Content

Sidonius expresses amusement at the news that Syagrius, descendant of a consul and a learned man himself, is spending time among Burgundians, being a respected member at court. The letter ends with a final exhortation not to forget the Latin language.

Genre: a letter of admonitio

Ep. 5.5 can be ascribed to letters of admonitio (or symbuleuticae), a genre which, according to Cugusi, has its roots in late Republican treatises in form of letters, such as in Cicero's renowned letter to his brother (Q. fr. 1.1).

Sherwin-White and Cugusi detect symbuleuticae also in Pliny's epistolary collection, where, however, the epistles have lost their nature of treatise and are notably short, and considerably different from previous models. It is worthy of emphasis that, among the admonitiones the two scholars signal, Pliny's Epp. 8.24 and 9.5 could be compared with Sidonius’ letter, which, like all of Pliny's letters of admonitio, is closed with an exhortative section. However, unlike Sidonius’ letter to Syagrius, Pliny's letters have the purpose of reminding addressees of the duties of official posts, and are composed of general admonitions and exhortations to behave honourably while holding new offices. It seems that the political function symbuleuticae traditionally had, and maintained (although with some formal changes) in Pliny, is overturned by Sidonius. In Ep. 5.5 his unrequested advice does not concern imperial office-holding, but Syagrius’ undefined office as trusted adviser at the Burgundian court. Therefore, if Ep. 5.5 is to be considered as an admonitio, Sidonius studiously chooses to adapt an old genre to new content.

Among the few letters of Book 5 which can be related to a Plinian model (considerably fewer than in other books) Roy Gibson mentions Ep. 5.5 as an echo of Pliny's Ep. 5.17. While the comparison cannot be made from a formal point of view, a similarity by contrast can be detected in the two letters, and an overview of the Plinian context seems, therefore, necessary. In Ep. 5.17 to Vestricius Spurinna, a patron of young men of letters, Pliny recalls having attended a recital of Calpurnius Piso's ‘flowing, delicate and smooth elegiac couplets’ and having appreciated in particular his versatility in raising and lowering the tone while reading. The performer, therefore, is lauded for his ability to add attraction to the lines with his voice and his manners.