A letter from Paula, the elder (388-392?)
Sender
Paula, the elderReceiver
MarcellaTranslated letter:
1. Charity/love knows no measure, impatience no limit, and desire can not hold back. So, forgetting our strength and thinking not of what we can but what we want to do, we disciples are anxious to teach our teacher and, as the common proverb says: the sow [teaches] the inventor of arts. You, who first kindled our spark, who urged us to this study by word and example, and like a hen gathered your chicks under your wings, (1) now do you suffer us to fly freely and without our mother, exposed to fear of the sparrow-hawk, and fearing every shadow of birds flying over us? Apart from you we can only pour out lamenting prayers and call to witness our desire not by tears as much as by wailing, that you give our Marcella back to us and not let that gentle, that soft, sweeter than any honey or sweetness to be rigid and wrinkle a sad brow to them whom she incited by her affability to such study/zeal in life. 2. Certainly if what we ask is better, it is not an impudent desire, if all the voices of scripture accord with our judgment, we are not acting boldly in inciting you to what you so often urged us to. The first speech of God to Abraham said: "go out from your land and your family and go into a land I shall show you" [gen.12:1]. He ordered the patriarch, the first to whom he made a promise about Christ, to leave Chaldaea, leave the city of confusion and the breadth of Rohoboth, the field of Sennaar, in which the tower of pride was built up to heaven, and after the floods of this world, after the rivers on which the saints sat and wept when they remembered Sion, after the whirlpool of Chobar from which Ezechiel was raised by a hair of his head to Jerusalem, to inhabit the land of promise which is not waterd like Egypt from beneath, but from above, which does not produce vegetables that are food of the weak, but awaits the rain from heaven early and late. This land is mountainous and set on high, lacking in earthly delights but it has greater spiritual delights. And Mary, mother of the lord, after the angel's promise was made to her and she knew her womb would be the home of the son of god, left the fields behind and went to the mountains. From this city, having conquered a foreign enemy, struck the boldness of his diabolic face, a crowd of exulting souls processed and a chorus of ten thousand predicted in song the victory of our David. In this city an angel holding a sword laid waste a whole world of impiety in Ornan, king of the Jebusites, the area designated the temple of the lord signifying that the church of Christ would rise not in Israel, but among the gentiles. Go to Genesis and you will find Melchisedec, king of Salem, prince of this city, who offered bread and wine already then as a type of Christ and dedicted the Christian mystery in the body and blood of the saviour. 3. You may reprove us in your mind silently that we do not follow the order of scripture, but confused speech seizes at random whatever comes our way. At the beginning we testified that love has no order and impatience knows no measure — whence in the Song of Songs it is ordered as something difficult: regulate love in me — and now we say that we slip not from ignorance but from affection. But, to speak more irregularly, old things must be repeated. In this city, rather than in this place Adam is said to have lived and died. Whence the place in which our lord was crucified is called Calvary, because there the skull of the ancient man was embalmed so the second Adam and blood of Christ pouring from the cross could cleanse the sins of the propagator lying there, the first Adam, and then the words of the apostle would be fulfilled: "awake you who sleep and rise from the dead and Christ will illumine you" [Ephes.5:14]. How many prophets, how many holy men this city has sent forth, it would be long to rehearse. Our whole mystery resides in this province and city. In its three names it shows the faith of the trinity: it is called Jebus, Salem, and Jerusalem. The first means "trampled," the second "peace," the third "vision of peace." Indeed we come to the end little by little and only after trampling do we reach the peace of vision. Solomon, that is "peaceful," is born from that peace and made his place in that peace and took his name in the figure of Christ from the etymology of the city, "lord of lords" and "king of kings." What can we relate of David and all his progeny which reigned in this city? Just as Judea was over other provinces, so this city is higher than Judea. To speak with more constraint, the glory of the whole province is claimed through this city and whatever is praised in the members must be referred to the body. 4. These letters feel you desiring for a long time to interrupt in words, this paper intuits the question coming against it. You will answer and say that this was long ago, when the lord loved the gates of Sion over all the tabernacles of Jacob and its foundations were in the holy mountains — though these can be interpreted in a higher sense. But afterwards the voice of the lord rose and thundered against them: "behold your house is left desolate," and weeping he prophesied the