c incurrerem B cuteor uereor V uereor exp . et afiteor 8. scr. m. 1 10 offesam (eeam in ras.) B 11 parendi B PТ2b, pariendi LТ1V 13 uerecondiam T restatute mendatis- Bimi B 14 et] ut fort . allegationee F1 15 actenus B 16 indiz B 17 ita] prima T famam B (ut proposui Wiener Studten II p. 255), fama LPTVb 18 custodite L1 Quia si b, qui aai B, quasi LPTV, qua si conieceram l . c. dos] de T 19 conticiscat B 20 iniancxistis BV 21 obsequor T 22 inludet B 23 nobis L et Sirm . summa L1 hominis ardorem insatiabilem esse didicistis, qui nisi contemptu pecuniae non sanetur. domine mi, saluto et rogo, ut religio circa. me pii amoris seruetur et foederis.