Letter 7020: While the servants of the wine-press were completing the bounty of autumn — and the whole countryside was occupied...

20. Ennodius to Maximus. While the servants of the wine-presses were filling out the dower of autumn and bursting the tender skins of the grapes with hurried treading, I recalled both my eyes and my words to that most eminent man, my kinsman and my brother, judging it fitting that, while the vineyards bestow their abundant liquor, I should address a sober person with delightful cheerfulness. Loose, then, your Pythagorean silence and share with me the good things of your skill and your eloquence: let there be between us a conversation in place of a happy vintage; let the sweet new wines of discourse flow freely. You have matters which, most holy one, you may communicate with the deacon, by the well-known richness of your speaking, concerning the rules of conduct. For those who, like you, stand firm in ecclesiastical uprightness, the avoidance of silence among them is just. Write by what strict discipline golden chastity is held fast, by what path obscene avarice may be fled, by what methods the shameful obscurity of deceiving may be turned aside: in sum, teach without dissembling the things that you practice; instruct in particular, with kindness, one eager to know by what strictness of religion the betrothed bride, or the flatteries of the world, are spurned. My lord, as above, presenting the gifts of greeting, I pray that you may receive graciously that which, amid the masses of cares, this not-to-be-rejected stealing-in of jests demands to be done.

XX. MAXIMO ENNODIVS. Dum prelorum famuli autumni dotem conplerent et teneras uuarum tunicas properata calce disrumperent, ego ad summatem uirum parentem fratremque meum et oculos et uerba reuocaui, iustum esse coniciens, dum uineta uberem tribuunt liquorem, me sobriam alloqui cum iucunda hilaritate personam. solue ergo Pythagoricam taciturnitatem et mecum peritiae et facundiae tuae bona partire: sit inter nos felicium uindemiarum uice colloquium: currant dulcia musta sermonum. habes quae cum diacono, sanctissime, de institutis morum nota dicendi ubertate communices. nam qui ecclesiastica, ut uos, probitate subsistunt, silentii apud illos iusta uitatio est. scribite qua aurea castitas districtione teneatur, per quem callem obscena fugiatur auaritia, quibus modis turpis fallendi declinetur obscuritas: in summa, sine dissimulatione docete quae geritis: illud praecipue scire cupidum dignanter instruite qua sponsae uel blandimenta saeculi religionis districtione respuantur. domine, ut supra, salutationis munera praesentans precor, ut gratanter accipias quod inter curarum moles exigit fieri iocorum non respuenda subreptio. 2 apparescit B (s. l. m. rec.) b, adpariscet B, apparescet (es ex is) t L, apparescet T, apparescat V 5 inspiret] finit add. B XX. 8 praelorum BV, plorum T, praelatorum Schottus autumnni a1 • T dote Bb; dote lacus fort . 11 co«niens L uberem (pr . u in ras.) B 12 licorem B iocunda BTb 13 solnet Bb b pithagoricam LTV, pytagoricam B 14 facondie T mecum partire T 15 curant L1 sermofi T aues B que BT, qui L 16 Banctiasimo LTV 17 comunicis B qui (i m ras.) B ppbitate T 20 falendi Bl 21 geretis Bb 22 praecipuie B 23 blandimenta uel fort . 25 gratenter B molles L\' exiget B