Letter 2003: Avitus, bishop of Vienne, to the most illustrious Apollinaris.

Avitus, bishop of Vienne, to the most illustrious gentleman Apollinaris. I know that our friend Domnulus, returning to my most devoted lords, since he was going to report to me, while in a fervor over the uncertainties of your pious solicitude, otherwise than I had wished, increased rather than lessened his haste to return. For at Lyon, at his arrival, a grievous pain of the eyes, the attack rushing upon me, had rendered me powerless to look upon the light. Hence, since neither was he effective at drawing out a written reply nor was I fit for rendering one, I committed every action of thanks—whatever could be owed whether for the price of the gifts or for the spirit of those giving them—to be reported rather by word to the ears of the bearer, although by no means doubting that, before the eagerness of your holy sweetness, the sequence of commissions would be reckoned of little weight in comparison with the desire for letters. But as soon as, the darkness growing thinner, there was for a little while opportunity for arranging the duties of my chamber's prison-house, I sent the present carrier without delaying the discharge of the debt: and to him, burdened beyond what can be told with verbose greetings, so far as pertains to talkative commissions, I reckon that I have given a very brief page. For behold, God is my witness with how great a light our aforesaid dearest friend bedewed me in the very nocturnal dwelling of my darkened retreat, when, the return of our sweetest pledge [child] being announced—before which I had not known—he confirmed that my household, by the favor of Christ, had been found made whole again by the one whom I had sent. Wherefore do not now suppose anything half-filled concerning us: by whose company, with the divine favor, even my eyes, satisfying themselves through the presence of the page, grow strong, then indeed about to receive with perfect sincerity the grace of a cheerful day, if your sweetness, thus pardoning me hitherto in writing back, should compel me—however infirm and anxious—nevertheless to the longed-for frequency of letters, in the name of God, with Arcadius now dictating, occupied only with the signatures.

Avitus Viennensis episcopus viro illustrissimo Apollinari. Scio, quod revertens ad devinctissimos mihi domnos Domnulus noster, coram me de vestrae piae sollicitudinis ambiguitatibus aestuante aliter quam volui relaturus, adgravavit magis redeundi festinationem, quam minuit. Scilicet me apud Lugdunum in adventa eius gravis oculorum dolor impotem luminis contuendi impetu ingruente reddiderat. Vnde quia nec ipse fuit eliciendi rescripti efficax nec ego idoneus red- hibendi, omnem gratiarum, quaecumque vel pretio munerum vel animo munerantum deberi potuit, actionem verbo potius referendam portitoris auribus allegavi, licet minime dubitans apud sanctae dulcedinis aviditatem parvi pendendam mandatorum seriem desiderio litterarum. Sed cum primum rarescentibus tenebris cubicularis ergastuli ali- quantisper ordinandi officii copia fuit, solutionem debiti non moratus praesentem baiu- lum destinavi: cui ultra quam dici potest verbosis salutationibus onerato, quantum pertinet ad mandata loqnacia, perbrevem paginam dedisse me computo. Nam ecce mihi deus testis est, quanto lumine praefatus carissimus noster in ipsa contenebrati recessus nocturnali habitatione respersit, cum dulcissimi pignoris nostri reditus, ante quem nescieram, nuntiato resolidatam Christo propitio familiam meam ab eo, quem misissem, inventam esse firmavit. Quocirca nec vos iam de nobis aliquid semiplenum putetis: quorum contubernio divinitate propitia etiam oculi mei per praesentiam paginae satis facientes adcrescunt, tum videlicet sinceritate perfecta hilaris diei gratiam re- cepturi, si me rescribere hactenus vestra dulcedo sic ignoscens quamlibet infirmum atque anxium ad votivam tamen frequentiam litterarum in dei nomine Arcadio iam dictante solis subscriptionibus occupanda compellat.