Ennodius of Pavia → Agnellus
Tradução moderna em inglês
For a long time my soul has hung in uncertainty, whether I should knock at the door of your acquaintance with the lovable presumption of writing and enter by this path the breast of a most excellent person, or whether, content with a vague greeting through your people, I should break through the secrets that besieged me, because my effort seemed not to be counted among men when the most powerful of men was ignorant of me. And plainly neither his character nor his nature suggests confidence to one who is hidden from those placed on the heights — especially from you, whom each world embraces in friendly and kindred diversity, whom the fear of God, strengthened by the graciousness of his favor, has already caused to bestow the summit of honors, and — what those of the highest rank are scarcely brought to — to give the glory of reputation to their subjects. Summits are to be praised, but one scarcely reaches them by the greatest toil. Yet, and may this be said with good fortune, even these heights are among your gifts. Therefore, greeting you reverently, I close this letter with brevity, lest before your condescension my praise seem importunate. More abundantly, after a reply by letter — such as befits your character and power — you shall read with Mundus as our common witness.
Texto latino / grego
XVIIII. ENNODIVS AGNELLO. Longo animus meus pependit incerto, utrum pro diligentia notitiae uestrae ianuam scriptionis amabili praesumptione pulsarem et excellentissimi hominis per hunc callem pectus ingrederer an per homines uestros uaga salutatione contentus secreta, quibus obsidebar, inrumperem, quia nisus mihi est non esse in hominum numero conputandus quem hominum potissimus ignoraret. et plane illi nec mores suggerunt fiduciam nec natura, qui in arce locatis absconditur, uobis praecipue, quos uterque orbis amica et socia diuersitate conplectitur, quos dei timor gratiae suae comitate firmatos fecit iam honorum summa largiri et, ad quod uix praecipui perducuntur, ad opinionis gloriam dare subiectis.. laudandi sunt apices, sed ad eos sudore maximo uix uenitur. quod tamen feliciter dictum sit, et inter munera uestra sunt culmina. ergo salutans reuerenter epistolam breuitate concludo, ne ante dignationem uestram uideatur inportuna laudatio. latius post responsum paginale, quod moribus, quod potentiae uestrae conuenit, eritis Mundo mecum adtestante lecturi.