Letter 6023: **From:** Ennodius, deacon of Pavia

23. Ennodius to Partenius. Under God's favor may the first beginnings of your affection grow strong: may he be present to our common desires, through whom our pursuits draw their strength. You have made plain by the light of your writing that you now hold a city friendly to the liberal studies: you have sent ahead, at the very threshold, something that would surpass the grasping prayers of parents. I am not a harsh judge of your composition, nor do I scorn the slenderness of present things, when the things that are to follow allure me. As often as we write upon the earth with the plowshare, the mind is lifted up by hope of the harvest to come: the friend of plowing always perceives in the blades of grass the riches of the ears of grain: the diligent farmer, while the fruit of the orchards is still unripe [literally, while still in the white blossom], already measures out the peoples [of fruit to come]. Let adversity be gone, and let whatever sins bring forth depart: the course of your little speech, even if it does not rest upon the brilliance of eloquence, has nonetheless shone with the flavor of a Latin vein: your discourse flowed not out of tune, yet it must be enlarged by the riches of reading. But why have I, after so great a judge, to whose ears you have signified that the structure of your work was pleasing, croaked like a goose after swans? Whoever has pleased that man enters the examination free of care: the eloquence praised by him prevails to exact favor even from enemies. Labor therefore, that a happy outcome may exalt what has been well begun, and spend yourself unceasingly in dutiful service to honorable men: as for those who defile you by their fellowship, owing reverence to our admonitions, flee them like a cup of poison: I am always eager to know your progress from your pages, so report it. For the rest, farewell, and, aided by all the helps of heavenly favor, answer to your family from the harvest of your skill.

XXIII. ENNODIVS PARTENIO. Deo auspice dilectionis tuae primordia conualescant: adsit desideriis communibus per quem uires studia sortiuntur. declarasti te scriptionis luce urbem amicam liberalibus studiis iam tenere: praemisisti in foribus quod auara parentum uota superaret. non sum dictionis tuae rigidus aestimator nec respuo tenuitatem praesentium, cui secutura blandiuntur. quotiens uomeribus terram scribimus, animus de spe uenturae frugis eleuatur: semper de herbis aristarum diuitias amicus arationis intellegit: diligens rusticandi adhuc in cano frugis pomorum populos iam metitur. facessat aduersitas et quicquid pariunt peccata discedat, ductus mihi oratiunculae tuae etsi eloquentiae nitore non subsistit, Latiaris tamen uenae sapore radiauit: fluxit sermo non absonus, lectionis tamen opibus ampliandus. sed quid ego post tantum iudicem, cuius auribus operis tui concinnationem placere signasti, quasi post olores anser strepui? illi quicumque placuit examen securus ingreditur: facundia ab illo praedicata praeualet fauorem etiam ab inimicis exigere. labora ergo, ut felix bene coepta euentus extollat, honestorum te obsequiis indesinenter inpende: eos qui consortio te suo polluunt debens monitis nostris reuerentiam uelut ueneni poculum fuge: profectum tuum paginis scire cupido semper 1 uoJ: non patitur LTV 2 ualete om. Bb XXIIL 4 partinio Bb, paternio L 5 conualrtcant L 11 scribemns B, scindimus b et 8. l. m. rec. B 12 eleuatur V in ras . arationis scripsi, rationis BLTV, nationis b, sationis coni. Schottus 13 //// rusticandi L, rustigandi B 14 populos SchottfM et Sirm., populus BLTVb (us in T corr.) 16 eloquentiae (el in ras.) \'B 16 «latiaris L 17 noa-ampliandus om. B add. in mg. corr . absonis L\' 19 concinnationem operis tui LTV resignasti fort . 20 ouicamque com. Schottus facondia T1 21 faborem B 22 cepta T 23 te scripsi, se LTV, om. B b 24 debens (s ex t fort. corr.) L, debetis coni. Schottus ne ueni B adnuntia. quod superest, uale et omnibus superni fauoris iutus auxiliis familiae tuae de peritiae messe responde.