A letter from Gregory I, pope (597, June)

Translated letter:

Pope Gregory I to the noblewoman Theoctista and Andrea I give great thanks to almighty God that your excellency, cast into such a great tumult of affairs, is filled with the richness of the sacred word and longs incessantly for eternal joys, such that I see fulfilled in you what was written about the chosen fathers: “But the children of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea” [Exod 15:19]. On the other hand: “I came into the depth of the sea and a tempest overwhelmed me” [Psal 69:3]. But you walk among the waves of worldly affairs, as I see, with dry steps toward the promised land. Therefore let us give thanks to the spirit that raises up the hearts that it fills, which creates among the tumults of men a solitude in the mind, in whose presence no place that is not of remorseful heart is secret. For you draw in the fragrance of eternal sweetness and thus you love ardently the groom of the soul, such that with the heavenly bride you can say to him: “Draw me: we run after you in the fragrance of your ointments” [Cant. 1:3]. Yet in the letters of your excellency I found this lacking, that it did not wish to communicate to me concerning the most serene lady, how zealously she reads and in what manner she is stung with remorse in reading. Indeed your presence must be very useful for her so that, among the waves of concerns that she endures continually, because of which, willingly or unwillingly, she is drawn outside, she may always be called back within toward love of the celestial homeland, and you must also investigate this: whenever tears are given to her for her soul, whether she is stung so far by fear or now by love. Indeed, there are two types of remorse, as you know: one that fears eternal punishments, another that longs for heavenly rewards, because thirsting for God, the soul is stung first by fear, then by love. For first it afflicts itself with tears because when it recollects its sins, for these it fears greatly that it will suffer eternal tortures; but when terror will be consumed by great anguish of sadness, now from the anticipation of mercy a certain security is born and the mind is inflamed toward love of heavenly joys; and he who wept first so that he not be led to punishment, then begins to weep very bitterly because he is separated from the kingdom. For the mind contemplates those who are the choruses of angels, that society of blessed spirits, that vision of the deepest splendor of God, and weeps more because it is absent from everlasting goodness than it wept at first when it feared eternal evils, and thus it happens that perfect remorse of fear draws the mind to remorse of love. This is described well in a figurative narrative in the sacred and true history, that says: “Axa, daughter of Caleb, sitting on an ass, sighed. Her father said to her: What is wrong? And she responded: Give me a blessing; you have given me a southern and dry land, give also watered land. And her father gave to her an upper and lower watered ground” [Josh 15:18]. Indeed, Axa sits upon the ass, when the soul presides over the irrational stirrings of her flesh. She, sighing, requests watered land from the father because with great desire the grace of tears must be sought from our creator. For there are some who already receive as a gift to speak freely for justice, to defend the oppressed, to bestow their own property on the poor, to have the ardor of faith, but they still do not have the grace of tears. To be sure these have a southern and dry land, but thus far they lack watered (land) because concentrated on good works in which they are great and fervent, it is very necessary that either in fear of punishment or in love of the heavenly kingdom they weep daily for sins, without which they cannot live. But because, as I said, there are two types of remorse, her father gave to her upper and lower watered ground. Indeed the soul receives the upper watered ground when with desire for the heavenly kingdom it afflicts itself with tears; but it receives the lower watered ground when through weeping it fears greatly the punishments of hell. And certainly first the lower and then the upper watered land is granted. But since the remorse of love is superior with great worthiness, it was necessary that the upper watered land be named first and then the lower. Therefore you who, with almighty God working, know through experience both types of remorse, must carefully examine daily how through your words you benefit your most serene lady. Moreover, I ask that you take pains to instill excellent manners into the little lords whom you care for and to admonish the glorious eunuchs who are assigned to them that they must say things to them that spur their minds toward mutual love and to gentleness toward the subjects, so that if they conceive any hate among them now it will not break out into the open later. To be sure, the words of those raising (them) will either be milk if they are good or poison if they are bad. In such a way, therefore, let them now suggest to them things that later may display how good were those things that they sucked from the mouth of their nourishers. Moreover, my most beloved son Sabinianus, the deacon, has conferred the thirty pounds of gold sent by your excellency to be given for the redemption of the captives and to be disbursed to the poor; for this I rejoice for you, but I fear greatly for me because before the formidable judge I proceed to render accounts not only concerning the property of St. Peter, prince of the apostles, but also of your property. So let almighty God restore heavenly things in exchange for earthly, eternal things for temporal. But I mention (this) because from the city of Crotone, which is located on the Adriatic sea in the land of Italy (and) was captured last year by the Lombards, many noble men and women were taken as plunder and children were separated from parents, parents from children and wives from husbands; of these some have now been redeemed, but because they name them for steep ransoms, many thus far have remained with the heinous Lombards. Further, I directly sent half of the money that you sent for their redemption, but with half I arranged to buy blankets for the handmaidens of God, whom you call nuns (monastics) in the Greek language, because in the very severe cold of this city they suffer with grave exposure in their beds. There are many in this city. For according to the record by which they are administered, three thousand are found. Indeed they receive eighty annual pounds from the property of St. Peter, prince of the apostles. But what are these for such a great multitude, especially in this city where everything is bought at such a steep price? But such is the life of these, and (subject to) so many tears and in strict abstinence, so that we believe that if they did not exist, none of us would have been able to survive now for so many years in this place among the swords of the Lombards. Moreover, I have sent a blessing, the key of St. Peter the apostle from his most sacred body; about this, namely the key, I relate this miracle that occurred. When a certain Lombard, having entered the city from the regions beyond the Po, found it, disdaining that it was the key of St. Peter, but because he saw that it was gold, wanting to make for himself something else out of it, he took out a knife so that he could cut it. Seized by the spirit, he immediately pierced his throat with the knife, with which he wanted to divide it (the key) in parts, and in the same hour he fell dead. And since Autarith, king of the Lombards, and many other of his men were present there, and the one who had struck himself was dead separated (from where) this key lay on the ground, very great fear overtook them all so that no one dared to pick up the same key from the earth. Then a certain Catholic Lombard by the name of Mimiulf, who was known to be devoted to prayer and alms, was called, and he picked it up from the ground. Because of the same miracle Autarith made another golden key and sent it together with this one to my predecessor of holy memory, relating how through it a miracle had occurred. Therefore I am eager to send to your excellency that thing through which almighty God destroyed a proud and faithless man, so that through it you, who love and fear him, may have present and eternal salvation.1

