Letter 4

Faustus, from Ennodius. Following the word of my lector and enticed by the savor of his persuasive speech, I nearly came to believe that virtue was a vice; and trusting the diadems of eloquence more than my own conscience, I incurred a fault that my mind did not recognize. Not so does a charming hunter deceive deer with artfully whistled snares; not so does a skilled hand arrange nets that invite approach by painting a counterfeit image of feathered terrors in multicolored dyes — as the words of your Greatness held me captive, willingly thrusting my head into the halter. Unaware of any offense, I long inquired, while you pressed the attack, whether I was truly innocent. Your letter told me one thing; my own purpose told me another. Who, I ask, was ever so elegant an author of crime that he would believe himself cleared if he confessed he had committed his own transgression at another's bidding — since no one can rightly think another's crime his own when the accused has confessed of his own accord? But I believe the person was ignorant of law and legal custom, skilled only in cunning — one to whom practice grants even the semblance of truth in counterfeiting another's handwriting, and to whom shameful artifice lends the appearance of authenticity. I do not wish to attack anyone by name, nor to assume the role of accuser against my conscience: it is enough that my sense of honor stands firm in its place; let the uncertain winds toss others. Yet even if I were driven by the spurs of that beloved reading to command such things, I would defend myself by the example of the patriarchs. By theft Jacob overcame the age of his firstborn brother, and by that benefit obtained the birthright that nature had not given. David, while he wandered through pathless places in his flight and through narrow lands, drove away his hunger with the bread of proposition, and against the law's prohibitions — which carry lesser penalties — escaped the body's starvation. Should I have endured the spiritual famine, which I had conceived from divine books while unfed in soul, with withered innards for so long, until the disease spread to my vital parts? The prophet Daniel stole divine teachings from royal chambers, which the chaste and admirable thief annexed for his own instruction. What use is it to go through every case, when a single person from among those mentioned suffices to defend a besieged conscience — one who, moreover, in her natural weakness (if I may say so) looked ahead to what was needful before any request was made?

IIII. FAVSTO ENNODIVS. Anagnostici fidem secutus et suadae orationis sapore prouocatus, pene uitium esse credidi rem uirtutis et dum plus sermonum diademata credo ualere quam conscientiam, culpam quam mens non agnoscebat incurri. non sic ceruis sibilo artificibus insidiis blandus uenator inludit, non ita pinnarum mentita formidinem discoloribus fucis ultro expetenda retia manus magistra conponit, quemadmodum me captum et sponte capistris ora porrigentem magnitudinis uestrae tenuere sermones. commissi nescius uobis inpugnantibus diu utrum essem innocens inquisiui. aliud sentiebam de epistula uestra, aliud de proposito meo. quis rogo fuit patrandi sceleris tam uenustus admissor, qui purgationem crederet, si alieno se fateretur praecepto suo 1 pernitiem T; tyUdbarum ci et ti permutationes in hill codici- bus non infreguentes quas T et L aoK exhibent imm ubi momenti esse uidebatwr non notaui fallaciam L 2 ad B 8. I . 4 aliud fori ius aliud b, alia fori uis (ius BL) alia BLPTV 5 triclinis L\' conuersationem B 8 inpa«Msoha L sta eras . IIII. 11 anagnostici Sirmanagnistici BLPTV, amici b, anagnostae uel anamnisti coni . Schottus in mg . suade B, suaoae LV, suaue PT\', suaui Т\'b orationi T 12 poene B esae credidi rem B, eese crediderim LTV, crediderim esse Pb, credidi rem esse coni. Sirm. 14 sibylo LV 15 illudit T et sie plerumque 11 pro 01 formidine Pb .16 manus om. B magistra manus T I conponet B vl7 capists T 19 nobis om. B impugnantibus LTV 20 epistola LTV 21 uenustus scr. Sirm., uetustus BLPTVb . militare flagitio, cum nemo de se confesso iuste credere possit crimen alienum ? sed credo iuris et legum expertem fuisse personam et sola calliditate conpositam, cui etiam imitandi in scriptione aliena imaginem ueritatis usus indulgeat et proprietatis simulacrum lenocinia pudenda concilient.\' nolo cuiusquam nomen incessere nec contra conscientiam accusantis subire personam: sufficit pudorem meum in statione constitui: alios iactent incerta uentorum. ego tamen, etsi imperare talia calcaribus amatae lectionis adigerer, patriarcharum me imitatione defenderem. furto Iacob primogeniti fratris uicit aetatem, cuius beneficio principatum obtinuit, quem natura non dederat. Dauid dum lustraret deuia studio fugae et angusta terrarum, propositionis panibus famem depulit et contra legis uetita, quae minores habet aculeos, esuriem corporis effugauit. ego inediam, quam de diuinis libris anima inpastus conceperam, marcentibus diu debui tolerare uisceribus, donec concepta lues ad\' uitalia secreta percurreret. Daniel propheta, diuina dogmata regiis subduxit penetralibus, quae ad instructionem suam pudicus et imitandus raptor adiunxit. quid iuuat ire per singula, cum ad munimen inpugnatae una sufficiat de commemoratis persona conscientiae P quae tamen uerecundiae suae et naturali ut ita dixerim debilitati ante necessaria petitione prospexit. nam et si sum post negationem, qui me reum fecerim, aestimate. doctorem Libycum adseritis sublata a se pyri poma fleuisse. merito lamentis expiandum est quod cum pudoris dispendio uenter adquirit. uilia fuerint forte quae sustulit aut neglegentia aut usu aut tempestate peritura, non fuit culpa uacuus tamen iuxta apostolum raptor: carnem quam animam plus amauit. 2 fuisse∗. L 3 compositam LTV qui b 4 seribtione B alienam T usus B, om. LPTVb 5 simulachrum T I • 1 " - f u : " c eq t corr. tn, Jipocinia B M i 7 peraouam] pan T 8 iacent Pb , iixperaret alia BT 9 amataeaJB to, amate LPT, armatae ser. Sirm 12anguetia T 15 inaediam V 17 danihel BL V 18 pedicai B ,20 inpagnantae L\', impugnate T . compemoratis] numeratis Sirm . 23 sestimatae B 24 lybicum L, libicuin T pjri Sirm., peri BLPTYh; puero Schot . 26 acquirit Vb negligentia LTV 28 amabit BLPTVb Tobias propheta huiusmodi commissoribus occurrit et diuina uoce testatur dicens: non licet nobis aliquid manducare furtiuum. cum dixisset manducare, non dixit: non licet nobis aliquid lectitare furtiuum. Iosiam, ut narrat historia, subrepta papyrus instruxit. ego homuncio hoc non facerem, quem uos contra ingenii uires ad scientiam diligendam uerborum stimulis foditis ? sed reuertor ad uirum optimum, praefati, quantum scribitis, sceleris admissorem, qui in utraque parte fidem uiolans nec uos securitate nec me facti, si scripsi, perfectione donauit. contingat mihi salua magnitudine uestra coram posito secundum mandata dei tanti uiri, prout habet animus meus, terga mulcare.