Letter 2065: What is worse, long forgetfulness has so thoroughly erased the old and deep-rooted love between us — partly, I must...
LXV. RURICIUS EPISCOPUS FRATRI UOLUSIANO EPISCOPO.
Ita, quod peius est, caritatem antiquam et insitam nobis
partim, quoniam confitendum est, neglegentia nostra, partim
necessitate temporis, partim corporis infirmitate faciente longa
deleuit obliuio, ut penitus inmemores nostri facti non solum
uos nullis officiis mutuis sed nec litteris requiramus. miror
nobilitatem tuam quasi filium ad me litteras destinare, cum
sine ullo respectu religionis aut propinquitatis tibi iniuriae
nostrae sic placeant, ut eas uindicare non uelis. unde, nisi
9 conloquutione S simulquae S depraecor S 11 instinctum S
12 uultuum v, uultum S 15 uehicola S 16 jjpicia S 19 distinabo S
23 partem S ubique quoniam v, quam S, expungit Mommsenwi 25 delebit
S penitus S inmemoris S 26 nos S mutuis om . v 27 distinare
S 29 uellis S
existimationem personae meae aut officii cogitassem, portitorem
litterarum tuarum talem ad te remiseram, quales homines meos
non matrona uestra, sed domina procax nimium et effrenata
perduxit, cuius mores, si tu tanto tempore cum famae tuae
diminutione aut uoluntarie aut necessitate subportas, alios noueris
nec uelle ferre nec esse contentos. nam quod scribis
te metu hostium hebetem factum, timere hostem non debet
extraneum, qui consueuit sustinere domesticum.
2 miseram v 3 et effrenata nimium v 4 fame S 5 uoluntariae S
6 timetu S habetem S 8 domesticum] finit. FINIUNT EPISTULE
DOMNI RURICII EPISCOPI LEMOUICENI add. S
EPISTULAE AD RURICIUM SCRIPTAE.
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To my brother Volusianus.
Bitter illness has laid me low, and from this bed I write to you with what strength remains.
It might seem like a failure of trust in divine promises for anyone to be anxious about your prosperity.
God, who planted in your soul the desire for good works, will Himself watch over their fulfillment.
What you are to me and what I am to you — these are things that titles cannot change and promotions cannot diminish.