Letter 2002: Avitus, bishop, to Liberius the prefect.

Bishop Avitus to Liberius the prefect. After the most fortunate arrival of your authority visited the manifold troubles of the Gauls, I was up to now granted no fulfillment of my longing among your affections. Hence, although we too believe that we profit from the benefits which you have for some time now been scattering abroad among the provincials, nevertheless to me, thirsting until now for your letters, you have come as it were only for the first time. For indeed, so as not to thrust myself forward by unbidden offerings of epistolary courtesies, I feared to clamor against those preoccupations by which I believed myself, over so great a span of time, to be kept back from the reading I longed for. But since, even if belatedly, with you compelling me and with me writing back to your most exalted pages, the order of alternating exchange in literary discourse has been preserved—you who have made me a respondent without bashfulness—render me, as I desire, a debtor by your frequent correspondence. Nor are causes for commanding lacking, if you give your assent: there abound things which you might enjoin upon those who desire to obey. For courtesy is greater than power, and the condescension is no less than the dignity. For this very matter, whose material for writing to you the occasion has brought in, has fully taught with what works among the tribunals you the more strive to flourish. Hence, what was suggested to me by a man of distinction, your deputy, on behalf of the freeing of certain captives, I have gladly carried out at the instruction of your eminence—yet without the price being accepted which the bearers had brought. For if these persons themselves owe anything by their origin, as a matter of their condition, to the aforesaid magnificent man, my son Gemellus, he can distribute that which he had offered to me toward the redeeming of the freeborn; but if you recognize them as freeborn by birth, it is enough that the price was of use [offered in good faith].

Avitus episcopus Liberio praefecto. Postquam multiplices Galliarum labores felicissimus potestatis vestrae visitavit adventus, nullo sum ante hoc in affectibus vestris desiderii mei impertitus effectu. Vnde licet etiam nobis prodesse credamus beneficia, quae iam dudum provincialibus spargitis, mihi tamen hactenus sitienti litteras vestras quasi primum modo venistis. Enimvero ut me offerendis ultro epistularibus officiis non offerrem, illis occupationibus obstrepere timui, quibus me credebam tanto temporum spatio a votiva lectione sus- pendi. Sed quia etsi tarde compellentibus vobis meque ad praecelsos apices rescri- bente ordo alternantis commercii in litterario sermone servatus est, qui fecistis me absque verecundia respondentem, reddite, ut cupio, frequentia debitorem. Nec desunt, si adnuitis, causae iubendi: abundant, quae possitis iniungere cupientibus oboedire. Maior scilicet potestate civilitas nec minor est dignitate dignatio. Nam haec ipsa causa, cuius vobis scribendi materiam merces ingessit, quibus inter tribunalia operibus magis studeatis florere, perdocuit. Vnde quod nobis a viro spectabili, vicario vestro, pro quorundam captivorum liberatione suggestum est, ad praeceptionem culminis vestri laetus implevi pretio tamen, quod portitores adtulerant, non recepto. Quia si aliquid praefato viro magnifico, filio meo Gemello, condicionis personae ipsae per originem debent, potest hoc, quod mihi obtulerat, redimendis ingenuis distribuere; si vero istos agnoscitis liberos natu, sufficit pretium profuisse.