Letter 8037: Although my poor efforts cannot adequately praise your accomplishments, the attempt itself is a duty I owe to...

Ennodius to Boethius. Though eloquence rises with but slender result from a petition, prosperous circumstances both win favor for and endow fluent speech: pages, however replete with words, go hungry if they are spurned at the moment of obtaining their request. Praise is owed more to fortunate letters than to skilled ones. He speaks rightly with words sublime in their polish who takes leading men captive by the charm of his speaking: an unlucky chance scatters any rhetorical figure whatever; for the tongue grows rich when it is nourished by benefits. Some time ago I addressed to your eminence a conversation, with a boldness of whatever sort prompting it, which you so relieved by the genius of your reply that I believed I had wasted, through my repose, the seasons of a worthy favor, since a slight exertion had enticed the judgment of one who holds the citadel. You had also promised that the house I had asked for would not be denied me. I walked uplifted by twin successes, if both the reputation of a thing accomplished should grow by your endorsement and that of a most wealthy estate by the outlay. But I detest the delay which barren faults indeed have brought forth. For the man of your high station whom I was awaiting did arrive, and asserted that nothing had been entrusted to him which could be of advantage to my desires. See the gloomy bargains of my merits: their striving against me cannot break faith, but they exact slowness. Far be it from my conscience to distrust your renown: it is the mark of an obscene mind to think that the memory of a thing established does not endure. But I ask that, while you affirm the light of your purpose, you may overcome the obscurities of those things which are owed to me. Therefore pour into your bestowal the genius of swiftness as a gift. My lord, while rendering the homage of my greeting, I add my prayers, that I may receive the consular largess together with a reply to the aforesaid petition.

XXXVII. ENNODIVS BOETIO. Quamuis tenui effectu petitionis surgit eloquium, et conciliant et dotant facundiam res secundae: in qualibet uerborum i 1 iassistds B praeseius B reia B 2 nros T 3 prea n standi B 4 celeetis B adulationem T sic carr. m. 2 domine b 5 mi Pb, m T, mihi BLV 6 uestre B oportunitas BLPTVb 7 reuelletis B XXXVI. 9 boethio BLVb 10 precium B reticis B 11 credibatur B 12 efferuuit B 13 epistolas L 15 florum B 16 essis B haberis B 18 temporem B frigiscas B 21 multis B incombas T1 XXXVII. 23 boethio BLV . 24 tenue B surget BPT1 Vb 25 secunde B saturitate paginas, si repudientur ab inpetratione, ieiunant: plus felicibus epistolis debetur laudatio quam peritis. iure loquitur uerbis nitore sublimibus qui summates uiros dicendi uenustate captiuat: quoduis oratorium schema sinistra fors dissipat: ditescit enim lingua nutrita beneficiis. dudum ad eminentiam uestram direxi qualicumque audacia producente conloquium, quod ita responsi genio subleuastis, ut crederem me perdidisse digni fauoris tempora per quietem, quando modicus sudor iudicium arcem tenentis inlexerat. promiseratis etiam domum, quam poposceram, non negandam. geminis eleuatus successibus incedebam, si et opinio perfecti adstipulatione et census locupletissimi creuisset inpendio. sed detestor moram, quam sterilia quidem peccata pepererunt. nam et homo culminis uestri quem praestolabar aduenit, et nihil sibi mandatum esse, quod desideriis meis prodesse posset, adseruit. uide meritorum meorum fusca commercia: quorum contra me nitentia fidem frangere nequeunt, exigunt tarditatem. absit a conscientia mea de uestrae claritate diffidere: obscenae mentis est putare constituti memoriam non manere. sed rogo, ut dum propositi uestri lucem adseritis, eorum quae mihi debenturm obscura superetis. ergo praestationi uestrae genium dono celeritatis infundite. domine mi, cultum salutationis inpertiens preces adicio, ut consularem sportulam cum responso praefatae petitionis accipiam. mis 1 repudiunt B 2 debitur B 8 summatis B 4 quod L scema B foris T1, sors Pb 5 ditiscet B immi lingua B 6 aram B qualecumque B audatia B 7 Bubleuastes B credirem B 8 digna B 9 inlixerat B 11 incidebam B si etl. L 13 peperiroat B 14 praestalabar B 15 posBit B 16 uide om. B me] mi B 17 quae.unt B exigunt om. B tarditate mi B 18 ure B, uestra Pb 19 potare B 20 adseretis BLV, asseretis T1 21 supalatesB22eeleritatis(tamras.)BaLmiPb, m T, mihi BL V 23 praeoes B additio T eportula B 24 adcipiam B