Letter 2: Anastasius, bishop of Rome, servant of the servants of God, to the glorious King Clovis of the Franks, greetings.

To Clovis [Chlodovech, king of the Franks], Bishop Anastasius. We rejoice, glorious son, that your coming into the Christian faith has come to pass together with the beginning of our pontificate. For on such an occasion the See of Peter cannot but be glad, when it beholds the fullness of the nations running together to it with swift step, and the net filled up over the course of time, that net which the same fisher of men and blessed key-bearer of the heavenly Jerusalem [Peter] was bidden to cast into the deep. This we wished to make known to your serenity through Eumerius the presbyter, so that, when you hear of your father's gladness, you may grow in good works, may complete our joy, and may be our crown; and that mother Church may rejoice in the advancement of so great a king, whom she has lately brought forth to God. Therefore gladden your mother, glorious and illustrious son, and be to her an iron column! For the love of many grows cold, and by the cunning of evil men our little ship is tossed by savage waves, and is battered by the raging swells. But we hope in hope against hope, and we praise together the Lord, who has rescued you from the power of darkness and has provided for the Church in so great a prince, one who is able to protect her and, against the onrushing attempts of those who bring pestilence, to put on the helmet of salvation. Press on, therefore, beloved and glorious son, that Almighty God may attend your serenity and your kingdom with heavenly protection, and may charge his angels to keep you in all your ways, and may grant you victory round about over his enemies!

Anastasii II papae ad Clodoveum Francorum regem, (a. 497.) 82. liegis conversionem cum exordio pontificatus sui contigisse gratulatur: non posse non laetaH sedem apostolicam, quod refrigescente caritate multorum et Petri ^) E* H*** in hancque partem. Mox c' seq. usurpatione nominis sacerdotiit i' usvrpato nomine sacerdotii. In mss. (etiam E'* H** H*") et h* deest nomine. 1 H* sine usurpatione nomine. Deinde H® continentibus, ^) H'J^J®J'^J'*J*^c'Bq. viinisteriis, U^omnibus. Mox E^sentiebaty K^proprie erat, '*'■') E* o/ferenti, h* olferentc, Mox ed. omitt. sine fine, H'* omitt. fine. (a. 497.) navintln tot tempestntibm acta Deus in tanto principe Ecclesiae suae promdeHt, qui possit eam tueri, Cludoeco^) Aiiastasius episcopus. Tiium, gloriose fili, in Cliristiana fide cum exordio nostro Ui pontificatu contigisse^) gratulamur. Quippe sedes Petri in taB** occasione non potest non laetari, quum pleiiitudinem geutiom intue- tur ad eani veloci gradu concurrere, et per temporum spatia replcri sagenam, quam iii altum jussus est mittere idem piscator hominmn et coelestis Jerusalem beatus daviger. Quod sereuitati iaae ina- nuare voluimus per Eumerium presbyterum, ut quum audiyeris laeti- tiam patris, crescas in boiiis operibus, impleas gaudium noBtnmi, et sis corona nostra, gaudeatque mater Ecclesia de tanti regis, quem nuper Deo peperit, profectu. Laetifica ergo, gloriose et iUustris fili, matrem tuam, et esto illi in columnam ferream! Nam refrige- scit caritiis multorum, et malorum liominum versutia navicula nostra feris fluctibus agitatur, ot desi^umantibus undis pertuuditur. Sed speramus in spem contra si^em, et Dominum coUaudamus^ qui eniit te de potestate tenebrarum et in tanto principe providit Eeclesiae, qui possit eam tueri et contra occurrentes pestiferorum conatas ga- leam salutis induere. Perge igitur, dilecte et gloriose fili, ut Deas omnii)otens serenitatem tuam et regnum protectione coelesti prose- quatur, et angelis suis niandet, ut custodiant te in onmibus viis tuis, et det tibi in circuitu de inimicis suis victoriam!