Letter 2

|venantius fortunatus

II. Ad eundem To Euphronius, Bishop of Tours To my holy lord and my own patron in God — to Bishop Euphronius — Fortunatus sends greetings. The overflowing and superabundant sweetness of your heart, which your blessedness has bestowed upon me with such devoted affection, most loving father — who could conceive it adequately in his heart, or express it in words? It has bound me to itself with such a chain of admirable love that I cannot feel even an hour's separation from your company. I do not see you present, but I hold you stored and enclosed within my heart. Who would not be made uniquely yours, given the benefits of so much goodness you hold within you? Whom would you not draw willingly to your sweetness, since we have known your heart to overflow with ineffable love? And with what wonder do I embrace that sight of you — loving everyone as though you had personally fathered each one from your own heart. Which of your children would want to be arrogant, knowing you as their father and teacher in such humility? Or who — however noble his birth — seeing you so suppliant before others, would not throw himself prostrate at your feet on the ground? I say it truly: if pride casts a man down when he swells up, your praiseworthy humility raises him when he falls. And who could remain angry or troubled in a place where the bishop and high priest is found so calm? The whole flock learns to live without rapacity when the shepherd's tranquility teaches them the way to live. What else can I say? You give yourself so fully to each person individually that you are praised for all of them together. Even if we cannot imitate you, we rejoice to have seen what we ought to imitate. And so I commend myself particularly to your lordship and holiness, and I beg and implore you — may my lord Martin obtain through his intercession what I ask: that divine mercy may place you in eternal light beside him, according to your merits — please deign to pray for me, your humble son and servant, at his blessed tomb, and approach as a kind intercessor for the forgiveness of my sins. I greet with reverence all those who are yours, my dear lords. I humbly ask that you send special greetings on my behalf to my most dear son Aventius. I ask to be commended with warmth to my lord Bishop Felix, if he should come to you. Pray for me.

II Ad eundem DOMINO SANCTO MIHIQVE IN DEO PECVLIARI PATRONO EVFRONIO PAPAE FORTVNATVS. Copiosam et superabundantem pectoris vestri dulcedinem, quam circa devotionem per- sonae meae vestram beatitudinem, pater amantissime, fateor inpendisse, quis illam ut dignum est vel corde possit concipere vel sermone valeat explicare ? quae tanto me sibi vinculo admirandae caritatis adstrinxit, ut nec unius horae spatio ab illo mihi videar separari conspectu. quem et si praesentem non video, attamen intra pectoris habitaculum retineo conditum et reclausum. (2) Quis enim tuae pietati peculiaris non redditur, in quo tantae bonitatis beneficia continentur? aut quem ad tuam dulce- dinem non ducas invitum, cuius probavimus animum ineffabili caritate profusum? qua autem illud admiratione complectar, cum te sic video cunctos diligere, ac si unum- quemque de proprio visus sis latere generasse? (3) Quis vero filiorum superbus esse desideret, ubi te patrem et doctorem tantae humilitatis agnoscit? aut, quamvis summo nobilitatis descendat de culmine, cum te sic respicit supplicem, non se tuis vestigiis in terra provolutus extendit? vere dico: si tumidum superbia deicit, vos mul- tum est laudabilis humilitas quod erigit. quis denique illic esse possit iracundus aut turbidus, ubi sacerdos et pontifex tam placidus es inventus? seit enim totus sine ra- pacitate grex vivere ubi vivendi tranquillitas discitur a pastore. (4) Quid de rebus reliquis referam? in quibus te sic inpendis in singulis, ut lauderis in cunctis; quae tamen etsi imitari non possumus, vel vidisse quod imitari deceat congaudemus. (5) Quapropter dominationi et sanctitati vestrae peculiariter me commendans rogo et obtestor (sic ille domnus meus Martinus sua intercessione obtineat, ut cum ipso iuxta merita vestra in luce perpetua vos conlocet divina misericordia) , ut pro me humili filio et servo vestro ad eius beatum sepulcrum orare digneris et pro peccatorum meo- rum remissione pius intercessor accedas. (6) Eos vero qui vestri sunt omnes dom- nos et dulces meos reverenter saluto : domnum meum per omnia dulcissimum, filium vestrum Aventium pro me multipliciter supplico salutari. domno meo Felici episcopo, si per vos venit, me benigno animo commendari deposco. ora pro me.

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II. Ad eundem
To Euphronius, Bishop of Tours

To my holy lord and my own patron in God — to Bishop Euphronius — Fortunatus sends greetings.

The overflowing and superabundant sweetness of your heart, which your blessedness has bestowed upon me with such devoted affection, most loving father — who could conceive it adequately in his heart, or express it in words? It has bound me to itself with such a chain of admirable love that I cannot feel even an hour's separation from your company. I do not see you present, but I hold you stored and enclosed within my heart.

Who would not be made uniquely yours, given the benefits of so much goodness you hold within you? Whom would you not draw willingly to your sweetness, since we have known your heart to overflow with ineffable love? And with what wonder do I embrace that sight of you — loving everyone as though you had personally fathered each one from your own heart.

Which of your children would want to be arrogant, knowing you as their father and teacher in such humility? Or who — however noble his birth — seeing you so suppliant before others, would not throw himself prostrate at your feet on the ground? I say it truly: if pride casts a man down when he swells up, your praiseworthy humility raises him when he falls. And who could remain angry or troubled in a place where the bishop and high priest is found so calm? The whole flock learns to live without rapacity when the shepherd's tranquility teaches them the way to live.

What else can I say? You give yourself so fully to each person individually that you are praised for all of them together. Even if we cannot imitate you, we rejoice to have seen what we ought to imitate.

And so I commend myself particularly to your lordship and holiness, and I beg and implore you — may my lord Martin obtain through his intercession what I ask: that divine mercy may place you in eternal light beside him, according to your merits — please deign to pray for me, your humble son and servant, at his blessed tomb, and approach as a kind intercessor for the forgiveness of my sins.

I greet with reverence all those who are yours, my dear lords. I humbly ask that you send special greetings on my behalf to my most dear son Aventius. I ask to be commended with warmth to my lord Bishop Felix, if he should come to you. Pray for me.

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.

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