ruin, saying: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, why do you kill the prophets and stone them who are sent to you, how often I have wanted to gather your children as a hen does its chicks under its wings, and you were not willing. See your house is brought down, desolate" [Matth.23:37-38]. And after the veil of the temple was cut and Jerusalem was surrounded by an army, having been violated by the lord's blood, then the protection of angels and the grace of Christ receded from it. Even Joseph, who is a native Jewish writer, affirms that at the time the lord was crucified, a voice of the heavenly powers erupted from the depths of the temple saying: "we shall migrate from these seats." From these and other things it is apparent that where grace abounded, there sin superabounded. And after the apostles heard: "go out therefore and teach all peoples," [Matth.28:19] the apostles said: "it was fitting that we announce the word first to you, but since you did not want [to hear] it, behold we go to the gentiles" [Acts13:46]. Then all the covenant of Judea and the ancient intimacy of god was carried by the apostles to the nations. 5. This is a valid question and might shake those who have some contact with scripture, but it is easily answered. For the lord would never have wept at its fall unless he had loved it. He wept for Lazarus because he loved him. And consider this first, the sin was not of place but of people, and since the destruction of a people is the captivity of the city, the city had to be destroyed to punish the people, that is why the temple was demolished to remove the forms of sacrifice. For the rest, as to the place, it is much more awesome now than it was before from the passage of time. The Jews once venerated the holy of holies, for it was where the cherubim and the place of atonement and the ark of the testament and manna and the rod of Aaron and the golden altar were. Does the sepulchre of the lord not seem more venerable to you? Whenever we enter it, we see the saviour lying in his shroud and as we remain there, little by little we see the angel sitting at his feet and the folded cloth at his head. We know the glory of this sepulchre long before it was cut out by Joseph, from the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah: and his rest will be his honor, because the place of the lord's burial would be honored by all. 6. But you say: how do we read in the Apocalypse of John: "and the beast that rises from the abyss will kill them — no doubt the prophets — and their bodies [will lie] in the squares of the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where their lord was crucified" [Apoc.11:7-8]? For if, you say, the great city in which the lord was crucified is called Sodom spiritually and Egypt, then Jerusalem, in which the lord was crucified, is Sodom and Egypt. First we want you to know that holy scripture can not oppose itself and particularly one book can not contradict itself, even less one place in that book. In the Apocalypse, indeed, which you just cited as proof, ten verses before [that passage] is written: "rise and measure the temple of god and the altar and those worshipping at it, but the entry, which is outside the temple, leave that outside and do not measure it, for it is given to the gentiles who will trample the holy city for forty two months" [Apoc.11:1-2]. For if the Apocalypse was written long after the passion of the lord by John and in it Jerusalem is called the holy city, how can it be also called Sodom and Egypt spiritually? You can not answer that the heavenly Jerusalem is called holy which is in the future, and the one which is destroyed Egypt and Sodom, because it is in the future that the beast who will rise from the abyss will make war against the two prophets and conquer them and kill them and their bodies will lie in the squares of the great city, about which city is written at the end of that book: "and the city is square and its length and width is the same as its height. And he measured the city with his rod and for twelve thousand stadia [1500 miles]. Its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its walls, one hundred forty four cubits by human measure which the angel was using. And the wall was built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, etc." [Apoc.21:16-18]. If it is square it can not have length and width, and what is this measure that its length and width are the same as its height, and the walls of jasper and the whole city of pure gold and its foundations and squares of precious stones and twelve gates shining with pearls? 