Introduction

Summary

Sidonius starts the letter by praising Hesperius’ education and achievements in his studies. His love for Hesperius is based on his friend's love of literature. Sidonius then goes on to express the pleasure he takes in young talents and his endeavours for the Latin language. Next, Sidonius declares that he will comply with Hesperius’ request and send him verses as he wished, namely a poem for the new church of bishop Patiens in Lyon. Sidonius explains where his epigram will be set up in the church. Like the epitaph inserted in Ep. 2.8.3, this poem is also written in Phalaecian hendecasyllables and is placed in the apse together with the poems of two other authors, Constantius and Secundinus. In a show of modesty, Sidonius uses several comparisons to emphasise how much his poem falls short of the other two. The epigram, consisting of thirty verses, all of which Sidonius includes in section 4 of the letter, contains a praise of the visual aspect of the cathedral's interior, especially the various materials, colours and the effect of the wandering sunlight. Sidonius also describes how different people choose different paths to reach the cathedral of Lyon to pray there. In section 5 Sidonius changes the subject and asks Hesperius to continue his studies and also to send him samples of his literary activity, even though he is going to be married. Instead of describing his own experiences with the compatibility of marriage and studies, Sidonius adds two lists. He first discusses five married couples where the wife holds the candlestick for her husband during his nocturnal studies and then, in section 6, six other (married and unmarried) couples known from literature where the woman actively assists in writing literature. Having a wife therefore does not mean you cannot study anymore; on the contrary, a good wife is like a personal muse at home.

Addressee

The addressee of Ep. 2.10 is Hesperius, a young scholar and friend of Sidonius. In Ep. 4.22.1 Sidonius calls him a vir magnificus, gemma amicorum litterarumque (‘an honourable man, a jewel of friends and letters’) and praises him because of his literary interest. With the combination of gemstone and education, Sidonius takes up two themes that are formative for the present letter 2.10. Prévot (1999) 67 thinks that Hesperius taught at Clermont- Ferrand.