Letter 7030: The hope placed in the young is solid, and their progress confirms what our faith in them anticipated.

ENNODIUS TO FAUSTUS. The hope placed in young men is sound when the care of great men attends it: if that attention ceases, the rich crop of wheat turns into darnel. Partenius, the son of my sister, had for a long time been drawn toward diligence in his studies by his dread of your eminence, as far as the appeal of his own father has disclosed. But now, released through your absence from the rule of that venerable awe, he is contriving shameful things: that age, being more friendly to sins, finds many guides toward error. His father implores the good faith of my purpose, and he laments his son, though unharmed, in the place of one cut off. So they act for whom no confidence in the progress of their own kin has answered. Nothing was left to me which, overcome by entreaties, I might press forward in the place of a remedy, except to instruct beforehand the conscience of your eminence concerning the excesses I have just mentioned, while the young man hastens. Do you extend your healing hand, do you grant your accustomed aid, lest the advance of his vices cut down in him everything that could bring forth some good. Commend to your friends the things that are being done; make them known to his teacher, and grant whatever can come to his relief, since these are the things which, when the aforementioned have been greeted with the homage of salutation, I may render to my kinsman without dissimulation, mindful of my profession.

XXX. ENNODIVS FAVSTO. Solida est spes adulescentium, quam magnorum cultura prosequitur: si cessat curatio, ubertas tritici transit in lolium. Partenium sororis meae filium diu circa diligentiam litterarum, quantum patris ipsius reserauit allegatio, culminis uestri metus adtraxerat. sed nunc per absentiam uestram uenerandae solutus lege formidinis molitur obscena: aetas illa peccatis amicior multos reperit ad errata ductores. inplorat fidem propositi mei pater et incolumem filium loco deflet extincti. sic faciunt quibus de profectu suorum fiducia nulla responderit. 1 dici Bl 2 dominae b barbare B* domnum B1, dominum B (corr.) b 3 luruquae B aliut B 4 sperat b reddituram B 5 Epitaphium Cynegiae inscr. uersibus Sirm. precium B 6 dedit B 8. h hanc tumulis Sirm., haec totam olis Bb, hasc titulis uel tumulia coni. Schottus 7 sobolem b 8, faustone et B b, Fansto et Schattus; em. Sirm. praemolior Bb, em. Sirm . 9 ALITER, desiecet B medella B 10 torum B, totum b 11 patrona coni. Schattus; sed. cf. p. 21$, 3 XXX. 14 adoliscentium B, adoleaoentium T 16 cessit BLV, ceeaet T, eeasat B (a. h m. rec.) b libertas X 19 obscaeno . B 20 reperit T 21: me LTXV incotomem B, incoluA T nihil mihi residuum fuit, quod remedii loco precibus uictus ingererem, nisi ut eminentiae uestrae conscientiam de excessibus ante dicit iuuenis festinus instruerem. uos medicam manum, uos opem praestate consuetam, ne uitiorum profectus uniuersa in eo, quae boni aliquid potuerunt ferre, succidat. commendate amicis quae agantur: insinuate doctori et quicquid potest subuenire concedite, quia haec sunt, quae praefatis salutati obsequiis consanguineo possim professionis meae memori sine dissimulatione praestare.