7. Since this can not be taken carnally (literally) — it would be absurd to claim twelve thousand stadia for the length, width, and height of a city — each part must be understood spiritually. And the great city, which Cain first built and named for his son, this must be taken for the world which the devil accuser of his brothers and fratricide who would perish built from vices, furnished with crimes, filled wih iniquity, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. About Sodom it is written: "Sodom will be restored in its ancient state" [Ezek.16:55], so the world will be restored as it was before. But we can not believe that Sodom will be built again and others, like Gomorrah, Adam and Seboim, will be left always in ashes. We never read Egypt for Jerusalem, but always for this world. And since it would be long to give the innumerable examples from scripture, we offer one proof, where this world is obviously called Egypt, in the catholic letter of the apostle Jude, the brother of Jacob, he writes: "I want to remind you, though you know all these things, that Jesus, having saved the people from the land of Egypt, later destroyed those who did not believe" [Jude5]. And do not think this is said of Jesus, son of Naveh [Joshua, son of Nun], for immediately after: "for the angels who did not preserve their beginnings but left their dwelling, he reserved for eternal chains in darkness on the great day of judgment" [Jude6]. And so that you may believe that wherever Egypt, Sodom, and Gomorrah are named together, they are to be interpreted not as places but as this world, he [Jude] adds this example immediately: "so also Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities which in the same way indulged in fornication and other flesh/lust, serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire" [Jude7]. And what more need be sought when after the passion and resurrection of the lord the evangelist Matthew reminds us: "and the stones were cut and the tombs opened and many bodies of sleeping saints arose; and leaving the tombs after his resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many" [Matth.27:51-53]? But it is not the heavenly Jerusalem, as many foolishly think, that is to be understood here, for there could be no sign to men of the lord rising if the bodies of the saints appeared in the heavenly Jerusalem. When, therefore, the evangelists and all scripture name the city holy Jerusalem and the psalmist orders: "let us worship in the place where his feet stood" [Ps.131:7], do not let the city be called Sodom and Egypt, which the lord forbad to swear by because it is the city of the great king. 8. They call the earth cursed because it drank the blood of the lord and how do they think those places are blessed in which Peter and Paul, leaders of the Christian army, shed their blood for Christ? If the confession of slaves and men is glorious, why should the confession of the lord and of god not be glorious? We venerate the tombs of martyrs everywhere, putting their holy ashes on our eyes, if it is permitted, and we touch it with our lips. And they think a momument in which the lord was laid to rest should be neglected? If we do not believe us, let us believe the devil and his angels who, as often as they are expelled from possessed bodies in front of it, tremble as if they stood before the tribunal of Christ, roar, and grieve too late that he whom they fear was crucified. If this place is detestable after the passion of the lord, as the perverse croak, why did Paul wish to hasten to Jerusalem for Pentecost? He said to those who would hold him back: "why do you weep and distress my heart? I am ready not only to be bound but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the lord Jesus" [Acts21:13]. Why have other saints and illustrious men sent vows and offerings after Christ's preaching to their brothers in Jerusalem? 9. It would take a long time to run through the times between the ascension of the lord and the present, or which bishops, martyrs, men eloquent in ecclesiastical doctrine came to Jerusalem thinking they were lacking in religion or the height of learning or the force of virtues unless they adored Christ in those places in which the first gospel vibrated from the gibbet/cross. Certainly, if our magnificent orator [Cicero] thought reprehensible I know not whom for studying Greek letters not in Athens but in Lilybe, Latin letters not at Rome but in Sicily, since each province has its own mode which differs from others, why do we think one can attain the peak of studies outside of our Athens? 10. We do not say this to deny that that the kingdom of god is inside us and there are holy men in other regions, but we assert that here in places we came to not early but late, we see gathered those who are first of all peoples in the whole world. Certainly the chorus of monks and virgins here is the flower and most precious stone among ecclesiastical ornaments. Whoever is first in Gaul hastens here. Someone in Britain, divided from our world, if he progresses in religion leaves the setting sun and seeks the place known to him only in fame and scripture. What should we tell of Armenians, Persians, Indians, people of Ethiopia, and that region fertile in monks next to Egypt, the Black Sea and Cappadocia, Coelesyria and Mesopotamia and all the swarms from the east? What beyond the saviour's words: "wherever a body is the eagles gather" [Matth.24:28], they gather in these places and show us examples of different virtues. It is a dissonant speech [many languages] but one religion. Almost as many choirs singing psalms as there are different peoples and among them the first virtue for Christians, assuming nothing, with no arrogance, the struggle among all is for humility. Whoever is the newest is considered first. There is no distinction of dress, no wonder, no detraction or praise, wherever one goes. Fasts raise noone up, abstention is