A letter from Gregory I, pope (603, February)

Translated letter:

As often as anyone comes to us from the royal city, we take care to inquire about the health of your body, but owing to my sins, I always hear that which it pains me to hear: they report that in great thinness and infirmity the pains of gout are still increasing for you. But I pray almighty God that everything that occurs in your body is directed for the health of your soul, that the temporary scourges are preparing eternal rest for you, and that through those pains which by nature have an end, almighty God may grant you joys without end. But I live mired in such sorrow and trivial affairs that it ashames me to have reached this age, and the sole consolation I possess is the expectation of death. For this reason I ask that you should pray for me, that I may be led out more quickly from this corporeal prison, that I no longer would be tortured by pains of such severity. In addition I inform [you] that a certain man by the name of Beator, who wants to be called as if he were a comes privatarum(1), has come here and is setting many things in motion against everyone, but mostly against your Excellence’s men , or those of your most esteemed granddaughters, under the pretense of investigating state business. And we certainly do not permit him to behave wickedly, but neither can we interfere with public service [utilitatibus publicis]. Therefore you, to the extent that you can, plead before the most pious emperor that he stop this man’s wretched behavior. For with all the uproar, public service is not being conducted, nor is there anything of great value which seems to demand it. I ask that my dearest son, lord Strategios, is greeted on my behalf [and] may almighty God foster him for his own benefit and for yours, and may he always console you out of His grace and out of the life of that man. But concerning your return, what should I write, when you know how much I desire it? But when I consider the obligations of my reasons, I am in despair, and therefore I entreat the Creator of all that wherever you are, wherever you will be may He protect you by stretching forth His right hand, and keep you safe from all evils.(2)

Original letter:

Quotiens de urbe regia ad nos aliquis venit, curae nobis est de corporis vestri sospitate requirere: sed peccatis meis facientibus et semper audio quae me paenitet audire, quia in tanta tenuitate atque debilitate adhuc in vobis referunt podagrae dolores excrescere. Sed oro omnipotentem Deum, qui omnia quae in vestro corpore aguntur ad salutem animae dirigat, ut flagella temporalia aeternam vobis quietem praeparent et per eos dolores qui cum fine sunt gaudia vobis sine fine concedat. Ego autem in tanto gemitu et occupationibus vivo, ut ad dies quos ago me pervenisse paeniteat solaque mihi in consolatione sit mortis expectatio. Unde peto, ut pro me orare debeatis, quatenus de hoc carnis carcere citius educar, ne tantis laboribus diutius torquear. Praeterea indico quendam hic nomine Beatorem, qui quasi comes privatarum dici vult, venisse et multa contra omnes agere, maxime autem contra excellentiae vestrae homines vel nobilissimarum neptium vestrarum, quasi res publicas quaerens. Et nos quidem eum perverse agere non permittimus, sed neque utilitatibus publicis possumus obviare. Vos ergo apud piissimum principem, sicut potestis, agite, ut ei agere prava contradicant. Nam cum omni strepitu neque utilitas publica agitur neque aliquid magni est compendii, quod repetere videtur. Dulcissimum filium meum domnum Strategium mea peto vice salutari, quem omnipotens Deus sibi vobisque nutriat vosque semper de sua gratia et de vita illius consoletur. De reversione autem vestra quid scribere debeo, qui, quantum eam desiderem, scitis? Sed dum causarum obligationes aspicio, mihi in desperatione est, atque ideo creatorem omnium exoro, ut, ubicumque estis, ubicumque fueritis, suae vos dexterae extensione protegat atque a malis omnibus conservet.

Historical context:

The pope worries about Rusticiana’s troubles with gout and hopes her physical pain may be good for her soul. He tells her of his own desire for death and warns her about someone who has come as an imperial officer and is making trouble for her and her granddaughters’ men.

Scholarly notes:

1 That is, an officer in charge of the emperor’s private funds. 2 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, 2.391-92, ep.13.26. .

Date:

603, February