Letter 4026: The omen is favorable, and heaven confirms what we dared to hope.

XXVI. Ennodius to Eugenes, most distinguished man. May the favorable omen arriving from heaven strengthen your auspices, and may divine things fortify with their counsels the first endeavors of your hoary [venerable] office. [The following are editorial variant readings from the critical apparatus, not part of the letter: at line 1, "in amicorum" in manuscripts P and b; line 2, "inmense" in B; line 3, "si" omitted in T; line 4, "salnate" in B, "salute" in L; line 5, "consulite" - B adds "finit" [it ends]. For Letter XXV: line 12, "ad" in B, "suaeculi" in B, "saeculis" in V1; line 14, "inpatientia me" perhaps...; line 15, "abere" in B, "dulcedinem" in L, T, V, b; line 17, "quod" - "qui" in T; "sciens - retines" omitted in L1, added in the margin by an earlier hand; "catnellom" in B, P, T, V, b; line 19, "precor" from "poeor" in L, "baiolum" in B; line 20, "sua" in P, "utilitatis" in B, T, b, "utiliias" in L, P1, V, "insBionns" in T; line 22, "ut" - "4" in T above the line by the second hand, "dampni" in L, V, "fecerit" in T; line 28, "restituat" - B adds "finit" [it ends]. For Letter XXVI: line 26, "u" in J3, omitted in T; line 27, "tyrocinia" in B, L, P, V.] Through you may the favor from on high govern the lord of liberty, so that from the spring of your breast there may flow down to the ears of the prince what the heavenly rain has poured into you. Behold, I have set forth the prayers that I owed to these beginnings in words constrained, though it was forced upon them, into a narrow compass. Do you remember the promised love and covenant, so that the quaestorship may discharge what is owed to me without loss through any alteration. Keep toward me the disposition of your predecessor: let the promise of your office not be broken, varied according to the persons of my lord. Farewell, in answer to the desire of a suppliant, and amid the great proclamation of your benefits receive these sparing words. For such is the practice of the fortunate and the nature of the better sort, that they let their wealth of words be outdone by their deeds and the favors they have already granted.

XXVI. ENNODIVS EVGENETI V. I. Faustum caelo omen adueniens auspicia uestra conroboret et tirocinia canae dignitatis suis muniant diuina consiliis. 1 in amicorum Pb 2 inmense B 3 si om. T 4 salnate B, salute L 5 consulite] finit add. B XXV. 12 ad B suaeculi B, saeculis V1 14 inpatientia me fort . 15 *abere B , dnlcedinem LTVb 17 quod] qui T sciens — retines om. Ll, add. in mg. m. ant . catnellom BPTVb 19 pręcor ex poęor L baiolum B 20 sna P utilitatis B Tb, utiliias LPTlV insBionns T 22 ut] 4 T s. l. m. 2 dampni LV fecerit T 28 restituat] flnit add. B XXVI. 26 u ̃ι J3, om. T 27 tyrocinia BLPV per uos supernus fauor regat dominum libertatis, ut ex pec* toris uestri fonte ad aures principis defluat quod in uobis aetherius imber infuderit. ecce quae debui uota rudimentis lieet coactis in artum sermonibus enarraui. uos mementote promissi amoris et foederis, ut sine mutationis dispendio debitum mihi quaestura dissoluat. tenete circa me animum decessoris: dignitatis uestrae pollicitatio non frangatur uariata personis domini mei. saluete pro desiderio supplicis et in magna bene. ficiorum promulgatione suscipite parca conloquia. talis enim est usus felicium et natura meliorum, ut linguae copias rebus et praestitis antecellant.