A letter from Gregory I, pope (599, August)

Translated letter:

With due affection I took care to ask certain people traveling from Sicily about your excellencies’ health; but they relayed to me grim news about the persistence of illnesses. As I say these things I find nothing to report to you about me except that, on account of my sins, for eleven months now it is extremely rare that I can get out of bed at all. For I am overwhelmed by such terrible pains of gout and (other) troubles that my life is a very harsh punishment to me. Each day I waste away in pain, and with anticipation I long for the relief of death. But such great sufferings of fevers have raged among the clergy and people of this city that barely a freeman or servant has remained who is capable of any duty or ministry; and, from neighboring cities the ruins of mortality are announced to us daily; and how Africa is ravaged by death and suffering, since you are closer, I believe, you know in greater detail; but those who come from the east report more serious devastation. Since you know that all these things are part of a general calamity as the end of the world approaches, you should not be afflicted very much by your own troubles. But as is fitting for the wise and noble, lead every heart back to the care of souls; fear more the harsh judgment the closer it comes; reach for the habits of piety, about which is written that it holds promise of the present life and of the life to come [1 Tim. 4:8]. Almighty God has the power to preserve your excellencies’ life here for long duration and after many cycles of years to lead it to eternal joys. I ask that you greet my sweetest daughters lady Barbara and lady Antonia for me: I pray that heavenly grace protect them and allow them to prosper in all things.1

Original letter:

Quosdam de Sicilia venientes affectu quo debui de sospitate vestrae excellentiae requirere curavi: sed de adsiduitate egritudinum mihi tristia responderunt. Haec autem dicens nec ego vobis de me ipso invenio aliud, quod debeam nuntiare, nisi quod peccatis meis facientibus ecce iam undecim menses sunt, quod valde rarum est, si de lecto surgere aliquando potuero. Tantis enim podagrae tantisque molestiarum doloribus premor, ut vita mea mihi gravissima poena sit. Cotidie enim in dolore deficio et mortis remedium expectando suspiro. In clero vero huius urbis et populo tanti febrium languores inruerunt, ut paene nullus liber, nullus servus remanserit, qui esse idoneus ad aliquod officium vel ministerium possit; de vicinis autem urbibus strages nobis cotidie mortalitatis nuntiantur Africa autem qualiter mortalitate et languoribus vastetur, quanto viciniores estis, tanto credo, quod suptilius cognovistis: de oriente vero qui veniunt, graviores desolationes nuntiant. In his itaque omnibus quia adpropinquante fine mundi generalem percussionem esse cognoscitis, affligi nimis de propriis molestiis non debetis. Sed sicut sapientes nobiles decet, omne cor ad animarum curam reducite, districtum judicium, quanto fit vicinius, plus timete; studiis pietatis intendite, de qua scriptum est, quod promissionem habeat vitae praesentis et futurae. Potens autem est omnipotens Deus vitam vestrae excellentiae et hic in longo tempore conservare et post multa annorum curricula ad gaudia aeterna perducere. Dulcissimas filias meas domnam Barbaram et domnam Antoninam mea peto vice salutari: quas oro ut superna gratia protegat eisque prosperari in omnibus concedat.

Historical context:

Gregory reports on his bad health and the general state of disease in various parts of his world, and sensing that the end is coming, advises care of their and others’ souls.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ashleigh Imus provided this translation.

Printed source:

Gregorii Papae Registrum Epistolarum, ed. P. Ewald and L. M. Hartman, MGH, (Berlin: Weidmann 1887-91, repr. Munich, 1978), ep.9.232.

Date:

599, August