Letter 5011: You will judge for yourself the man I commend to you — a man whose liberal education has made him worthy of...

ENNODIUS TO LUMINOSUS. I shall see in whose presence he must be most warmly commended, the man whom concern for a liberal education spurs on: it is our common cause that has earned you as its patrons. Not unaware of how to do so, you take in strangers, and you give heart to those who must be trained: an experienced hand is often applied to those in need, while with mouth at leisure you summon to the palm of eloquence those who falter. He encourages by his examples, being powerful where once he was a stranger, accomplished where once he was a beginner. Both roles suit Parthenius, the son of my own sister, for whom, as he makes his way to Rome to seek the venerable disciplines, the mere sight of you serves in place of iron-shod spurs. If it is not at odds with your kindness, then, bearing your eminence before his eyes, he is roused to virtue rather by deeds than by admonitions. The ambition for praise is the mistress of toil, especially when it overflows in one whom you may recall to have been of a like fortune to your own. But hold me dear, and restore me with regard to the aforesaid father, so that our mutual love may rejoice in a reciprocal expenditure, and so that whatever labor I once displayed in the service of your greatness may be repaid to me through another. My lord, paying above the dutiful service of a greeting, I believed it was enough for a commendation if the bearer should not pass unrecognized. He who is distrustful of obtaining his request resorts to a lengthy plea: it is the mark of one who deserves nothing to keep asking at length. Far be it from your character that you should squander the spirit of your good offices, while the man who ought to be relieved by swift effect is drawn out with long supplication.

XI. ENNODIVS LVMINOSO. Videro apud quos plurimis adserendus est quem instituti liberalis cura sollicitat: uos patronos meruit causa communis. non ignari peregrinos suscipitis nec erudiendos animatis: expertis manus necessitatibus frequenter adhibetur, dum ad eloquentiae palmam feriato ore eos qui titubant inuitatis. exemplis hortatur ex peregrino potens, ex incipiente perfectus. utraque Partenio germanae meae filio pars conuenit, cui ad 1 superiorum b et Sirm . generalitas fort . 2 aic] si B i israhelitici LV, esraelitici B, istrahelitici T 4 fidis B 5 iubet B parthenius LV 9 annas puerilis B 10 prestare B 11 fouete P\'Tb, fouite LPlV, fouit B cuius om. Sirm . consanguinitarum qualitas (te—meorum 8. Z . add. corr.) B 12 dedicistes (es in is corr.) B 14 obsequorum L . perlatorS T 16 fuit T XI. 20 quod B 21 communes B1 22 igniri Ll snscipetis B\' 26 Parthenio b uenerabiles disciplinas Romam petenti pro ferratis calcaribus sufficit uos uidere. si ab humanitate non discrepat, sublimitatem tuam gerens ante oculos rebus ad uirtutem potius quam monitis excitatur. magistra laboris est laudis ambitio, praecipue quando in illo exuberat, quem similis retineas fuisse fortunae. sed nobis cordi sum, circa memoratum patrem reddite, ut amor mutuus de uicaria inpensione gratuletur, ut quicquid in magnitudine tua dudum laboris exhibui mihi per alterum reformetur. domine, ut supra salutationis obsequia dependens satis esse ad commendationem credidi, si qui esset portitor non lateret. precum prolixitate utitur de inpetratione diffidens: argumentum est nil merentis diu rogare. facessat a moribus tuis, ut perdas beneficiorum genium, dum longa supplicatione producitur de effectu celeri subleuandus.