Letter 291
To Anatolius. (361?)
Even while you were still with us, I received several letters of recommendation. Judge by this opening salvo how many there are likely to be in total. The first to ask was this Marcellus, who is connected to Laurentius, our kinsman by marriage, but who has not reaped good fruit from his decency. For though he had the power, had he been bold, to harm others, his desire to be honorable resulted in his own banishment.
But now he has some hope of returning, of obtaining justice, and of not suffering the same fate again -- since you will show mercy to a man who has been terribly wronged, both for the sake of justice and for our sake.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol.
Leo, the bishop, to Anatolius, the bishop. Now that the light of Gospel Truth has been manifested, as we wished, through God's grace, and the night of most pestilential error has been dispelled from the universal Church, we are unspeakably glad in the Lord, because the difficult charge entrusted to us has been brought to the desired conclusion, ...