Letter 1003: However strangers smile upon me on account of the dignity of my priestly office, this I take not much account of; but I do grieve not a little at your smiling upon me on this account, seeing that you know what I long for, and yet suppose me to have received advancement. For to me it would have been the highest advancement, if what I wished could...

Gregory to Paul, Scholasticus. When outsiders congratulate me on the dignity of my office, I pay it little mind. But when you do the same, it genuinely pains me -- because you know what I truly wanted, and yet you treat this as a promotion. The real promotion for me would have been achieving what I longed for: the peaceful retirement you have long known I desired. Still, since I am now stuck in Rome, bound by the chains of this office, I do find one thing to take a certain grim satisfaction in as I write to you: once the most eminent former consul Leo arrives, I suspect you will not be staying in Sicily much longer. And when you too find yourself chained to your own high office and detained in Rome, you will discover firsthand what sorrow and bitterness I endure. When the distinguished Lord Maurentius, the chartularius, reaches you, I ask you to work with him on the present crisis facing the city of Rome. From the outside we are under constant attack by enemy swords. But the danger pressing us even harder comes from within -- a mutiny among the soldiers. I also commend to you in every respect our subdeacon Peter, whom we have sent to manage the Church patrimony.

Book I, Letter 3 To Paul, Scholasticus. Gregory to Paul, etc. However strangers smile upon me on account of the dignity of my priestly office, this I take not much account of; but I do grieve not a little at your smiling upon me on this account, seeing that you know what I long for, and yet suppose me to have received advancement. For to me it would have been the highest advancement, if what I wished could have been fulfilled; if I could have accomplished my desire, which you have been long acquainted with, in the enjoyment of longed-for rest. Yet, since I am now detained in the city of Rome, tied by the chains of this dignity, I have something wherein I may even rejoice in addressing your Glory, seeing that, when the most eminent lord the ex-consul Leo comes, I suspect that you will not remain in Sicily; and when you yourself also, tied by your own dignity, shall come to be detained in Rome, you will come to know what sorrow and what bitterness I suffer. But when the magnificent Lord Maurentius, the Chartularius, comes to you, I pray you concur with him in regard to the present straits of the Roman city, since outside we are stabbed without cease by hostile swords. But we are still more heavily pressed by danger within through a sedition of the soldiers. Further, we commend to your Glory in all respects Peter our subdeacon, whom we have sent to rule the patrimony of the Church. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360201003.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.