Original letter:

GREGORIUS THEOCTISTAE PATRICIAE ET ANDREAE. Quod in tanto tumultu causarum vestra excellentia posita sacri verbi ubertate plena eat atque incessanter ad aeterna gaudia suspirat, magnas omnipotenti Deo gratias ago, quia hoc in vobis impletum video quod de electis patribus scriptum est: 'Filii autem Israhel ambulaverunt per siccum per medium mare'. At contra: 'Ego veni in altitudinem maris, et tempestas demersit me'. Vos vero ad repromissionis patriam inter undas causarum saecularium siccis, ut video, gressibus ambulatis. Agamus ergo gratias ei spiritui qui corda quae implet levat, qui inter tumultus hominum solitudinem in mente facit, in cuius praesentia nullus locus compunctae animae non est secretus. Aeternae enim suavitatis odorem trahitis atque ideo sponsum animae ardenter amatis, ita ut cum caelesti sponsa ei dicere possitis: 'Trahe me: post te in odore unguentorum tuorum currimus'. In epistolis autem vestrae excellentiae hoc minus repperi, quia mihi de serenissima domina indicare noluit, quam studiose legat vel in lectione qualiter compungatur. Prodesse quippe ei multum debet vestra praesentia, ut inter causarum fluctus, quos adsidue patitur, ex quibus, velit nolit, foras trahitur, semper ad amorem caelestis patriae interius revocetur, et hoc quoque investigare debetis, quotiens ei pro sua anima lacrimae dantur, utrum adhuc ex timore an iam ex amore compungitur. Duo quippe sunt compunctionis genera, sicut scitis. Unum quod aeternas poenas metuit, aliud quod caelestibus praemiis suspirat, quia Deum sitiens anima prius timore compungitur, post amore. Ante enim semetipsam in lacrimis afficit, quia, dum malorum suorum recolit, pro his perpeti supplicia aeterna pertimescit; at vero cum longa maeroris anxietudine fuerit formido consumpta, quaedam iam de praesumptione veniae securitas nascitur et in amore caelestium gaudiorum animus inflammatur; et qui prius flebat, ne duceretur ad supplicium, postmodum flere amarissime incipit, quia differtur a regno. Contemplatur etenim mens, qui sunt angelorum chori, quae ipsa societas beatorum spirituum, quae visio internae claritatis Dei, et amplius plangit quae a bonis perennibus deest, quam flebat prius, cum mala aeterna metuebat, sicque fit, ut perfecta compunctio formidinis trahat animum compunctioni dilectionis. Quod bena in sacra veracique historia figurata narratione describitur, quae ait: 'Axa filia Chaleb sedens super asinam suspiravit. Cui dixit pater suus: Quid habes? Atque illa respondit: Da mihi benedictionem; terram australem et arentem dedisti mihi, iunge et inriguam. Et dedit ei pater suus inriguum superius et inriguum inferius'. Axa quippe super asinam sedet, cum inrationabilibus carnis suae motibus anima praesidet. Quae suspirans a patre terram inriguam petit, quia a creatore nostro cum magno desiderio quaerenda est lacrimarum gratia. Sunt namque nonnulli, qui iam in dono percipiunt libere pro iustitia eloqui, oppressos tueri, indigentibus propria tribuere, ardorem fidei habere, sed adhuc gratiam lacrimarum non habent. Hi nimirum terram australem et arentem habent, sed adhuc inrigua indigent, quia in bonis operibus positi, in quibus magni atque ferventes sunt, oportet valde, ut aut timore supplicii aut amore regni caelestis peccata, sine quibus vivere non possunt, cotidie plorent. Sed quia, ut dixi, duo sunt compunctionis genera, dedit ei pater suus inriguum superius et inriguum inferius. Inriguum quippe superius accipit anima, cum se in lacrimis regni caelestis desiderio affligit; inriguum vero inferius accipit, cum inferni supplicia flendo pertimescit.. Et quidem prius inferius et post inriguum superius datur. Sed quia compunctio amoris magna dignitate praeeminet, necesse fuit, ut prius inriguum superius et post inriguum inferius diceretur. Vos ergo, quae operante omnipotente Deo utraque compunctionis genera experimento nostis, quantum per verba vestra serenissimae dominae vestrae prodestis, cotidie sollicite perscrutari debetis. Peto autem, ut parvulos dominos quos nutritis praecipuis moribus instituere curetis et gloriosos eunuchos qui eis deputati sunt ammonere, ut ea illis