Letter 10041

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Anthemius, subdeacon Date: ~600 AD Context: Gregory instructs Anthemius to investigate charges against Ilatus along with Bishop Fortunatus, and to report the truth of the matter. Gregory to Anthemius, subdeacon. Charges have been made against a man named Ilatus. I direct you, together with Bishop Fortunatus, to investigate these charges as thoroughly as possible and to report the truth of the matter to me. I stress "the truth." I do not want a report that tells me what the parties to the dispute want me to hear; I want a report that tells me what actually happened. This requires genuine investigation — speaking to witnesses, examining documents, asking questions that the parties might find uncomfortable. Do this carefully. Then report what you find, whether or not it is what you expected. Gregory

AD ANTHEMIUM SUBDIACONUM. Jilati Petro criminis veritatem una cum F orlunato ep scopo diligentissime inquirat. Gregorius Anthemio subdiacono Campaniz. Petrus clericus, lator prasentium, questus ext nobis a quibusdam se puer1s fallaciter criminatum, et causam $vam non ut oporluit districta examinatione discussam, nec se ab aliquo condemnatum, sed solum ab episcopo $uo, ne cum eo procedere auderet, inhi bitum. Quod audientes omnino #gre tulimus, quia, veritale subliliter perquisita, aut reum ut causz ext gebat qualitas condemnare, aut certe debuit inn0- B ceutem absolvere. Quia igitur et causa exigit, memoratus portitor magnopere postulat ut hac de re $ubtilis debeat haberi discussio, priesenti tibj aucto- rilate praecipimus ut una cum reverendissimo frotre nostro Fortunato coepiscopo, atque $i visum tibi ſuerit, gltorioso ſilio nostro Maurentio, altentali eri- minis veritatem $ublili nimis indagatione ac disCtts- Sione $sLudealis addiscere; et ila aut culpam ulcisei, aut ſeslinetis ® innocentiam relevare, ut nec v08 videamini negligentes in aliquo exslitisse nec hc awplius sine definitione causa remaneat.