not deferred to, nor is moderate satiety condemned. Each stands or falls in his lord. No one judges another or is judged by a lord. And what is common in many provinces, that they tear themselves with their own teeth, is utterly absent here. Lust is far off, pleasure far off. 11. There are so many places of prayer in the city that a day is not sufficient to visit them. Truly, if we come to the little lodging of Christ and Mary — for everyone praises most what s/he possesses — with what words, what speech can we describe the cave of the saviour to you? and that enclosure in which the infant cried, it is to be honored more by silence than weak speech. Where are the wide porticos? where the gilt ceilings? where the homes clothed by the labor of the poor and the convicts? where the lofty churches built like palaces from the possessions of the deprived, so that a vile body of man can walk with more value, as if one could wish to see any roof more ornate than heaven? Behold in this small hole of earth the creator of the heavens was born. Here he was wrapped in cloth, here he was seen by sherpherds, here he was revealed by the star, here adored by the magi. And, I think, this place is holier than the Tarpeian rock which was so often struck by heaven's lightning because it displeased the lord. 12. Read the Apocalypse of John and consider what is written about the woman in purple with blasphemy written on her forehead, the seven mountains, the many waters, and what is sung about the departure from Babylon. "Go out," the lord says, "from there, my people, and do not participate in its crimes, do not receive its plagues" [Apoc.18:4]. Go back also to the writing of Jeremiah: "flee from the midst of Babylon and save your soul, each of you" [Jer.51:6]. For it has fallen, Babylon the great has fallen and become the dwelling of demons and the keeper of all unclean spirits. There [Rome] indeed is the holy church, there are the victories of apostles and martyrs, the true confession of Christ and the faith preached by apostles and the Christian word rising daily on high where paganism is trampled, but there also is ambition, power, the magnitude of the city, the seeing and being seen, greeting and being greeted, praise and detraction, hearing or speaking and such a press of people however unwanted, that are quite alien to the intentions and peace of monks. For we either see those who come to us and lose our silence, or we do not see them and are accused of pride. Meanwhile, if we return the visits, we pass through gates and enter golden doors among the tongues of slandering servants. But truly, as we said before, in the little place of Christ, it is all rusticity and silence except for the psalms. Wherever you turn, a ploughman holding his plough sings alleluia, a sweating reaper distracts himself with psalms, a vine-dresser pruning the vine with his curved sickle sings something by David. These are the songs of this province, the love songs, as they say, the whistling of shepherds, these are the weapons of the culture. 13. But what are we doing thinking only what we desire not what is fitting, do we see this? O when will that time come when the breathless traveller brings the news that our Marcella has reached the shores of Palestine, and all the choirs of monks, all the bands of virgins will resound? We go already to meet her and to bear the excited body on foot without waiting for a vehicle. We will hold her hands, we will see her mouth/face, and scarcely be torn away from the desired embrace. Will that day come when we will enter the cave of the saviour? When we will weep in the tomb of the lord with our sister, weep with our mother? To kiss the wood of the cross and be raised in vow and spirit with the lord climbing the mount of olives? To see Lazarus coming out bound in a shroud and the purest waters of the Jordan at the bathing place of the lord? to go from there to the mangers of the shepherds, to pray in David's tomb, to see the prophet Amos sounding his pastoral pipe on his rock? to hasten to the tombs or memories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their three illustrious wives? To see the fountain in which the eunuch was baptized by Philip? To reach Samaria and worship the ashes of John the Baptist and Elijah and Abdia? To enter caves in which bands of prophets were nourished in time of persecution and hunger? We shall go to Nazareth and see its "flower" Galilee according to the interpretation of its name. Not far from there Cana can be seen, in which the waters were turned to wine. We will go to Thabor and the tents of the saviour and we will see not, as Peter once wanted, with Moses and Elia, but with the father and the holy spirit. From there we will come to the sea of Genesareth and we will see the five and seven breads in the desert and five and four thousand people satisfied by them. The town of Nain will appear at whose gates the son of the widow was revived. Hermon will be seen and the torrent of Endor in which Sisera was conquered. Capernaum, the place of the lord's signs and all Galilee will be seen. Then, with Christ as companion, through Shiloh and Bethel and other places in which the lord's churches have been built like banners of his victories, we shall return to our cave. We will sing continuously, we will weep frequently, we will pray incessantly and wounded by the dart of the saviour, we will say together: "I have found whom my soul sought; I shall hold him and not let him go" [Cant.3:4].Original letter:
