A letter from Gregory I, pope (601, February)

Translated letter:

I received your Excellence’s letters, which – because of your vigor, your devotion, and your sweetness – altogether comforted me when I was laid up with a very severe illness. But I received one thing with distress: that in those very letters to me, it was stated too often that thing which could have been [said] just a single time: “your handmaiden” and “your handmaiden.” For what reason does she call herself my handmaiden, for I – who was made the servant of all through the burdens of the episcopal office – had been received as a special friend [her own] before my assumption of the episcopal office? And therefore I ask through the power of the almighty God that I would never at any time find this word in your letters to me. But those things which you sent out of your purest and most sincere heart to Saint Peter, leader of the Apostles, were accepted with the entire clergy present and hung there. For my son, magnificent lord Symmachus, because he found that I was ill from the pain of gout and nearly in despair, delayed in presenting me with your letters and gave them [to me] a long time after the tapestries were received. But later we discovered in your Excellence’s letters that they ought to be carried to the church of Saint Peter with a litany. This was not done, because, as I said earlier, we received the tapestries prior to the letters. Nevertheless the aforementioned man with the entire company of your household carried out this deed which you wished us to do with the clergy. But even though the voices of the people were lacking, your offering itself has its own voice before the almighty Lord. For in His faithfulness, I believe that in heaven the intercession of the one whose body you have covered on earth protects you from all sins, and guides your entire home with his providence and guards it with his vigilance. And concerning your gout trouble, which you indicated had come upon you, I was both extremely saddened and cheered: cheered, because the harmful humor, in seeking your lower parts, has deserted your upper parts entirely; but saddened, because I am very fearful that you are enduring excessive pains in such an extremely delicate body. For where there is a lack of flesh, what strength can there be for resisting pains? Indeed, you know how I was, I, whom so much bitterness of mind and assiduous exasperation, and on account of this - the annoyance of gout – weakens me with the result that my body has been dried up as if it [were] in the tomb; wherefore it happens that rarely now can I get up from bed. Therefore, if the pain of gout reduces the mass of my body to such a withered state, what should I think about your body, which was exceedingly wasted before the pains? But concerning the alms which you gave to the monastery of Saint Andrew the Apostle, what at all is it necessary for me to say, when it has been written: “Conceal [your] gift in the bosom of a poor man, and it will pray on your behalf.” If therefore charity - through the power of the deed itself- possesses its own voice before the secret ears of the Lord, whether we announce [it] or whether we remain silent, then the deed which you have done rightly announces [itself]. Nevertheless, I point out that there are such miracles, such care, such protection for the monks in that very monastery of the same Apostle, as if specifically he himself were the abbot of the monastery. For instance, to give a few incidents from the many stories which I learned from the abbot and prior of the monastery, on a certain day, two brothers were sent out from that place in order that they should buy something for the use of the monastery, one younger [brother] who appeared more prudent, [and] another older [brother], who was the guardian of the younger one. The two of them went forth and out of the money that they had received, that monk who had been sent as the guardian stole from that same money while the other monk was unaware. As soon as they returned to the monastery and came in front of the threshold of the oratory, the one who committed the theft fell down, having been possessed by a demon, and began to be tormented. But after he was released by the demon, the monks assembled, and the man was asked whether he might have stolen from that which he had received; he denied [it], he was tormented again; having been released and questioned again, he denied [it] and was tormented again. Thus eight times he denied [it], eight times he was tormented. But after the eighth denial he confessed how many coins he had secretly stolen. And doing penance, he prostrated himself and confessed that he had sinned; indeed the demon did not enter him [again] after that time. Also, at another time, while the brothers were resting during the midday hours on the birthday of that same Apostle, a certain brother, suddenly blinded – though his eyes were open – began to tremble and to let loose piercing cries – cries in which he was confessing that he could not endure what he was suffering. The brothers assembled, saw [that he was] blind with his eyes open, trembling, and crying out, and [that he was] a stranger to those present and feeling that nothing could be done outdoors: and they raised him up in their hands and threw him before the altar of Saint Andrew the Apostle and they themselves prostrated in prayer on behalf of him. When immediately he returned to himself, he confessed what he had suffered, that some old man appeared to him and let loose a black dog to tear him apart, saying, ‘Why did you wish to flee from this monastery?’ ‘When I couldn’t escape from the jaws of the dog by any means, certain monks came and asked that old man on my behalf. Immediately he ordered the dog to go away and I returned to myself.’ Also, he confessed, that ‘on that day when I survived those things, I had conceived a plan to escape from that same monastery.’ Another monk also secretly wished to leave that same monastery. And after he had planned this in his mind, he came to enter the oratory; immediately having been handed over to a demon, he was tormented most violently. But he was released by the demon and, if he stood outside the oratory, he suffered nothing evil; if he made an attempt to enter, immediately he was handed over to a malevolent spirit and was tormented. After this had occurred many times, he confessed his guilt, that he was thinking about leaving the monastery. Then the brothers, having gathered together, committed themselves in prayers for that man for three days’ duration, and thus he was healed, with the result that after that time, the malevolent spirit never came near him [again]. But he used to say that, while he was being tormented, he had seen that blessed Apostle himself, and that he had been rebuked by him because he had wished to leave. Two other brothers also fled from that same monastery, and they gave some clues to the brothers in earlier conversation, [saying] that going down the Appian Way, they were heading for Jerusalem. Setting out, they turned off from their itinerary and – in order than they would not be found by those following – upon discovering concealed crypts next to the Flaminian gate, they hid themselves in them. But when, having been sought during the evening hours, they had not been found within the congregation, certain brothers jumped on horses and followed them, exiting through the Porta Metroni so that they might follow them on the Latin or the Appian Way. Suddenly a plan occurred to them – that they might look upon the Salarian Way. Therefore, setting off outside the city, they turned off onto the Salarian Way. But not finding them at all, they resolved to return through the Flaminian gate. And when they were returning, as soon as their horses came in front of those crypts in which they had concealed themselves, they fixed their foot, they were unwilling to move a step, although they were beaten and impelled. The monks considered that such a situation could not exist without a mystery, they turned their attention to the crypts, they saw that the entrances had been damaged by a wall that had been cast down, but – given that their horses were going nowhere – they dismounted. They moved the stones which had been placed in the mouth of the crypts: they entered and found them, dismayed, in precisely those shadowy hiding places of the earth. Those who were led back to the monastery were so edified by this very miracle that to have fled for a short time from the monastery profited them greatly. I have said these things so that it may be clear to your Excellence to whose oratory you have made a gift. And may almighty God keep you safe in soul and in body and in your whole household through his celestial protection and may he grant that you may live for a long time for the purpose of our encouragement. I ask that my dearest son, lord Strategius, along with his glorious parents, your children, be greeted on my behalf.(1)

