Letter 10050

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Domitianus, metropolitan bishop [in the East] Date: ~600 AD Context: Gregory writes that Leontius has not yet come to Rome, and offers to support him in seeking his legal rights. Gregory to Domitianus, metropolitan bishop. The ex-consul Leontius, whose case I have written about elsewhere, has not yet come to Rome. His legal position is difficult, and he needs support in pursuing what he is rightly owed. I am prepared to advocate for him before the appropriate authorities here to the extent that my position allows. But I cannot do this effectively without more information about the specifics of his case. When Leontius arrives — or if you are in a position to provide me with the necessary details beforehand — I will take whatever steps are available to me. I ask you also to support him as you are able in the Eastern context. Gregory

AD DOMITIANUM METROPOLITANUM. Nondum Romam venisze Leontium. Se illi 8ufſraga- lum in exxequenidis imperatorum jussis. Commissam eidem ac Joanni episcopo T heodori episcopi causain, Gregorius Domitiano episcopo metropolitano. Quam magnz charitatis sit in mente vestra since- ritas, eljam res ipsa testatur, quod dilectionis afſe- aum JOT78 quem coram positis exhibelis. servare absentibus non cess8atis. Proinde multum nos ad di- ligendum gloriosum Leontium communem filium epistolarum vestrarum tesliſicatio provocavit, quia* dum illum $anclitati vestire in amicitiis indicastis esse conjunctum, qualis jam sit ostenditur, scilicet quia bono viro nisi bonus homo placere non poluit. . Et ideo non immerito diligendus est, qui vobis in- venitur ſamiliariter conjunctus. Idem autem glorio- Sus vir in Sicilia $e re'inuit, et ad Romanam urbem necdum venit. In his ramen que ei pro publica ulili- late Serenissimorum dominorum jussione mandala 8Unt, in quantum ratio Sinit, minime Suffragari distu- Eersr., XLIX [AL. 55, lib. 1x]. — * Ita quatuor alic., omnes Norm., elc., quod cum minime place- ret Editoribus, mut+runt mariyrum in matronarum. Eerist, L. — * Scilicet ecclesiastica Sepla pro asylo erant. alios * qui in $eptis ececlesiasticis residebant, hortari studiose curavimus, ut exire et rationes $Uas expo- nere debuissent. Qni egredientes cum Marco viro magnilico Scribone, qui ad exhibitionem eorum ve- neril, Þ accepto verbo ad Sicilian ire parati sunt. Przterea de 8ubslantia Theodori episcopi , quam Ecclesiz vesir# juri 8cripsislis ſuisse 8upp«sSilam, plus amplius alivd quod fieri posset non ſu't, quam nt anteſato gloriosissimo Leontio de quo tanta testi- ſicamini, cui et causam ipsam asseritis commenda- tam, alque Joanni fratri et coepiscopo nostro, de cvj'is $anclilate et sollicitudine certi sumus, hu.us negotii audientiam mandaremus; horiantes ut et veritatem cum omni studeant subtilitate perquirere, RB et ita contentionibus partium secundum justitiam Cci- tius finem imponere, qualenus nec bomines 8ancte fralernitatis vesir# longa valeat iIlic dilatio retinere, nec pars altera jnaudila $e pati prejudicium conque- ratur. Quidquid enim alieri hac de 1e ſuerit stlatu- tum, certi eslote quia sine mora complebitur. Nam sicut 8ine judicio quemquam nolumus condemnari, ita quz deſinita ſuerint, nulla patimur excusations differri. Omnipotens autem Deus $sua vos protections atque propitiatione circumtegat, gres8usque vestros in limoris sui tramite conservet, vosque pro me ad orandum excitet, ut et vestris intercessjionibus men studia in viam vitze diriganiur.