1. Mensuram caritas non habet et inpatientia nescit modum et desiderium non sustinet. unde et nos oblitae uirium nostrarum et non, quid possimus, sed, quid uelimus, tantum cogitantes magistram cupimus docere discipulae et, ut est uulgare prouerbium: sus artium reppertricem. tu, quae prima scintillam nostro fomiti subiecisti, quae ad hoc studium nos et sermone hortata es et exemplo et quasi gallina congregasti sub alas pullos tuos, nunc nos libere absque matre uolitare pateris et accipitris pauere formidinem et ad omnem umbram praeteruolantium auium formidare? igitur, quod solum absentes facere possumus, querulas fundimus preces et desiderium nostrum non tam fletibus quam heiulatibus contestamur, ut Marcellam nostram nobis reddas et illam mitem, illam suauem, illam omni melle et dulcedine dulciorem non patiaris apud eas esse rigidam et tristem rugare frontem, quas adfabilitate sua ad simile uitae studium prouocauit. 2. Certe, si sunt meliora, quae poscimus, non est inpudens desiderium. si cunctae scripturarum uoces nostrae sententiae congruunt, non faciamus audacter ad ea te prouocantes, ad quae tu nos saepissime cohortata es. prima uox dei ad Abraham: exi, inquit, de terra tua et de cognatione tua et uade in terram, quam monstrabo tibi. iubetur patriarchae, ad quem primum de Christo est facta promissio, ut relinquat Chaldaeos, relinquat confusionis urbem et Roboth, id est latitudines eius, relinquat campum Sennaar, in quo superbiae usque ad caelum erecta turris est, et post fluctus istius saeculi, post flumina, super quae sederunt sancti et fleuerunt, cum recordarentur Sion, post grauem gurgitem Chobar, de quo Hiezechiel capillo uerticis subleuatus Hierosolyma usque transfertur, habitet terram repromissionis, quae non rigatur ut Aegyptus de deorsum, sed de sursum, nec facit holera languentium cibos, sed temporaneum et serotinum de caelo expectat imbrem. haec terra montuosa et in sublimi sita, quantum a deliciis saeculi uacat, tantum maiores habet delicias spiritales. denique et Maria, mater domini, postquam ad eam angeli est facta promissio et uterum suum intellexit esse domum filii dei, derelictis campestribus ad montana perrexit. de hac urbe allophylo quondam hoste superato ac diabolicae percussa frontis audacia, postquam ille in faciem conruit, exultantium animarum turba processit et concinens chorus decem milium Dauid nostri uictoriam praedicauit. in hac angelus gladium tenens et totum inpietatis deuastans orbem in Orna, Iebusaeorum regis, area templum domini designauit iam tunc significans ecclesiam Christi non in Israhel, sed in gentibus consurgentem. recurre ad Genesim, et Melchisedec, regem Salem, huius principem inuenies ciuitatis, qui iam tunc in typo Christi panem et uinum obtulit et mysterium Christianum in saluatoris corpore et sanguine dedicauit. 3. Tacita forsitan mente reprehendas, cur non sequamur ordinem scripturarum, sed passim et, ut quidquid obuiam uenerit, turbidus sermo perstringat. et in principio testatae sumus dilectionem ordinem non habere et inpatientiam nescire mensuram — unde et in Cantico Canticorum quasi difficile praecipitur: ordinate in me caritatem — et nunc eadem dicimus, nos non ignoratione, sed adfectu labi. denique, ut multo inordinatius aliquid proferamus, antiquiora repetenda sunt. in hac urbe, immo in hoc tunc loco et habitasse dicitur et mortuus esse Adam. unde et locus, in quo crucifixus est dominus noster, Caluaria appellatur, scilicet quod ibidem sit antiqui hominis caluaria condita, ut secundus Adam et sanguis Christi de cruce stillans primi Adam et iacentis propagatoris peccata dilueret et tunc sermo ille apostoli conpleretur: excitare, qui dormis, et exsurge a mortuis, et inluminabit te Christus. quantos haec urbs prophetas, quantos emiserit sanctos uiros, longum est recensere. totum mysterium nostrum istius prouinciae urbisque uernaculum est. in tribus nominibus trinitatis demonstrat fidem: Iebus et Salem et Hierusalem appellatur. primum nomen 'calcata’, secundum 'pax’, tertium 'uisio pacis’ est. paulatim quippe peruenimus ad finem et post conculcationem ad pacem uisionis erigimur; ex qua pace Salomon, id est 'pacificus’, in ea natus est et factus est in pace locus eius et in figura Christi sub etymologia urbis 'dominus dominantium’ et 'rex regnantium’ nomen accepit. quid referamus Dauid et totam progeniem eius, quae in hac ciuitate regnauit? quanto Iudaea a ceteris prouinciis, tanto haec urbs cuncta sublimior est Iudaea. et ut coactius disseramus, totius prouinciae gloria metropoli uindicatur et, quidquid in membris laudis est, omne refertur ad corpus. 