Letter 5027: ---

Ennodius to Eugenetes. Beyond measure your tireless devotion to silence troubles us, and although our mind is set firmly at its post, your abstinence from conversation saddens us, you who by means of living images lay open the secret of the heart with the key of the mouth. We endure, indeed, that affection should now and then be feigned through the publishing of pages, yet we never believe that those who love hold back from these offices. Perhaps your greatness will report that the burden of public business has given no place to letters of friendship. But your condition was the same before, in the time that went before, when your eminence furnished frequent conversations, nor were you, though assigned to courtly duties, so hard pressed by the watches of attendance that you did not keep the memory of the love you had promised. What clandestine whisperer mingled poison with the honeycombs, what filth with the springs? Or have you perhaps brought before judgment that which had been stolen away from your affection? But we do not delay to lay hold of you by the publishing of pages, so that, the spurs of the esteem you promised having lapsed, you may at least be roused by the produce of our chattering and return to the old habit. My lord, paying the homage of greeting with full humility, we declare that we are eager to be presented to your sight, if nevertheless you write back, after weighing those things which we do not doubt are dear to your heart, that it ought to be done.

XXVII. EVGENETI ENNODIVS. Supra modum me sollicitant procurati studia indefessa silentii et licet animus in statione sit positus, contristat sermonis 1 satus J5, uestrae om. Tt 2 cogitatur LtLt agmenta Tx augmente Lt; explic add. Bt XXVI. 6 eub*trahuntur (pr . t corr.) B 8 exagerat T 11 qua scripsi, quae BLTY, quoniam Pb celestis LTV 12 praestit B, prestet LV 14 occursione] occaaiione b 17 praestnlatur B 19 oestri om. T patrici B utilitati L 21 degare B, derogare Sirm . praecor B . 22 caeli om. Sirm, uestrae Sirm . XXVII. 25 eugeoiti B 26 procuratori L 27 contristat tamen Pb (tfi P 8. I.) abstinentia, qui uiuis imaginibus secretum pectoris oris claue manifestat. patior quidem interdum caritatem sub paginarum promulgatione simulari, numquam tamen credo his muniis abstinere qui diligunt. referat forte magnitudo uestra publicae occupationis curam locum scriptis familiaribus non dedisse. sed idem status erat, cum praecedente tempore conloquia culmen uestrum crebra praestabat nec ita aulicis deputatus premebatur excubiis, ut promissi amoris memoriam non haberet. quis fauis toxica, quis caenum fontibus clandestinus susurrator admiscuit? aut forte quod fuerat de affectione subreptum ad iudicium rettulistis ? sed ego occupare uos paginarum promulgatione non differo, ut ad usum ueterem cessantibus promissae dignationis stimulis uel garrulitatis meae prouocati fruge redeatis. domine mi, obsequium salutationis plena humilitate persoluens indico me uestris cupidum esse aspectibus praesentari, si tamen faciendum perpensis quae uobis cordi esse non dubito rescribatis. 1 qui scripsi, quae BLTVb 3 nunquam V 6 praecidenti B 7 atxlicis deputatas ita LTYb praemebatur B 9 cenum T suBurratur B 11 retulistis LTV 12 differo Bb, defero LTY 14 mihi BL V salatationis obsequium Sinn. 15 capidium B 10*