Letter 98: How do you think I received your welcome letters — I who was thirsting to hear from you?

To Olympius. How do you think I received your welcome letters — I who was thirsting to hear from you? Every passage made my heart melt. They inspired many different feelings, and now I look forward to seeing again that Alexandria where there still lives a friend so dear to me. By taking such an interest in Secundus, you have done me great honor, and in praising him in your letter you have bound us to yourself completely. I walk humbly and do not consider myself worthy of such honor. You do me a double favor: by the greatness of what you wrote, and by the energy of your actions. I have already written several times to my Lord the Count, but since you reproach me in the letter I received through the young man for not writing to him, I have entrusted my brother with another letter. Take care of your health. Be happy. Give yourself to philosophy, as befits one who has been drawn to her by divine love. I am writing to you from my bed, barely able to form the letters. Pray that the best things may be mine — whatever God judges best. If I recover, I am off to Alexandria at once.

Letter 98: Gratitude [1] To Olympius How do you think I received your pleasant letters, I who was thirsting to hear from you; and o'er what passage in them did not my heart melt? They inspired many different feelings, and I look forward to seeing again soon that Alexandria where there still lives a friend who is so dear to me. In taking so great an interest in Secundus, you have done my great honor, and in honoring him so in your letter you have attached us to yourself, and have made us yours entirely. [2] As I am one of those men who walk humbly, I do not deem myself worthy of so great honor. For you do me a double honor, both by the greatness of what you have written, and by the zeal of your actions. I have already written frequently to my Lord the Count, but as in the letter I received through the young man you reproach me for not writing to him, I have entrusted my brother with a letter to him. [3] Take care of your health, continue happy, give yourself up to philosophy, as it befits one to do who has cloven to her, led on by divine love. I am writing to you from my bed, holing myself up with difficulty to form the letters. Pray that the best things may be mine, whatso'er God may adjudge the best. If I recover, I am off to Alexandria at once.