nam ita ex his pauci, quod reliquorum pace sit dictum, solam clericatus diuturnitatem pro meritis autumant calculandam, ut nos in antistite consecrando non utilitatem velint eligere sed aetatem, tamquam diu potius quam bene vivere debeat accipi ad summum sacerdotium adipiscendum pro omnium gratiarum privilegio decoramento lenocinamento.
for a few of these'if the others will allow me to say so'maintain that only length of service and not merits should be taken into consideration, and so they would have us, in instituting a bishop, choose not usefulness but age, as if a long life rather than a good life should be accepted as replacing the prestige and lustre and charm of all the graces as a qualification for the highest priesthood.
final_alignments\Sidonius_Letters_Book7.json