4. Iamdudum te cupientem in uerba prorumpere ipsi litterarum apices sentiunt et uenientem contra charta intellegit quaestionem. respondeas quippe et dicas haec olim fuisse, quando dilexit dominus portas Sion super omnia tabernacula Iacob et fuerunt fundamenta eius in montibus sanctis — licet et haec possint altius interpretari --, postquam uero consurgentis domini uox illa pertonuit: ecce relinquetur uobis domus uestra deserta et flebiliter ruinam ipsius prophetauit dicens: Hierusalem, Hierusalem, quae occidis prophetas et lapidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quotiens uolui congregare filios tuos sicut gallina pullos sub alas suas, et noluisti. ecce dimittetur uobis domus uestra deserta et, postquam uelum templi scissum est et circumdata ab exercitu Hierusalem et dominico cruore uiolata, tunc ab ea etiam angelorum praesidia et Christi gratiam recessisse; denique etiam Iosephum, qui uernaculus scriptor est Iudaeorum, adserere illo tempore, quo crucifixus est dominus, ex adytis templi uirtutum caelestium erupisse uocem dicentium: 'transmigremus ex his sedibus’, ex quibus et aliis apparere, ubi abundauit gratia, ibi superabundasse peccatum; et postquam audierunt apostoli: euntes ergo docete omnes gentes et ipsi apostoli dixerunt: oportebat quidem uobis primum adnuntiare uerbum; quoniam autem noluistis, ecce transimus ad gentes, tunc omne sacramentum Iudaeae et antiquam dei familiaritatem per apostolos in nationes fuisse translatam. 5. Ualida quidem quaestio et quae possit etiam eos, qui scripturarum aliquid adtigerunt, concutere, sed perfacile soluitur. numquam enim fleret eam dominus conruentem, nisi diligeret; fleuit et Lazarum, quia amabat illum. et hoc tamen prima fronte cognoscito, non loci, sed hominum fuisse peccatum, uerum, quia interfectio populi captiuitas ciuitatis est, propterea urbem deletam, ut populus puniretur, ideo templum subrutum, ut typicae hostiae tollerentur. ceterum, quantum ad locum pertinet, per profectus temporum multo nunc augustior est, quam ante fuit. uenerabantur quondam Iudaei sancta sanctorum, quia ibi erant cherubin et propitiatorium et arca testamenti et manna et uirga Aaron et altare aureum: nonne tibi uenerabilius uidetur sepulchrum domini? quod quotienscumque ingredimur, totiens iacere in sindone cernimus saluatorem et paululum ibidem commorantes rursum uidemus angelum sedere ad pedes eius et ad caput sudarium conuolutum. cuius sepulchri gloriam multo ante, quam excideretur a Ioseph, scimus Esaiae uaticinio prophetatam dicentis: et erit requies eius honor, quod scilicet sepulturae domini locus esset ab omnibus honorandus. 6. Sed dicis: 'quomodo in Apocalypsi Iohannis legimus: et occidet illos — haud dubium quin prophetas — bestia, quae ascendit ex abysso. et corpora eorum in plateis ciuitatis magnae, quae uocatur spiritaliter Sodoma et Aegyptus, ubi et dominus eorum crucifixus est?' si enim, ais, 'ciuitas magna, in qua crucifixus est dominus, spiritaliter Sodoma appellatur et Aegyptus, ergo Hierusalem Sodoma est et Aegyptus, in qua crucifixus est dominus’. primum scire te uolumus omnem sanctam scripturam non posse sibi esse contrariam et maxime unum aduersum se non discrepare librum et, ut plus adiciamus, eundem locum eiusdem libri. in Apocalypsi quippe, de qua nunc testimonium protulisti, ante decem circiter uersiculos scribitur: surge et metire templum dei et altare et adorantes in eo. atrium autem, quod est foris templum, eice foras etne metiaris eum, quoniam datum est gentibus et ciuitatem sanctam calcabunt mensibus quadraginta duobus. si enim Apocalypsis multo post passionem domini scripta est a Iohanne et in ea Hierusalem sancta ciuitas appellatur, quomodo rursum spiritaliter Sodoma uocatur et Aegyptus? nec statim potes dicere sanctam dici Hierusalem caelestem, quae futura est, et Aegyptum et Sodomam eam, quae conruit, appellari, quia de futura dicitur, quod bestia, quae ascensura est de abysso, faciat aduersus duos prophetas bellum et uincat illos et occidat et corpora eorum iaceant in plateis ciuitatis magnae. de qua ciuitate et in fine eiusdem libri scribitur: et ciuitas in quadrato posita est et longitudo eius et latitudo tanta est, quanta et altitudo. et mensus est ciuitatem de harundine per stadia duodecim milia. longitudo et latitudo et altitudo eius aequalia sunt. et mensus est muros eius centum quadraginta quattuor cubitorum mensura hominis, quae est angeli. et erat structura muri eius ex lapide iaspide, ipsa uero ciuitas auro mundo et cetera. ubi quadrum est, nec longitudo nec latitudo appellari potest. et quae est ista mensura, ut tanta sit longitudo et latitudo, quanta et altitudo eius, et muri de lapide iaspide et tota ciuitas de auro mundo et fundamenta et plateae eius de lapidibus pretiosis et duodecim portae fulgentes margaritis? 7. Cum ergo haec non possint carnaliter accipi — absurdum quippe est per duodecim milia stadiorum tantam ciuitatis longitudinem et latitudinem, quantam et altitudinem praedicari --, spiritaliter intellegenda sunt singula. et ciuitas magna, quam uidelicet prius aedificauit Cain et nominauit eam ex uocabulo filii sui, hic mundus accipiendus est, quem accusator fratrum suorum diabolus et fratricida periturus extruxit uitiis, sceleribus condidit, iniquitate conpleuit, qui spiritaliter appellatur Sodoma et Aegyptus. de qua Sodoma scribitur: restituetur Sodoma in antiquum, quod scilicet ita restituendus sit mundus, ut ante fuit. neque enim possumus credere rursum aedificandam Sodomam et ceteras, Gomorram uidelicet et Adaman et Seboim, in perpetuos cineres relinquendas. Aegyptum autem numquam pro Hierusalem legimus, sed semper hunc mundum. et quia longum est de scripturis innumerabilia exempla congerere, unum testimonium proferamus, ubi