Letter 2008: Sedatus, bishop, to his holy and most blessed lord and Pope Ruricius, to be revered with apostolic respect.

To my lord, holy and most blessed and to be looked up to with apostolic reverence, my lord and father Ruricius the bishop, Sedatus the bishop. The horse which you sent over by our brother the presbyter I have received, loaded down with the magnificent trappings of your words: cheap in his life, precious in your letter; one who stirs himself when he is goaded with the spurs or pressed with the whip, yet advances not a whit; most hideous in form, most worthless in color, softer than feathers, lazier than statues, afraid of solid bodies, fearing, as I believe, only shadows out of habit; a runaway when he is let go, immovable when he is mounted; standing still on level ground, collapsing on rough ground; one who knows not how to be held in and cannot walk. Before I had seen him, while I reread your letters, I believed him to be of that breed which Daedalian Circe, having stolen them, begot as bastards from a mare substituted beneath [the sires]. I supposed him hot in spirit, keen in his coursings, fire itself, who, when he was brought out, would breathe forth with flaring nostrils, would shake the plains with his solid hoof, would outstrip the winds and the rivers in swiftness. For such had the most splendid wording of your letter promised me. I believed too that, as he champed the bridle and ground the iron bit with his bites, two stronger men would hold him back lest he escape. Nor did this deceive me. For several were dragging him, others were shoving him on, and still more were beating him. When I saw him brought out in this state, I formed the wish that you would always send to your dear friends gifts such as they truly are, not such as my letter describes. Yet I, since you have left me nothing to say in praise of the gift you sent over, lest altogether [...]

VIII. DOMINO SANCTO AC BEATISSIMO ET APOSTOLICA REUERENTIA SUSPICIENDO DOMNO ET PAPAE RURICIO EPISCOPO SEDATUS EPISCOPUS. Equum, quem per fratrem nostrum presbyterum transmisistis, accepi magnificis uerborum uestrorum phaleris oneratum, in 1 ac frequenti et v 5 presentiam S 6 persentimus v utrum dictis an datis in 8 exstet dubium, dictis v 9 commendetis S . ut Kr., et S 10 et Kr., ut S 11 tholosa S, Tolosae v Kr . 12 hispanus Sl 13 oro te v tam S dignaretur affectum S, cenT. v 21 expetit coni. Mmumsenus 22 meae om. v 23 distinarem S 24 desiderio S 26 domino v suspiciendo Kr., suscipiendo S 27 papae] patrono Kr . 28 aequum S 29 faleris S oneratum scrijm, honeratum S, honoratum vKr . XXI. Fauat. 29 uita uilem, in epistula pretiosum, mouentem se, cum foditur calcaribus aut urgetur uerberibus, et nihil penitus promouentem, forma deterrimum, colore uilissimum, molliorem plumis, statuis pigriorem, solida corpora pauescentem, umbras solum, ut credo, de consuetudine non timentem, fugitiuum, cum dimittitur, inmobilem, cum sedetur, in planis stantem, in asperis conruentem, qui teneri nesciat, ambulare non possit. quem priusquam uiderem, dum epistulas uestras relego, illorum de gente esse credidi,. quos Daedala Circe subposita de matre nothos furata creauit. Putabam illum calidum animis, acrem cursibus, ignem, cum exhiberetur, elatis naribus efflaturum, concussurum solido cornu campos, celeritate uentos et flumina praecursurum. talem enim mihi splendidissimus epistulae sermo promiserat. credebam etiam, quod illum mandentem frenos, terentem morsibus ferrum duo fortiores uiri, ne euaderet, retinerent. nec me fefellit. nam trahebant eum aliquot, inpingebant alii et plures caedebant. quem ut sic exhibitum uidi, optaui, ut talia, qualia erant, non, qualia epistula mea continet, semper caris uestris munera mitteretis. ego tamen, quia mihi non reliquistis in transmissi muneris laude quod dicerem, ne omnino ..... 10] Uerg. Aen. VII 282 sq.. 1 uita scripsi, uia S preciosum S se-promouentem Sbis 2 et] ex S paenitus S 3 statuis v, status S 4 pauiscentem S 5 fugitium S 6 caeditur v 9 crededi S dedala S 11 notus S 12 potabam S callidum S 13 exiberetur S 14 campus Sl uentus S 16 mandantem S (e man. alt.), manducantem t\' frenus S1 terentem r, erentem S 17 forciores S feuellit S 18 aliquod S cedebant S 19 ut r, ad 8 20 muneris v, munere S lacunam indicaui; quae sequuntur in S, ex Sidonii epistula (II, 1) deprompta ntnt, cf. prolegomena