Ennodius of Pavia → Mascator
Tradução moderna em inglês
Both what is pious befits me to hope, and it befits you to grant. For by unequal paths an intention deserving reward tends toward a single end. You bestow solaces on affairs; from me the slender aid of speech is required. So it comes about that the one upon whom it falls by consideration of office to furnish greater things can scarcely exact small ones. Let a man of the palace render what free birth requires, because the church has no greater power than to pray. You know from whom retribution comes for kinsmen, if they are helped. Succor those whom their native land holds captive, whose condition with the original tenants is to be pitied and whose lot with the fugitives is to be lamented. A Christian and a wise man ought not to be admonished at greater length, lest a long entreaty come to claim for itself the fruit of another's labor. Therefore I greet you with the humility that is fitting, and I implore that you send the aforesaid back to me with joy.
Texto latino / grego
XX. ENNODIVS MASCATORI. Et me sperare quod pium est et uos decet adnuere. nam disparibus uiis ad unum finem remuneranda tendit intentio. 1 sufficet B XVIIII. 7 excelentissimi B 9 quia] qui L nisua scripti, uisum libri 11 plene B fidutiam B 12 arche B 0 u∗bis L praecipuae B 13 socia a B quos (s in ras. uid.) T, quod Sirm. 14 tuae B bonorum Pb 15 quos Pb perdncnnt (er ex rae corr.) B opitionis L 20 quod m. q. potentiae L 8. I . 21 erites B 22 lectari B XI. 25 decit B uos solacia rebus inpenditis ̃ s, a me tenue sermonis postulatur auxilium. sic fit, at cui incumbit per officii considerationem praestare potiora uix possit exigua. reddat ingenuitatem homo palatii, quia ecclesiae nihil amplius sufficit quam precari. scitis pro ascinis a quo ueniat retributio, si iuuentur. succurrite his quos et patria terra captiuat, quibus et iuuentur est cum originariis et condicio dolenda cum profugis. pluribus Christianum et sapientem non decet admoneri, ne longa deprecatio fructum sibi ueniat adscribere laboris alieni. saluto ergo humilitate qua dignum est et ut praefatos cum gaudio ad me remittatis inploro..