manifestissime mundus hic Aegyptus appellatur. in epistula catholica Iudas apostolus, frater Iacobi, scribit dicens: commonere autem uosuolo scientes semel omnia, quoniam Iesus populum de terra Aegypti saluans secundo eos, qui non crediderunt, perdidit. et ne putares de Iesu dici filio Naue, statim sequitur: angelos uero, qui non seruauerunt suum principatum, sed dereliquerunt suum domicilium, in iudicium magni diei uinculis aeternis sub caligine reseruauit. et ut credas, ubicumque simul Aegyptus et Sodoma et Gomorra nominantur, non loca, sed mundum hunc interpretari, statim iungit exemplum: sicut Sodoma et Gomorra et finitimae ciuitates simili modo exfornicatae et abeuntes post carnem alteram factae sunt exemplum ignis aeterni poenam sustinentes. et quid necesse est plura conquirere, cum post passionem et resurrectionem domini Mattheus euangelista commemoret: et petrae scissae sunt et sepulchra aperta et plurima corpora dormientium sanctorum surrexerunt. et egredientes de sepulchris post resurrectionem suam ingressi sunt sanctam ciuitatem et apparuerunt multis? nec statim Hierosolyma caelestis, ut plerique ridicule arbitrantur, in hoc loco intellegitur, cum signum nullum esse potuerit apud homines domini resurgentis, si corpora sanctorum in caelesti Hierusalem uisa sunt. cum ergo et euangelistae et omnis scriptura Hierosolymam sanctam nominent ciuitatem et psalmista praecipiat: adoremus in loco, ubi steterunt pedes eius, ne patiaris audire eam appellari Sodomam et Aegyptum, per quam dominus iurari uetat, quia sit ciuitas magni regis. 8. Maledictam terram nominant, quod cruorem domini hauserit, et quomodo benedicta loca putant, in quibus Petrus et Paulus, Christiani exercitus duces, sanguinem fudere pro Christo? si seruorum et hominum confessio gloriosa est, cur domini et dei non sit gloriosa confessio? martyrum ubique sepulchra ueneramur et sanctam fauillam oculis adponentes, si liceat, etiam ore contingimus: et monumentum, in quo dominus conditus est, quidam aestimant neglegendum? si nobis non credimus, credamus saltim diabolo et angelis eius, qui, quotienscumque ante illud de obsessis corporibus expelluntur, quasi in conspectu tribunalis Christi stantes contremescunt, rugiunt et sero dolent crucifixisse, quem timeant. si post passionem domini, ut scelerata uox concrepat, hic detestabilis locus est, quid sibi uoluit Paulus Hierosolymam festinare, ut ibi faceret pentecosten? qui retinentibus se locutus est dicens: quid facitis flentes et conturbantes cor meum? ego enim non solum ligari, sed et mori in Hierusalem paratus sum pro nomine domini Iesu. quid ceteri sancti et inlustres uiri, quorum uota et oblationes post praedicationem Christi ad fratres, qui erant Hierosolymis, deferebantur? 9. Longum est nunc ab ascensu domini usque ad praesentem diem per singulas aetates currere, qui episcoporum, qui martyrum, qui eloquentium in doctrina ecclesiastica uirorum Hierosolymam uenerint putantes se minus religionis, minus habere scientiae nec summam, ut dicitur, manum accepisse uirtutum, nisi in illis Christum adorassent locis, in quibus primum euangelium de patibulo coruscauerat. certe, si etiam praeclarus orator reprehendendum nescio quem putat, quod litteras Graecas non Athenis, sed Lilybaei, Latinas non Romae, sed in Sicilia didicerit, quod uidelicet unaquaeque prouincia habeat aliquid proprium, quod alia aeque habere non possit, cur nos putamus absque Athenis nostris quemquam ad studiorum fastigium peruenisse? 10. Nec hoc dicimus, quo rennuamus regnum dei intra nos esse et sanctos uiros etiam in ceteris esse regionibus, sed quo hoc adseramus uel maxime, eos, qui in toto orbe sunt primi, huc pariter congregari. ad quae nos loca non ut primae, sed ut extremae uenimus, ut primos in eis omnium gentium cerneremus. certe flos quidam et pretiosissimus lapis inter ecclesiastica ornamenta monachorum et uirginum chorus est. quicumque in Gallia fuerit primus, huc properat. diuisus ab orbe nostro Britannus, si in religione processerit, occiduo sole dimisso quaerit locum fama sibi tantum et scripturarum relatione cognitum. quid referamus Armenios, quid Persas, quid Indiae et Aethiopum populos ipsamque iuxta Aegyptum fertilem monachorum, Pontum et Cappadociam, Syriam Coelen et Mesopotamiam cunctaque orientis examina? quae iuxta saluatoris eloquium dicentis: ubicumque fuerit corpus, illuc congregabuntur aquilae concurrunt ad haec loca et diuersarum nobis uirtutum specimen ostendunt. uox quidem dissona, sed una religio. tot paene psallentium chori, quot gentium diuersitates, et inter haec, quae uel prima in Christianis uirtus est, nihil adrogans, nihil de continentia supercilii: humilitatis inter omnes contentio est. quicumque nouissimus fuerit, hic primus putatur. in ueste nulla discretio, nulla admiratio. utcumque placuerit incedere, nec detractionis nec laudis est. ieiunia quoque neminem subleuant; nec defertur inediae nec moderata saturitas condemnatur. suo domino stat unusquisque aut cadit. nemo iudicat alterum, ne a domino iudicetur. et quod in plerisque prouinciis familiare est, ut genuino dente se lacerent, hic penitus non habetur. procul luxuria, procul uoluptas. 