Letter 2007: Caesarius, bishop, to his most holy lord, the Pope Ruricius, most deserving to be honored among the lights of Christ...

VII. To the holy lord, most deserving to be set before others among the luminaries in Christ, and most greatly to be longed for in Christ, the most pious lord Ruricius the bishop, from Caesarius the bishop [Caesarius of Arles]. While my spirit was being grievously troubled as to why we did not deserve to obtain your presence at our synod, the holy man, my lord Verus the bishop, deigned to tell me that you had sent your letter to me at Agde through his deacon, which I, by I know not what mischance or by what negligence, do not recall having received. But nevertheless I most certainly believe the holy man, my lord, your brother, and I prefer to charge this to the negligence of the bearer. But although you sent your holy and longed-for written pages, nevertheless, as you yourselves know very well, it would have been most fitting that you should have dispatched a person who might subscribe in your place, and that what your holy brothers have established might be confirmed in your person. But because I knew with what holy and constant and pious desire you wished to be present, I set forth your vow and your holy will to all your brothers; concerning which matter we have been neither able nor obliged to charge anything to your piety. But, although we did not have your longed-for presence, nevertheless we have perceived that we merited the support of your prayers. And therefore, these things having been given, I greet you most abundantly with the affection and honor of which you are worthy, and I ask that you commend me to the Lord by your holy and illustrious prayers together with your merits; and at the same time I make known to your piety that, since your son Eudomius, if he is able, desires to bring this about, in the coming year we may, with Christ favorable, hold a synod at Toulouse, where also, if he is able, he wishes the Spanish bishops to convene. And therefore pray that the Lord may deign to grant effect to so holy a desire of his. Furthermore, my holy and most sweet brother Capillutus the presbyter, your lover and proclaimer, I commend, as much as I am able, to the introduction of your holiness, and on his behalf I render you immense and abundant thanks, because, as far as he himself has asserted, your pious and sincere benevolence has expended itself so greatly toward him that no man could set it forth. Now therefore, because, burning with desire for you, he sought out your piety, I judged it fitting that through him I should dispatch the letter of my humility, so that when he returns, if Christ shall grant it, I may long to obtain your written pages as if a heavenly gift. Pray for me.

VII. DOMNO SANCTO MERITISSIMO IN CHRISTI LUMINARIA PRAEPERENDO ET PLURIMUM IN CHRISTO DESIDERANDO PIISSIMO DOMNO RURICIO EPISCOPO CAESARIUS EPISCOPUS. Dum nimium tribularetur animus meus, quare ad synodum uestram praesentiam non meruimus obtinere, sanctus et domnus meus Uerus episcopus mihi dignatus est dicere, quod per suum diaconum mihi Agate uestras litteras destinasset, quas ego nescio quo casu aut qua neglegentia me non retineo suscepisse. sed tamen sancto et domno meo fratri uestro certissime credo et malo hoc portitoris neglegentiae inputare. sed licet sanctos et desiderabiles uestros apices miseritis, tam-en, sicut ipsi optime nostis, dignissimum fuerat, ut personam dirigeretis, quae ad uicem uestram subscriberet, et, quod sancti fratres uestri statuerunt, in persona uestra firmaretur. 2 pape S 3 domino v 5 postquam ante taediosam Kr., P ceteris litteris euanidis S tenue romore S sed harum] Sicharium Kr . 6 distinaui S 7 nuncii S reueletis v 8 conpacientis S perferentes S 10 integre S 12 suspitate S obtata S1 14 domino v 16 cesarius S 17 sinodum S 18 preseutiam S 20 agate uestras S, a caritate uestra suspicatur v distinasset S 21 reteneo S 22 domino v 23 mallo S negligentiae S 25 obtime S dirigeritis S 26 que S subscriberit S fratris S Sed quia noui, quam sancto et frequenti ac pio desiderio interesse uolueritis, omnibus fratribus uestris uotum uestrum et sanctam uoluntatem exposui, pro qua re nihil pietati uestrae uel potuimus uel debuimus inputare. sed, licet desiderabilem uestram praesentiam non habuerimus, orationum tamen uestrarum suffragia nos meruisse persensimus. et ideo his datis saluto plurimum affectu et honore, quo dignum est, et rogo, ut me sanctis et inlustribus precibus simul ac meritis domino commendetis, simulque indico pietati uestrae, ut, quia filius uester Eudomius, si potuerit, hoc elaborare desiderat, et superueniente anno Tolosa synodum Christo propitio habeamus, ubi etiam, si potuerit, Hispanos uult episcopos conuenire. et ideo orate, ut tam sancto desiderio suo dominus tribuere dignetur effectum. Sanctum uero et dulcissimum fratrem meum Capillutum presbyterum, amatorem et praedicatorem uestrum, uestrae sanctimoniae, quanta ualeo, insinuatione commendo et pro ipso uobis ingentes et uberes gratias ago, quia, quantum ipse adseruit, tantum se circa illum inpendit pia et sincera beniuolentia uestra, ut hoc nullus hominum possit exponere. nunc ergo. quia pro uestro desiderio aestuans pietatem uestram expetiit, dignum iudicaui, ut per ipsum humilitatis meae litteras destinarem, quo remeante, si Christus annuerit, apices uestros quasi caeleste munus desidero promereri. ora pro me.