Letter 1006: I received the books Your Holiness sent — brilliant in eloquence, perfect in knowledge, excellent in teaching, clear...

Ruricius to his holy lord and most devout father Nepotianus the presbyter. I have received the books which your Holiness sent, books renowned for their eloquence, perfect in learning, sound in doctrine, lucid in the purity of their faith; books which, being rich in the abundance of their sacred testimonies, eminent in authority, and resplendent with light, may readily both illuminate the minds of the faithful and expose the errors of the unfaithful and refute them. Enticed by only a very slight taste of these, rather than restored by them, I could not reach satiety, because of the cares of this world. For just as the stomach, when it is consumed by the heat of fevers, neither accepts the sweet foods that were formerly offered to it nor seeks after them once they are taken away, so too the mind, worn out by worldly anxieties and cares, neither desires spiritual banquets when they are absent, nor partakes of them when they are set before it, nor perceives them when they are poured in. Though these things stand thus with me, you nonetheless have proved the affection of a devoted parent and have fulfilled both the service of a solicitous teacher and the duty of a diligent physician, in that you sent suitable medicines to one laboring under such weariness. And although, on account of my own negligence, I am unable to obtain recovery from them, you nonetheless will receive your reward from the just recompenser, who is accustomed to return kindly thanks even on behalf of the ungrateful. Of these aforementioned books, therefore, I have kept one, as you commanded, and have sent back another, which you should know belongs to Saint Hilary, prelate of the city of Poitiers. Since you had instructed me of this, I have taken care to make it known. This one that I have retained, however, while you permit it, I have resolved to copy out, so that what we cannot commit to memory we may at least take care to entrust to the page.

VI. DOMINO SANCTO ET PIISSIMO PATRI NEPOTIANO PRESBVTERO RURICIUS. Codices, quos sanctitas uestra transmisit, accepi eloquentia claros, scientia perfectos, doctrina probos, fidei puritate perspicuos, qui sacrorum testimoniorum ubertate locupletes, auctoritate praestantes, luce fulgentes facile et fidelium mentes inluminent et infidelium errores detegant atque conuincant. quorum ego gustu admodum tenui pellectus potius quam refectus ad satietatem propter sollicitudines saeculi peruenire non potui. sicut enim stomachus, cum febrium ardore decoquitur, dulces sibi antea cibos nec oblatos recipit nec requirit ablatos, ita et animus mundanis anxietatibus curisque confectus spiritales dapes nec desiderat absentes nec carpit appositas nec sentit infusas. Quae cum ita se in me habeant, uos tamen et pii parentis probastis affectum et solliciti magistri ministerium et seduli medici implestis officium, ut tali taedio laboranti medicamenta congrua mitteretis. quibus etsi propter neglegentiam meam ego non ualeo consequi sospitatem, uos tamen percipietis a iusto repensatore mercedem, qui etiam pro ingratis grates beniuolas referre consueuit. horum ergo praefatorum codicum unum, sicut iussistis, retinui, alium remisi, quem sancti Hilarii Pictauae urbis antestitis esse noueritis. quod quia praeceperatis, indicare curaui. hunc uero retentum, (dum) permittitis, transferre disposui, ut, quod memoriae commendare non possumus, saltim uel paginis mandare curemus. 2 nepociano S 4 elonquentia 8 5 perfectus-probus-perspicuus 81 10 sacietatem S 11 sthomacus S 12 ante v oblatus S ore post oblatos add. v recepit requiret 8 13 ista S 16 habent S parentes S 18 offitium S 19 etsi Kr., et S 21 beniuoles S 22 cousueuit|| S ego v prefatorum S 23 hilari S 24 pictaue S antestites S preciperatis S 25 dum addidi, om. S, si addidit Kr., ut mauult Mommsenns 26 possimus v