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A letter from Fortunatus (after 567)

Sender

Fortunatus

Receiver

Agnes, abbess of the Holy Cross
Radegund of Thuringia

Translated letter:

What could the mother and sister give me so sweet as now the agreeable wealth of milk they offer, as Paul ordered by apostolic dogma, he himself ordered milk given to sick spirits? You bear a mind solicitous for my name: may god always have pious care for you.

Original letter:

Quid tam dulce darent mihimet materque sororque, quam modo quod tribuunt congrue lactis opem, sicut apostolico praecepit dogmate Paulus, cum infirmis animis lac iubet ipse dari? sollicitam mentem geritis de nomine nostro: de vobis semper sit pia cura deo.

Historical context:

Bishop Venantius Fortunatus met Agnes and her patron Radegund when he visited Poitiers. They became good friends and exchanged epistolary poems and small gifts until the women died.

Printed source:

Venanti Fortunati Opera Poetica, ed. Fridericus Leo (Berlin: Weidmann, 1881), 264, Librum XI, xv.

Date:

after 567