Original letter:

Excellentiae vestrae scripta suscepi, quae me in gravissima aegritudine positum de salute, de devotione ac de dulcedine sua omnino relevarent. Unum vero aegre suscepi, quia in eisdem epistolis ad me, quod semel esse poterat, saepius dicebatur: ancilla vestra, et ancilla vestra. Ego enim, qui per episcopatus onera servus sum omnium factus, qua ratione mihi se illa ancillam dicit, cuius susceptus ante episcopatum proprius fui? Et ideo rogo per omnipotentem Deum, ne hoc verbum aliquando ad me in scriptis vestris inveniam. Ea autem quae ex purissimo et sincerissimo corde beato Petro apostolorum principi munera transmisistis praesente omni clero suscepta atque illic suspensa sunt. Filius enim meus vir magnificus domnus Symmachus, quia ex podagrae dolore aegrotum me et paene desperatum repperit, scripta vestra mihi dare distulit et post multum temporis, quam vela suscepta sunt, dedit. Postmodum vero in scriptis excellentiae vestrae invenimus, ut cum letania ad beati Petri ecclesiam portari debuissent. Quod ideo minime factum est, quia, sicut praedixi, ante vela quam scripta suscepimus. Tamen praedictus vir cum omni familia domus vestrae hoc fecit, quod nos facere cum clero voluistis. Sed et si voces defuerunt hominum, habet ipsa vestra oblatio apud omnipotentem Dominum vocem suam. In eius enim pietate confido, quia cuius vos corpus cooperuistis in terra eius vos intercessio a peccatis omnibus protegit in caelo omnemque domum vestram sua provisione regit et sua vigilantia custodit. De podagrae autem molestia, quam vobis evenisse signastis, et contristatus vehementer sum et laetatus: laetatus, quia humor noxius inferiora petens superiora perfecte deseruit; contristatus vero, quia in tam tenuissimo corpore dolores vos nimios perpeti pertimesco. Ubi enim deest caro, quae virtus esse poterit doloribus resistens? Se etenim, quem, qualis fuerim, nostis, ita amaritudo animi et adsidua exacerbatio atque per hoc podagrae molestia afficit, ut corpus meum tamquam in sepulturam ita siccatum sit; unde fit, ut iam raro de lecto surgere valeam. Si ergo mei molem corporis in tantam podagrae dolor ariditatem redigit, quid de vestro corpore sentiam, quod nimis siccum ante dolores fuit? De elemosina vero quam beati Andreae apostoli monasterio fecistis, quid necesse est me aliquid dicere, cum scriptum sit: 'Absconde elemosinam in sinu pauperis, et haec pro te exorabit'? Si ergo apud secretas aurea Domini habet ipsa bona operatio vocem suam, sive nos clamemus, sive taceamus, hoc ipsum quod bene egistis clamat. Indico autem, quia tanta miracula, tanta cura, tanta custodia monachorum in eodem monasterio eiusdem apostoli est, ac si specialiter abbas monasterii ipse sit. Nam ut pauca de multis loquar, quae abbate ac praeposito monasterii narrantibus agnovi, quadam die duo exinde fratres transmissi sunt, qui aliquid emere pro monasterii utilitate debuissent, unus iunior, qui prudentior videbatur, alter senior, qui custos iunioris esset. Perrexerunt utrique, et de pretio quod acceperunt ipse qui custos missus fuerat nesciente altero de eodem pretio furtum fecit. Qui mox ut in monasterium sunt reversi atque ante oratorii limen venerunt, arreptus daemonio is qui furtum fecerat cecidit et vexari coepit. Dimissus autem a daemonio concurrentibus monachis requisitus est, ne forsitan de eo quod acceperat furtum fecisset; negavit, iterum vexatus est; dimissus atque iterum requisitus negavit atque iterum vexatus est. Octo itaque vicibus negavit, octo vicibus est vexatus. Post octavam vero negationem confessus est, quantos nummos furto abstulerat. Et agens paenitentiam prostratus se peccasse testatus est; ulterius vero ad eum daemonium non accessit. Alio quoque tempore dum in die natalicio eiusdem apostoli iam meridianis horis fratres quiescerent, subito quidam frater apertis oculis caecatus coepit tremere, voces ingentes mittere, quibus vocibus testabatur ferre se non posse quod patiebatur. Concurrerunt fratres, viderunt caecum oculis apertis trementem et clamantem et a praesentibus alienum nihilque quod foris agi poterat sentientem; eumque in manibus levaverunt atque ante altare beati Andreae apostoli proiecerunt ipsique pro eo in oratione prostrati sunt. Qui statim ad se reversus, quid passus fuerat, confessus est, quia senex quidam ei apparuit. et canem nigrum ad eum dilaniandum dimisit dicens: 'Quare fugere voluisti de monasterio isto?' 