Letter 9008: The strength of a friendship is proved not by grand gestures but by steady correspondence.

Ennodius to Victor. While your Eminence prefaces your remarks with a profession of ignorance, you have laid open the hidden recesses of your erudition: by your very perfection you assail what you assert. For while, with your modesty intact, you affirm that you are unlettered, you have declared what the vigor of your nature and what the polish of your studies have bestowed upon you. Let your Eminence believe me: the one who is to be instructed in the liberal disciplines has already been enriched by his own good qualities. If such a tongue commends the son of brother Paulus, eloquent endorsement both recommends and instructs him. There is no need of teachers dwelling far away, since he who directs a pupil to an instructor speaks with worthy praise. I blush that the man recommended to me has been found to be less than what your introduction reported, asking God that what you presume of my talent through your affection I may have the strength to fulfill by my virtue. You, however, now that the honor of your greeting has been received, bestow the duty of your discourse upon whomever you please, provided that your manifold and careful writing answers to my anxious concern for your well-being.

VIII. VICTORI ENNODIVS. Dum inscitiam sublimitas tua praeloquitur, eruditionis secreta patefecit: inpugnas perfectione quod adseris. nam dum te saluo pudore inlitteratum esse confirmas, quid naturae uigor, quid studiorum lima contulerit, declarasti. credat mihi subli* mitas tua, inbuendum liberalibus disciplinis iam suis bonis ditauit. si talis lingua prosequitur fratris Pauli filium, facunda adstipulatio et commendat et edocet. nihil longe degentibus magistris opus est, quando digna laude loquitur qui dirigit ad docentem. erubesco insinuatum minus inuenisse quam detulit, deum rogans, ut quod de me per adfectionem praesumitis ingenii ualeam uirtute conplere. uos tamen honore salutationis accepto quibus libet officium sermonis inpendite, dummodo sollicitudini meae de prosperitate uestra multiplex scriptionis cura respondeat. VIL 3 nnetatem V1 7 m T, mihi BLV 9 cum] c5 L adtinente B 10 quatinus LTV 11 nutimus B VIII. 16 insciam B, iniitiam Tl 17 perfectione ̀ L 19 studiorum (i in ras.) B 20 bonas L 21 tales B 22 prius et om. B 23 diriget B 24 erobisco B munus Lb, manui B 28 uestra om. Sirm .