loqui debeant, quae eorum mentes in caritate circa se invicem et erga subiectos in mansuetudine compungant, ne, si quid odii inter se modo conceperint, in aperto postea erumpat. Verba quidem nutrientium aut lac erunt, si bona sunt, aut venenum, si mala. Taliter ergo nunc eis suggerant quae postmodum ostendant, quam bona fuerint quae a nutritorum suorum ore suxerunt. Praeterea triginta auri libras dilectissimus filius meus Sabinianus diaconus ab excellentia vestra transmissas in redemptionem captivorum dandas atque pauperibus erogandas detulit, de quibus vobis gaudeo, sed mihi pertimesco, quia apud tremendum iudicem non solum de sancti Petri apostolorum principis substantia, sed etiam de vestris rebus rationes redditurus vado. Vobis autem omnipotens Deus pro terrenis caelestia, pro temporalibus aeterna restituat. Indico vero, quia ex Crotonensi civitate, quae super Adriaticum mare in terra Italiae posita transacto anno a Langobardis capta est, multi viri ac multae mulieres nobiles in praeda ductae sunt et filii a parentibus, parentes a filiis et coniuges a coniugibus divisi, ex quibus aliqui iam redempti sunt; sed quia gravibus eos pretiis dicunt, multi apud nefandissimos Langobardos hactenus remanserunt. Mox autem medietatem pecuniae quam transmisistis in eorum redemptionem transmisi, de medietate vero ancillis Dei, quas vos Graeca lingua monasterias dicitis, lectisternia emere disposui, quia in lectis suis gravi nuditate in huius urbis vehementissimo frigore laborant. Quae in hac urbe multae sunt. Nam iuxta notitiam qua dispensantur tria milia repperiuntur. Et quidem de sancti Petri apostolorum principis rebus octoginta annuas libras accipiunt. Sed ad tantam multitudinem ista quid sunt, maxime in hac urbe, ubi omnia gravi pretio emuntur? Harum vero talis vita est, atque in tantum lacrimis et abstinentia stricta, ut credamus, quia, si ipsae non essent, nullus nostrum iam per tot annos in loco hoc subsistere inter Langobardorum gladios potuisset. Praeterea benedictionem sancti Petri apostoli clavem a sacratissimo eius corpore transmisi, de qua videlicet clavi hoc est gestum quod narro miraculum. Dum eam quidam Langobardus civitatem ingressus in Transpadanis partibus invenisset, quia sancti Petri clavis esset, despiciens, sed pro eo, quod eam auream vidit, facere sibi ex illa aliquid aliud volens eduxit cultellum, ut illam incideret. Qui mox cultellum, cum quo eam per partes mittere voluit, arreptus per spiritum sibi in gutture defixit eademque hora extinctus cecidit. Et dum illic rex Langobardorum Autarith atque alii multi eius homines adessent et is qui se percusserat seorsum mortuus, clavis vero haec seorsum iaceret in terra, factus est omnibus vehementissimus timor, ut eandem clavem de terra levare nullus praesumeret. Tunc quidam Langobardus catholicus, qui sciebatur orationi et elemosinis deditus, Mimiulf nomine, vocatus est atque ipse hanc levavit de terra. Autarith vero pro eodem miraculo aliam clavem auream fecit atque cum ea pariter ad sanctae memoriae decessorem meum transmisit indicans, quale per eam miraculum contigisset. Ipsam ergo vestrae excellentiae transmittere studui, per quam omnipotens Deus superbientem et perfidum hominem peremit, ut per eam vos, quae eum timetis et diligitis, et praesentem salutem et aeternam habere valeatis.

Historical context:

The pope commends Theoctista's devotion, asks about the state of the empress's soul, and encourages his friend to guide her and her young children in the right direction. He thanks her for money sent to help redeem captives of the Lombards, part of which he has used to help poor female monastics, and sends her a golden key of St. Peter, with a story of a miracle caused by the key. Andrea is addressed in another of Gregory's letters (1.29)as "illustris" about a key of St. Peter, perhaps the same one. Andrea was apparently a member of the imperial household.

Scholarly notes:

1. This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Gregorii I Papae Registum Epistolarum, ed. Paulus Ewald and Ludovicus Hartmann (Berlin: Weidmann, 1887-91, repr. 1978), 7.23, 466-68 .

Date:

597, June