The Presbyters Project

Book VIII, Letter 30 = no. 407 in the edition of Vogel

ENNODIVS ADEODATO PRESBYTERO

Acerbo aegritudinis inpetu et valida febrium nimietate contritus, cum ut fidem veteris testimonii Christus noster in me quod in Lazaro fecerat ostendisset et evangelii fidem praesentibus declararet exemplis, litteras vestras adcepi. ordinavit ille qui potuit, ut diebus, quibus vitam restituerat, amicorum quoque suorum eam et confirmaret et fulciret alloquiis. de versibus, unde tibi portentum illud dixit, risum mihi stulta iudicia fecerunt. scias illos in summo pretio apud domnum habitos, quamvis in temporis angustia et viridarii transcursione conscriptos. sed si eos non scripsisti, nec facias. mihi sufficit, dum feci, vota conplesse. nunc ad eam partem me confero, quae specialiter a sanctis poscenda est, ut pro aegro et amante adtentius ores et, si mereor, crebra mihi et instructionis et consolationis praestes eloquia.

(ed. Vogel 1885: 286)

Book VIII, Letter 30 = no. 407 in the edition of Vogel

Ennodius to the Presbyter Adeodatus

When our Christ showed in me, worn out by great force of illness and high, raging fever, the same miracle which he had done, according to the old faithful testimony, for Lazarus, and confirmed the truthfulness of the Gospel by the present examples, I have received your letters. The One who has power gave order that in those days in which He restored my life, it also be confirmed and strenghtened with conversations with His friends. In regard to the verses on which such monstrosities were told you, these foolish judgment just made me laugh. You shall know that my lord holds them in the highest opinion although they have been written in short time just at the moment when the courier was coming by. But if you have not already engraved them, do not do it. It is enough for me that I have fulfilled my vows when I composed them. Now I refer to this part which is especially to be asked from the saints that you pray diligently for the sick one who loves you, and, if I deserve it, to send me quickly words of instruction and consolation.

(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

Presbyter Adeodatus here is most probably the same as the addressee of other Ennodius's letters, see PCBE, Italie, v. 1, Adeodatus 8. It is possibly also the same person as the Presbyter Adeodatus present at the council of Rome in AD 495 [661] and the Presbyter Adeodatus present at the council in Rome in AD 502 (PCBE Italie, v. 1, Adeodatus 7, 9). It is impossible to say with precision whether we have here one, two, or three different Adeodati.

The poem mentioned in the letter is the epitaph of Cynegia which Ennodius had sent to Adeodatus in his previous letter [1502]. Ennodius has sent the poem also to Beatus (see PCBE Italie, v. 1, Beatus 2), his pupil in Rome (Letter VII, 29=Vogel no. 362). In Letter VIII, 29 Ennodius accused Beatus of criticizing the poem. Later, however, after receiving Beatus's response Ennodius apologized for believing rumours (Letter VIII, 21 = Vogel, no. 398).

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia
Rome

City

Pavia

About the source:

Author: Ennodius
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Pavia (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia), Rome
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Magnus Felix Ennodius (477/4 - 521) was a Roman noble from the senatorial family, born in Gaul and raised in Northern Italy. He became a cleric in Pavia and was ordained by the bishop of this city, Epiphanius. Later he joined the clergy of Milan where he was promoted to the diaconate around the year 502. In the year 515 (at latest) he was elevated to the see of Pavia. He was a bishop there until his death in 521. Ennodius was involved in many ecclesiastical and political affaires of his time, he also gained the reputation of a good rhetorician and teacher. He maintained good relations with the Ostrogothic King Theodoric - in 507 he even composed the panegyric for the king. During his episcopacy, he was also sent as an envoy to Constantinople in order to negotiate the ending of the schism between Rome and Constantinople (the Acacian schism). For the general information on Ennodius see PCBE, Italie, v. 1, Magnus Felix Ennodius; Kennel 2000.

Ennodius authored several works of different genres - discourses, lives of saints, poems, and letters directed to various addresses representing the Church and the state. On the collection of letters see Gioanni 2001, and the Introduction in Gioanni 2010.

Edition:

F. Vogel ed. Magni Felicis Ennodii opera, Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Auctores Antiquissimi 7, Berlin 1885

Bibliography:

S. Gioanni, "La contribution épistolaire d’Ennode de Pavie à la primauté pontificale sous le règne des papes Symmaque et Hormisdas", Mélanges de l’Ecole française de Rome. Moyen-Age 113 (2001), 245–268.

S.A.H. Kennell, Magnus Felix Ennodius: a gentleman of the church, Ann Arbor 2000.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence

PR428.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR428.

Relation with - Deacon

PR428.

Education

PR428.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1503, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1503