Letter 3001: Ad Eufronium episcopum Turonensem

To Eufronius, bishop of Tours. To the holy lord, apostolic in his merits, the lord and sweet father Eufronius the pope [bishop], Fortunatus. After the swift passage of a few days now gone by, through the delivery of the bearer of this present letter, I make known that I received, as a heavenly gift, the saving discourse of your venerable lips; which I embraced with such eagerness, the Creator of all things being my witness, as that with which I have continually found your most pious heart poured out toward my lowliness: and I acknowledge myself, a suppliant filled with many benefits, to be devoted to you. And although I dwell in another city, God knows that I am absent from you only in place, not in mind; and wherever I shall be, I will keep you shut up within myself. (2) Truly I say, that heart is not of flesh wherein the wondrous sweetness of your soul is not received, but it is harder than marble if it does not embrace the gentle allurement of so great a love. For who could proclaim things about you so fitting as a truly holy mind demands? Or who could so satisfy his own mind as to bring forth your affection worthily, as is befitting? You who on earth are so humble that you may dwell upright in the heavens, and by inclining toward the lowest things make yourself to be lifted up to the highest, so that now you may be recognized as one who, since you gladly embrace the humility of Christ, will have something from the gift of His kingdom. For, just as His commandments are, he who wishes to seem little among men shall, exalted, look upon himself as magnificent in the realms above; each one according as he desires and strives for. (3) But I rejoice that the heart of the lord Eufronius has felt the love of my lord Martin: wherefore, commending myself with manifold prayer to your apostolic office and to your holy love, I ask, through that same lord Martin, whose shared fellowship you enjoy, that you give command that I, your servant and devoted one, be remembered before him, so that you may continually show, in the protection of my lowliness, how far you prevail before him by your merits. Pray for me, holy and apostolic lord, my particular lord and father.

I Ad Eufronium episcopum Turonensem DOMINO SANCTO ET MERITIS APOSTOLICO DOMNO ET DVLCI PATRI EVFRONIO PAPAE FORTVNATVS. Ante paucorum dierum volubilitatem transcursam, deferente praesentium portitore, venerabilis oris vestri salutare conloquium a me caelesti pro munere signi- fico fuisse perceptum; quod ea aviditate, teste rerum creatore, conplexus sum, qua et vestrum piissimum animum circa meam humilitatem iugiter adprobavi profusum: et me supplicem multis repletum beneficiis agnosco devotum. qui quamvis in altera commorer civitate, novit deus quia [a] vobis absens sum tantummodo loco, non animo; et quocumque fuero, intra me vos clausos habebo. (2) Vere dico, non est illud cor carneum ubi vestrae animae non recipitur miranda dulcedo, sed est marmore durior si tantae caritatis non amplectitur blandimentum. nam quis de te tam con- grua praedicet quam mens vere sancta deposcit? aut quis suo sic satisfaciat animo, ut vestrum sicut condecet digne prodat affectum? qui in terra sic humilis es, ut ha- bites erectus in caelis et inclinando ad infima te sublevari facias ad excelsa, ut iam agnoscaris, qui Christi humilitatem libenter amplecteris, de eius regni munere quid habebis. quoniam, sicut ipsius mandata sunt, qui se parvulum inter homines vult videri magnificum se elatus respiciet in supernis; unusquisque qualiter desiderat et expugnat. (3) Ego vero gratulor in corde domni Eufronii dilectionem domni mei sensisse Martini: quapropter multiplici me prece apostolatui et sanctae caritati vestrae commendans, rogo per ipsum domnum Martinum, cuius frueris participato consortio, ut apud eum memorari praecipias me famulum et devotum, quatenus quid apud eum meritis praevaletis in meae humilitatis protectione iugiter ostendatis. ora pro me, do- mine sancte et apostolice, peculiaris domne et pater.