Letter 1003: The path to writing to you, which my lack of skill had blocked, has been opened by love — and by that sovereign...

III. RURICIUS TO HIS MOST DEVOTED SON, AND EVER MAGNIFICENT, HESPERIUS. My affection has opened up for me the approach to writing to your like-mindedness [unanimity], an approach which my inexperience had blocked off, as has that piety which is mistress of all things, through which rigid things are bent, stony things are softened, swollen things are calmed, harsh things are soothed, gentle things swell up, savage things grow mild, mild things grow savage, placid things are inflamed, dull things are sharpened, barbarous things are mastered, monstrous things are appeased -- and which, carrying out its work even in me, has unlocked a tongueless mouth, drawing me forth out of the most secure retreat of silence. And it compels me to undertake, in a life now grown old, new things [enter] before a public and fearsome judgment: namely, so that I, who up to now followed that old maxim by which it is said that very often it is better to keep silent than to speak, and who preferred to cover my own ignorance with the modesty of silence rather than to bring it forth shamelessly in unpolished speech, should now -- as forgetful of my own custom as I am unmindful of my rusticity -- as though suddenly changed from Arion into Orpheus, wish to present myself to your most eloquent ears with a chattering mouth, not so much obliging as injurious, while I attempt things unknown and presume upon things unaccustomed. But you will grant pardon, as I think, to one who comes out of the constraint of a necessary necessity, because a breast that shares in mutual feeling recognizes what affection claims for itself by natural power in the minds of mortals. Therefore, lest by lingering too long over an excuse we should thereby extend the page, so that my rather inelegant speech may present to you not only no [...], but also lest the disordered abundance present distaste, we now burst forth into the voice of piety and belch out [pour out] the words of our longings, commending to you our pledge, your own deposit, by whose reception you have taken us up. For to you I have entrusted the hope of my posterity, to you the solace of my present life and the relief of the life to come, if the Divinity grant it; to you alone I have committed all my prayers. You I have chosen as the bringer-forth and shaper of noble gems, you as the searcher of gold, you as the finder of hidden water -- you who know how to restore to their own nobility the gems concealed within stones, gems which assuredly, in so great a confusion of things, would lose their nobility if they did not have one to point them out. Gold too, mingled with cheap sands, unless it be washed in waters by the skill of a craftsman and melted out by fires, can retain neither its splendor nor its worth. The enclosed veins also of flowing waters, and the channel of a stream covered over with earth, unless the diligence of one who seeks them clear away the rubble more carefully, the wave of liquid will not flow. So too the edge of senses still tender, beset by the cloud of ignorance as if by the roughness of scaly rust, unless it be polished by the constant file of a teacher, cannot of itself grow bright. It is therefore now yours, yours in all these matters, to answer both to your own reputation and likewise to our judgment, lest either you should seem to have presumed unlawfully, or we to have chosen without due consideration.

III. DEUINCTISSIMO FILIO SEMPERQVE MAGNIFICO HESPERIO RURICIUS. Scribendi mihi ad unanimitatem tuam aditum, quem obstruxerat inperitia, patefecit affectus et illa dominatrix omnium pietas, per quam flectuntur rigida, saxea molliuntur, sedantur tumida, leniuntur aspera, tumescunt lenia, mitescunt saeua, saeuiunt mitia, accenduntur placida, acuuntur bruta, dominantur barbara, immania placantur, etiam in me opus suum peragens os elingue reserauit producens me ex tutissimo silentii recessu. ad publicum formidandumque iudicium et in uita iam ueteri noua subire conpellit, scilicet ut, qui hactenus illam sententiam secutus antiquam, qua dicitur saepenumero praestare tacere quam dicere, inscientiam meam maluerim uerecundiae taciturnitate tegere, quam inpudenter incondito sermone proferre, nunc tam consuetudinis meae inmemor quam rusticitatis oblitus quasi ex Arione in Orpheum repente mutatus uelim disertissimis auribus tuis ore garrulo non tam officiosus quam iniuriosus exsistere, dum et ignota pertempto et insueta. praesumo. ; Sed dabitis, ut reor, ueniam uenienti ex necessitudine necessariae necessitatis, quia, quid dilectio in mortalium mentibus naturali potestate sibi uindicet, conscium mutuae passionis pectus agnoscit. ergo ne excusationi diutius immorantes ita 2 \'ammisit S 4 sequestrat\' S (\' man. alt.) a ante praemio add. Kr . 10 tumiscunt S mitiscuut S 13 elinguae S 14 iuditium S in uita iam ueteri scripsi, fuuita ia uestri S, inuitata uestri Mommsenus, inuitatio uestri v 16 sepenumero S prestare S 17 malluerim S V 18 legere v 19 nunc] non v tam v, iam S 20 orfeum S 21 uels p lim S dissertissimis S 22 pertimto S (corr. man. alt.) 23 praesumo S 25 necessitatis v, necessitati S quod v 27 excusacioni S diucius S immo morantes S 23* paginam dilatemus, ut non solum tibi non exhibeat sermo incomptior ***, uerum etiam copia inordinata fastidium, iam in uocem pietatis erumpimus et desideriorum uerba ructuamus conmendantes tibi pignus nostrum, depositum tuum, cuius nos susceptione cepisti. tibi enim spem posteritatis meae, tibi solatium uitae praesentis et leuamen, si diuinitas annuerit, futurae, tibi uni omnia mea uota commisi. te elicitorem et formatorem lapillorum nobilium, te rimatorem auri, te repertorem aquae latentis elegi, qui sciris abstrusas lapidibus gemmas propriae reddere generositati, quae utique in tanta rerum confusione amitterent nobilitatem, si indicem non haberent. aurum quoque harenis uilibus mixtum nisi artificis sollertia eluatur aquis, ignibus eliquetur, nec splendorem poterit retinere nec meritum. saeptas etiam aquarum manantium uenas et obductum terra fluenti alueum nisi diligentius eruderauerit appetitoris industria, laticis unda non fluet. ita et tenerorum adhuc acies sensuum ignorantiae nubilo quasi crassitate scabrosae rubiginis obsessa, nisi adsidua doctoris lima purgetur, nequit sponte clarescere. tuum ergo nunc, tuum est in his omnibus et opinioni tuae et nostro pariter respondere iudicio, ne aut tu praesumpsisse inlicite aut nos inconsiderate elegisse uideamur.