'Cumque evadere de canis morsibus nullo modo potuissem, venerunt quidam monachi et eundem senem pro me rogaverunt. Qui statim iussit canem abscedere, et ipse ad me reversus sum.' Qui etiam confessus est, quia 'eo die quo ista pertuli consilium habueram de eodem monasterio fugere'. Alius quoque monachus discedere ex eodem monasterio latenter voluit. Cumque hoc mente tractasset, venit oratorium ingredi; statim daemonio traditus vehementissime vexatus est. Relinquebatur vero a daemonio et, si extra oratorium stetisset, nihil patiebatur adversi; si conatus fuisset ingredi, statim maligno spiritui traditus vexabatur. Cumque hoc saepius fieret, culpam suam confessus est, quia de monasterio egredi cogitabat. Tunc pro illo fratres collecti sese per triduum in precibus astrinxerunt, atque ita curatus est, ut ad eum postmodum numquam spiritus malignus accederet. Dicebat autem eundem se beatum apostolum, dum vexaretur, vidisse seque ab eo increpatum esse, cur voluisset abscedere. Alii quoque duo fratres de eodem monasterio fugerunt atque aliqua prius colloquendo fratribus signa dederant, quod per Appiam descendentes Hierosolymam tenderent. Qui exeuntes deverterunt de itinere et, ut a sequentibus inveniri minime potuissent, retrusas cryptas iuxta Flammineam portam invenientes in eis se occultaverunt. Cum vero vespertinis horis requisiti minime in congregatione inventi essent, ascensis caballis eos quidam fratres secuti sunt per Metrovi portam exeuntes, ut eos in Latinam vel Appiam viam sequerentur. Subito eis consilium ortum est, ut eos in Salariam viam requirerent. Extra civitatem igitur pergentes deflexerunt in Salariam. Eos vero minime invenientes per portam Flammineam decreverunt reverti. Cumque reverterentur, mox ut equi eorum ante cryptas illas venerunt, in quibus se absconderant, fixerunt gradum, pulsati et compulsi passum movere noluerunt. Consideraverunt monachi rem talem sine mysterio esse non posse, attenderunt ad cryptas, viderunt earum aditus missa maceria damnatos, sed caballis suis nusquam euntibus descenderunt. Deposuerunt lapides qui in ore cryptarum positi fuerunt; ingressi sunt eosque in eisdem tenebrosis latibulis consternatos terrae invenerunt. Qui ad monasterium reducti ex eodem miraculo ita meliorati sunt, ut eis multum profuerit ad parum temporis de monasterio fugisse. Haec dixi, ut excellentiae vestrae innotesceret, cuius oratorio elemosinam fecistis. Omnipotens autem Deus et in anima et in corpore et in omni domo caelesti vos protectione custodiat et ad consolationem nostram diu vos vivere concedat. Dulcissimum filium meum domnum Strategium cum gloriosis parentibus suis filiis vestris mea peto vice salutari.

Historical context:

Gregory objects to her humble form of address, insisting on their friendship which antedates his elevation, excuses his failure to respond to her letters because of a severe attack of gout, commiserates with her illness, acknowledges the receipt of the tapestries she sent with a description of their treatment, and the alms she gave to the monastery of St. Andrew. Then he tells a series of miracles that have occurred at that monastery.

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Angela Kinney

Printed source:

Gregorii I Papae Registrum Epistolarum, ed. Paulus Ewald and Ludovicus Hartmann (Berlin: Weidmann, 1887-91, MGH, 2.287-89, ep.11.26

Date:

601, February