Letter 11034

From: Pope Gregory I To: Desiderius, Bishop of Vienna Date: ~601 AD Context: Gregory rebukes Desiderius for teaching grammar; he also addresses petitions A report has reached me, which I received with such shame that I could not record it without distress, that you have been giving instruction in grammar to some persons. I deplore this with such intensity that what I previously recorded must be corrected: a bishop ought not to teach literature to laymen. The same mouth cannot simultaneously sing the praises of Jupiter and the praise of Christ. Consider what it means for a bishop of God to study what would be unbecoming even for a religious layman to study. I expect you to desist from this practice at once, and I trust I will hear no more of it. Turn your instruction to the things of God, which alone befit your office. Regarding the other matters you have raised in your petitions: I have considered them, and I will respond separately on each point as time permits.

Cum multa* nobis bona de vestris fuissent studiis nuntiata, ita cordi nostro est nata laetitia, ut negare ea quae sibi fratemitas vestra eoneedenda poposcerat minime pateremur** Sed post hoc pervenit ad nos, quod sine verecimdia memorare non possumus, fraternitatem tuam grammaticam quibusdam exponere. Quam rem ita mo- leste suscepimus^ ac sumus vehementius aspemati, ut ea quae prius dicta fuerant in gemitu et tristitia verteremus*', quia in uno se ore cum lovis** laudibus Christi laudes non capiunt. Et quam grave nefandumque sit episcopo® canere, quod nec laico reli- gioso conveniat, ipse considera. Et quamvis dilectissimus filius noster Candidus pres- byter' postmodum veniens hac de re suptiliter requisitus negaverit atque vos conatus fuerit excusare, de nostris tamen adhuc animis non recessit, quia quanto execrabile est hoc de sacerdote enarrari', tanto», utrum ita necne^ sit, districta et veraci oportet satisfactione cognosci. Unde si* post hoc evidenter haec quae^ ad nos perlata sunt^ falsa esse clamerint" neque vos nugis et° saecularibus litteris studere constiterit, et Deo nostro gratias agimus**, qui cor vestmm maculari blasfemis nefandomm laudibus non per- misit, et de^ concedendis quae poscitis*i securi iam et sine aliqua dubitatione tractabimus'. Monachos vero quos una cum dilectissimo filio nostro' Laurentio presbytero* et Mellito abbate * ad reverentissimum fratrem et coepiscopum nostrum Augustinum trans- misimus vobis in omnibus commendamus, ut fraternitate vestra solaciante nulla illos ad proficiscendum mora valeat impedire. XI, 34 in Utulo: Galliaue R 1. *) uiulta om. Rl. vel pateretur mproicr. q3. c) ex Tertemus corr. Rl. lobis Rl. ^) ita Rl; episcopis Q.Q*. 0 narrari Rl. 8) tanta q1.q*1; tantom q*2.3. ^) Ha qS; atrum nc (om. ita nec) Rl; utrum ita uecesse Q*.Ql. ^) ai om. Rl. XI, 34 una cerU cum seguentibus ep. tranmma per Augustini mdnachos. De Desiderio, ep. Viennensi, cf. ep. VI, 62 n. LL. III, 1 Conc. Merov. p. 178. 1) Be qua petitione agatur, ignoramtis; 9ed de paUii guadam concessione cogitari non posse censeo: cf. ep. IX, 220 n. 2. 2) Cf. ep. V, 63^ p. 357 n. 6. Adde Gregorovius 1. 1. II* p. 88 88. et Ebert, Oeseh. d. chri8(l.'lat. Literatur I p. 626, qui no8tr% et TertuUiani opiniones confert; affert etiam didL II, 1: scienter nesciua etc. 3) De Candido, rectore patrimonii GaUid, cf. ep. V, 31 p. 311 n. 3. VI, 10 n. In OaUiam non muUo post rerersus est: cf. ep. XI, 43 s. 4) Laureniius et Petrus monachus ab Augustino Eomam mtwt erant, postquam ab episcopo Arelatensi consecrattis erat, ut refert Beda, h. e. 1, 27: ef. ep. VIU, 29 n. 4; Laurentius a. 606 Augustino episcopus successit: cf. Bed. II 11 c. 4. Adde ep.8ei.Hep. XI, 41.48. 6) Bed. h.e. I^ 29: misit cum praef^tis legatariis suis plures cooperatoret ac verbi miiiiitm, in qnibiis priini et praedpni erant Mellitus, lustus, Paulinus, RufiniannB; et per eoe genenlitar «fli^flna, qiue ad cnltnm erant ac ministerium ecclesiae necessaria etc. MMio naeter ep» Z{ MMltm Augustinus a. 604 episcoputn LundomenaeM eonamrmit: ^ XI, 41. 48.