11.Tanta in ipsa urbe orationum loca, ut ad ea peragrandum dies sufficere non possit: uerum, ut ad uillulam Christi et ad Mariae diuersorium ueniamus — plus enim laudat unusquisque, quod possidet --, quo sermone, qua uoce speluncam tibi possumus saluatoris exponere? et illud praesepe, in quo infantulus uagiit, silentio magis quam infirmo sermone honorandum est. ubi sunt latae porticus? ubi aurata laquearia? ubi domus miserorum poenis et damnatorum labore uestitae? ubi ad instar palatii opibus priuatorum extructae basilicae, ut uile corpusculum hominis pretiosius inambulet et, quasi mundo quicquam. possit esse ornatius, tecta sua magis uelit aspicere quam caelum? ecce in hoc paruo terrae foramine caelorum conditor natus est. hic inuolutus pannis, hic uisus a pastoribus, hic demonstratus ab stella, hic adoratus a magis. et, puto, sanctior locus est rupe Tarpeia, quae de caelo saepius fulminata ostendit, quid domino displiceret. 12. Lege Apocalypsin Iohannis et, quid de muliere purpurata et scripta in eius fronte blasphemia, septem montibus, aquis multis et Babylonis cantetur exitu, contuere. exite, inquit dominus, de illa, populus meus, et ne participes sitis delictorum eius et de plagis eius non accipiatis. ad Hieremiam quoque regrediens scriptum pariter adtende: fugite de medio Babylonis et resaluate unusquisque animam suam. cecidit enim, cecidit Babylon illa magna et facta est habitatio daemoniorum et custodia omnis spiritus inmundi. est quidem ibi sancta ecclesia, sunt tropea apostolorum et martyrum, est Christi uera confessio et ab apostolis praedicata fides et gentilitate calcata in sublime se cotidie erigens uocabulum Christianum, sed ipsa ambitio, potentia, magnitudo urbis, uideri et uidere, salutari et salutare, laudare et detrahere, audire uel proloqui et tantam frequentiam hominum saltim inuitum pati a proposito monachorum et quiete aliena sunt. aut enim uidemus ad nos uenientes et silentium perdimus, aut non uidemus et superbiae arguimur. Interdumque, ut uisitantibus reddamus uicem, ad superbas fores pergimus et inter linguas rodentium ministrorum postes ingredimur auratos. in Christi uero, ut supra diximus, uillula tota rusticitas et extra psalmos silentium est. quocumque te uerteris, arator stiuam tenens alleluia decantat, sudans messor psalmis se auocat et curua adtondens uitem falce uinitor aliquid Dauiticum canit. haec sunt in hac prouincia carmina, hae, ut uulgo dicitur, amatoriae cantiones, hic pastorum sibilus, haec arma culturae. 13. Uerum quid agimus nec, quid deceat, cogitantes solum, quod cupimus, hoc uidemus? o quando illud tempus adueniet, cum anhelus nuntium uiator adportet, Marcellam nostram ad Palaestinae litus adpulsam, et toti monachorum chori, tota uirginum agmina concrepabunt? obuiam iam gestimus occurrere et non expectato uehiculo concitum pedibus ferre corpus. tenebimus manus, ora cernemus et a desiderato uix auellemur amplexu. ergone erit illa dies, quando nobis liceat speluncam saluatoris intrare? in sepulchro domini flere cum sorore, flere cum matre? crucis deinde lignum lambere et in oliueti monte cum ascendente domino uoto et animo subleuari? uidere exire Lazarum fasceis conligatum et fluenta Iordanis ad lauacrum domini puriora? inde ad pastorum caulas pergere, in Dauid orare mausoleo, Amos prophetam etiam nunc bucina pastorali in sua conspicere rupe clangentem? ad Abraham, Isaac et Iacob, trium quoque inlustrium feminarum uel tabernacula properare uel memorias? uidere fontem, in quo a Philippo eunuchus est tinctus? Samariam pergere et Iohannis baptistae Helisaeique et Abdiae pariter cineres adorare? ingredi speluncas, in quibus persecutionis et famis tempore prophetarum agmina sunt nutrita? ibimus ad Nazareth et iuxta interpretationem nominis eius 'florem’ uidebimus Galilaeae. haud procul inde cernetur Cana, in qua aquae in uinum uersae sunt. pergemus ad Itabyrium et ad tabernacula saluatoris, non, ut Petrus quondam uoluit,Historical context:
Paula and Eustochium were disciples of Marcella, who had learned from her the austere and self-denying life of eastern monasticism; from such disciples, Jerome notes, it is easy to judge the teacher (ep.127.5). They corresponded with Marcella, their "teacher" (“magistram”) in Rome, but only one of their letters, trying at length to persuade her to come to Jerusalem, is preserved among Jerome's letters. The letter is learned in secular and religious sources, affectionate, and deferential, always anticipating her scholarly criticism. They imagine the arguments she might make in such detail, that it is possible they have already heard them from her. J.N.D. Kelly says the letter was "written in the name of Paula and her daughter but [is] manifestly by Jerome himself," though he gives no reason for the judgment, Jerome, His Life, Writings, and Controversies (New York: Harper and Row, 1975), 141. Since Marcella knew all of them so well, it is hard to imagine why they would have bothered with such a subterfuge.
Scholarly notes:
(1) This image is an allusion to Christ's speaking of gathering the children of Jerusalem as a hen does her chickens under her wings, one of the rare female analogies for God in the New Testament, see Matthew 23:37. They cite that passage directly in section 4.Printed source:
Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, ed. Isidorus Hilberg, 3 v. (New York: Johnson, 1970, repr. CSEL, 1910-18), 1.329-44, ep.46.