A letter from Jerome (384?)

Translated letter:

After the previous letter, in which I drew together a few things about Hebrew words, it was suddenly related to me that certain little men were zealously criticizing me for attempting to emend something in the gospels against old authority and the opinion of the whole world. I could justly scorn them — the lyre sings superfluously with the ass — yet to prevent their accusing us of pride as they usually do, let them have an answer: I was not so stupid of heart nor of such gross simplicity — like them who declare themselves disciples of fishermen, alone in their holiness, as if they were just because they knew nothing — that I thought there was anything to be corrected in the lord's words or that they were not divinely inspired. But I wanted to restore the defectiveness of the Latin versions which is proved by the diversity of all the books according to the Greek original from which they do not deny that they are translated. And if the water of the purest font does not please them, let them drink the muddy streams and reject the diligence with which they have examined the spittle of birds and the whirlpools of mussels in the reading of scripture and be simple in this thing and hold the words of Christ rustic, in which for so many centuries the talents of many have sweated more to conjecture than to explain the meaning of each word. They accuse the apostle of ignorance who was said to have gone mad from his many letters [learning]. 2. I know you, as you read this, wrinkle your brow and fear that my freedom will start controversies again. You would stop my mouth with your finger if you could lest I dare to say what others do not blush to do. I ask what was said so freely? Did I ever portray idols engraved on platters? Did I ever at Christian banquets reveal the embraces of Bacchus and the satyrs to virgin eyes? Did very bitter speech ever strike [anyone]? Did I complain that poor people have become rich? Did I ever reprove hereditary sepultures? Wretch, I once said that virgins should be with women rather than with men; I know from the [pointing] fingers of everyone that I offended the eyes of the whole city. They are more in number than the hairs of my head who hate me without cause, and I am become a parable to them. And you think I will say anything else? 3. Truly, lest Flaccus laugh at us — an amphora was begun, why as the wheel turned did a pitcher come out? — let us return to our two-footed asses and sound the pipe in their ears rather than the cithara. Let them read, "rejoicing in hope, serving time," let us read, "rejoicing in hope, serving the lord." Let them think the accusation is to be taken against an elder, let us read "do not accept an accusation against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses; accuse sinners before all. Let it please them that "it is human speech and worthy of all acceptance"; let us err with the Greeks, that is with the apostle who spoke Greek, "it is faithful speech and worthy of all acceptance." Finally, let them rejoice with Gallic mules, we are delighted by the ass of Zacharius who, loosed from chains and prepared in the mystery of the saviour, after he offered his back to the lord began to sound the praise from Isaiah: blessed he who sows beside every water where the ox and the ass tread.

Original letter:

1. Post priorem epistulam, in qua de Hebraeis verbis pauca perstrinxeram, ad me repente perlatum est quosdam homunculos mihi studiose detrahere, cur adversus auctoritatem veterum et totius mundi opinionem aliqua in evangeliis emendare temptaverim. quos ego cum possim meo iure contemnere -- asino quippe lyra superflue canit -- tamen, ne nos superbiae, ut facere solent, arguant, ita responsum habeant, non adeo hebetis fuisse me cordis et tam crassae rusticitatis -- quam illi solam pro sanctitate habent piscatorum se discipulos adserentes, quasi idcirco iusti sint, si nihil scierint -- ut aliquid de dominicis verbis aut corrigendum putaverim aut non divinitus inspiratum, sed Latinorum codicum vitiositatem, quae ex diversitate librorum omnium conprobatur, ad Graecam originem, unde et ipsi translata non denegant, voluisse revocare, quibus si displicet fontis unda purissimi, caenosos rivulos bibant et diligentiam, qua avium salivas et concarum gurgites norunt, in scripturis legendis abiciant sintque in hac tantum re simplices et Christi verba aestiment rusticana, in quibus per tanta iam saecula tantorum ingenia sudaverunt, ut rationem verbi uniuscuiusque magis opinati sint, quam expresserint; apostolum arguant inperitiae, qui ob multas litteras insanire dicatur. 2. Scio te, cum ista legeris, rugare frontem et libertatem rursum seminarium timere rixarum ac meum, si fieri potest, os digito velle conprimere, ne audeam dicere, quae alii facere non erubescunt, rogo, quid a nobis libere dictum est? numquid in lancibus idola caelata descripsi? numquid inter epulas Christianas virginalibus oculis Baccharum satyrorumque conplexus? num quam amarior sermo pulsavit? numquid ex mendicis divites fieri dolui? numquid reprehendi hereditarias sepulturas? unum miser locutus sum, quod virgines saepius deberent cum mulieribus esse, quam cum masculis: totius oculos urbis offendi, cunctorum digitis notor. multiplicati sunt super capillos capitis mei, qui oderunt me gratis, et factus sum eis in parabolam, et tu putas aliqua deinceps esse dicturum? 3. Verum, ne Flaccus de nobis rideat -- amphora coepit institui: currente rota cur urceus exit? -- revertimur ad nostros bipedes asellos et in eorum aurem bucina magis quam cithara concrepamus. illi legant: spe gaudentes, tempori servientes, nos legamus: spe gaudentes, domino servientes; illi adversus presbyterum accusationem omnino non putent recipiendam, nos legamus: adversus presbyterum accusationem ne receperis, nisi sub duobus aut tribus testibus; peccantes autem coram omnibus argue; illis placeat: humanus sermo et omni acceptione dignus, nos cum Graecis, id est cum apostolo, qui Graece est locutus, erremus: fidelis sermo et omni acceptione dignus. ad extremum illi gaudeant Gallicis canteriis, nos solutus vinculis et in salvatoris mysterium praeparatus Zachariae asellus ille delectet, qui, postquam domino terga praebuit, coepit Esaiae consonare praeconio: beatus, qui seminat secus omnem quam, ubi bos et asinus calcant.

Historical context:

Jerome sometimes unburdens himself to Marcella about his enemies, knowing she worries about that.

Printed source:

Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, ed. Isidorus Hilberg, 3 v. (New York: Johnson, 1970, repr. CSEL, 1910-18), ep.27

Date:

384?