Letter 3034: ---

Ennodius to Senarius. There is indeed nothing that cannot be exalted on high by ambitious eloquence away from the truth. But I, in deference to my diligence on your behalf, put up with the inarticulateness of my own speech. The tongue was never the equal of affection; the service of the mouth has always been subordinate to a good conscience. For this reason I avail myself of the freedom of one who admonishes. I did not believe that your eminence would for so long be so forgetful of me that you would even abstain from the customary exchanges, so that those tokens which are wont to feign affection with a counterfeit countenance should be denied between persons bound by the chains of a covenant. If I were able to relate these things, I could endure them. See, I write again, and the things I assert in words I call to witness must be followed up with examples. You shall see for yourself what kind of thing it is hereafter to neglect honorable longings: I, schooled by practice, apply patience to my grief. Farewell.

XXXIIII. ENNODIVS SENARIO. Nihil est equidem quod non a ueritate in altum ambitioso tollatur eloquio. sed ego ad diligentiam circa uos meam patior 1 saluite B\', salue Pb domini B, domine LPTVb 2 celestia B conpletae B1 3 ceperit BT Xxxm. 7 comendatio (co ex con corr. m. 2) L; commendati operis (praestatur om. spatio 3-4 lift. uacuo) B 8 relegionis B 9 summisBorum LTV 10 uiderit ses (es ex is corr.) B 11 agnoscitis B 12 alliganda LT1 V, uallicanda B 13 relegiosam B presumentem B 14 prefatus B fragilitati si BPb, fragilitatis LTV 15 decesse L 16 salutationis B, salutis V ( add. m . 1), salutis LTb 17 nobis quid nobis T remanserit b 19 affectus B b uale om. Pb XXXIIIL 22 nichil T, ninil B «quidem (e eras.) L, quidem Pb ambitiosa L 23 patior meam LPTVb sermonis infantiam. numquam par fuit lingua caritati, semper subiacuit oris officium bono conscientiae. ob hoc utor securitate monitoris. non credidi tanto tempore amplitudinem tuam mei inmemorem sic futuram, ut etiam sollemnibus conloquiis abstineres, ut illa, quae solent affectionem imaginata fronte simulare, negarentur inter personas catenis foederis obligatas. haec si ualerem narrare, poteram sustinere. ecce iterum scribo et quae uerbis adsero sequenda testor exemplis. uos uideritis quale sit posthac desideria honesta neglegere: ego dolori patientiam usu institutus adhibeo. uale. 1 lingusm L ottitatm B 2 bonae Sirm 4 soletnnibus L 6 cathenis T 7 nalerem] stfficienter ualerem B 9 pest haec LPTV (sed a exp. m. 1. V) honestate L 10 usui B eihibeo P