Letter 4010: It was not presumption that brought me to the duty of writing to you, for to address a man of great power and virtue...

To Trasimundus, most illustrious man [vir illustris]. Ennodius. It was no rashness that led me to the duty of the written page, since an offshoot of the royal stock invites one subject to it into full fellowship. For this is the glory of lords, implanted in their very birth, that they exalt their own eminence by their condescension. You wish to treat your servants as if they were your equals, so that, by that very arrangement, they should owe you the more through love. Therefore, most devout lord, while rendering the homage that is to be paid together with the common reckoning, I make known that I have appointed the bearer of the present letter to bring forward certain matters. Do you grant your suppliant the desired effect, for I have approached as a petitioner sustained by hope.

X. TRASIMVNDO V. I. ENNODIVS. Non temeritas me ad paginale duxit officium, quando adomnem communionem subditum suum regiae stirpis germen inuitat. est enim haec claritas dominorum inserta natalibus, ut culmina sua dignatione subliment. uultis quasi aequales tractare a 1 soiboit B tingoant BLV, tingant PTb; em. Sirm . 2 muricae L ezibuit TV 3 cochleis Tb solum T1 5 me nrbanitate uires LPTfb 6 uotata B clarioris (clari in ras.) B sncci T, faci Pb 8 hinc] huic T ut uidetur 9 preuium B 10 notitia B Q. C. V, uc BL, uero T, nunc Pb 11 loquor L a. l. m. ant . iccirco T imperasse L 13 ignoraret Tl 15 penitralia B 16 credit B 17 fouetes B1 20 peasaait B aerborum] fiait add. B X. 22 Y. I. om. T 28 ofm T 21 comuniooem V 26 dignatione (tione s. I. m. 2) T famulos, ut ab ipsa uobis per amorem condicione plus debeant. unde, piissime domine, obsequium exhibens cum generalitate soluendum significo me ad aliqua suggerenda perlatorem praesentium destinasse. uos effectu donate supplicem, quia spe fultus precator accessi.