Letter 18

From: Ruricius, bishop of Limoges To: Ommatius, his spiritual son Date: ~492 AD Context: Ruricius gently warns a young man dedicated to God not to be lured back to worldly pleasures through the senses. Bishop Ruricius to his sweet and kindred son Ommatius. I want you to know that my not writing to your sweet self through Venerius was a matter of being busy, not negligent — certainly not of any reproach. So I am sending this letter through Amelius, in which I send you my warmest greetings and remind you to keep your vocation always in mind. Do not let your soul, now dedicated to God, be called back from the road you have begun — not by a face too pleasing to the eye, not by a sound too sweet to the ear, not by a taste too delightful to the palate. Guard the senses. They are the windows through which temptation enters.

XVIII. DULCISSIMO ET UNANIMO FILIO OMMATIO RURICIUS EPISCOPUS. Ut per Uenerium dulcedini tuae non scriberem, non neglegentiae nec inputationis alicuius, sed occupationis fuisse cognosce. unde has per Amelium dedi, quibus salue plurimum dico et, ut propositi tui semper reminiscaris, admoneo. nec animum tuum iam deo dicatum aut a coepto itinere blandior uisus auocet aut modulatior corrumpat auditus aut dulcior gustus 17] Psalm. 121, 3. 1 sic v, si 8 2 frigoreue Mommsenus plurimis v 3 quaereremus Mommseum, querimus S 4 quem add. v, om. S 7 in campo corr. ex in comite ? S1 9 cognuscite S paradysum S 10 ire quisquam r 12 ut scripsi, et S 13 istas v incederetis S, inceditis Kr., incedere debetis Mommsenw 14 nos ex non 81 15 incurreremus scripsi, incurrimus S 17 una S 20 omacio S 21 dulcidini S 22 inputacionis S h ni 28 as S (h man. alt.) 24 remiscaris S ammoneo S, commoneo r 25 cepto S 26 modolacior S inficiat aut mollior sollicitet tactus aut suauior odoratus inliciat et per fenestras corporis mors intromittatur ad animam, sed neque stiuam tenens contra domini sententiam retro respicias, ut directum lineae sulcus amittat, quin potius ita in eum, cui te ipso inspirante uouisti, omnibus sensibus inhies et corde defixus adhaereas, ut, cum te uel una praefatorum uitiorum inlex forma pulsauerit, fide firma et diuina meditatione munitum pectus adire non possit. et, quamlibet in turbis positus. esse uidearis, intrans in cubiculum cordis tui clauso ostio tuo dominum orare non desinas, ut, qui uidet in occulto, dicat tibi, sicut sancto Moysi uociferanti ad se non uoce, sed corde dicebat: quid clamas ad me? et spero, ut in talibus orationibus etiam mei meminisse digneris et citius te ad nos, etiamsi noster non reducit affectus, desiderium dulcissimae et saluberrimae quietis adducat. 9] Matth. 6, 6. 12] Exod. 14,15. 1 inlicet S, corr. v 2 et] ut Kr . 6 adhereas S 13 mimenisse S dignaris S 14 noster] ñf S, inter v non] nos v 15 adducat] add. S: expl domui ruricii epistolaru lib primus incip liber n 24*