Letter 8016

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna Date: ~598 AD Context: Gregory warmly commends Abbot Claudius who is returning from Rome. Gregory to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna. The abbot Claudius is returning to you after his time in Rome. I commend him to you warmly — and warmly is the right word, for he has distinguished himself during his time here by the quality of his conduct and the substance of what he has shown himself to be. A man who maintains his character when he is away from his own community — when the usual constraints are absent and the usual supports are not present — has a genuine character rather than a performed one. Claudius has been exactly who he appeared to be. Receive him back with the appreciation he deserves. And give him my warmest regards. Gregory

AD MARINIANUM RAVENNE EPISCOPUM. Redeuntem Roma Claudium abbatem impense com- mendat. Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravennatli. | Quod/ communem filium Claudium abbatem lato- rem prasentium longa apud nos hactenus mora re-. tinuit, res jlla ſecit quod magnum nobis, sicut no- S$lis, erat in verbo Dei solatium; quem eliain hic adhuc volueramus diutius retinere, * $i et ipse non ſeslinas$et ad $Suum monasterium, et n0s Ccongrega- tioni fratrum ejus prasentiam esSe OMNninO NECESSA=- riam sciremus. Et ideo quia illum sicut petiit et exigebat ulilitas relaxandum esse prospeximvs, Ccollt- mendantes eum, hortamur ut sanctitas vestra $a- cerdotali eum affectione suscipiat , paternam ili Sidii $ui beneficio liberum ab omni inquietudine - reddituin quieti et utilitatibus fratrum vacare per» mittat, atque peculiariter sicut a nobis eum scit di- ligi diligat ; quatenus et charitatis vestrz affectum quem- olim expertus est, in se multiplicius recogno- Scat, et nos in vohis invenisse $e gaudeat. 908 * EPISTULA X\I.I. AD MAURENTIUNM. De 8acre lectionis studio gratulatur. Sic 8tudentium deflet raritatem ; 8e collegam spondet. Gregorius Maurentio magistro militum. Dilectissimus filius meus Cyprianus diaconus re- verlens mihi valde placuerat, si ad me totus rediis- Set. Sed postquam gloria veslra in Sicilia sese reli- nuit, certissime <cio quia pradictus filius meus ad me quidem corpore rediit, sed mente in Sicilia re- mansit. Hae tamen dicens, lantum quieti vestre congaudeo, quantum . de meis occupationibus inge- D verbis ejusdem epistolze. Legenda sancti Augustini epist. 48, al. 84, in qua hortatur monachos ad Ec- clesiz munia obeunda. GussaNnv. "* P Hac legimuns tantum in Vatic. et Colbert. Eeisr. XVI [Al. 49]. — © Vulgati recent., Nisi et ipsum ad suum monasterium ſeslinare, el... . . . pre- sentiam esse Omnino necessariam $ciremus. Þ Ita in quatuor Vatic., omnibus Norm., Corb., Colbert., Rhem., non, ut habent Excusi, monas!e- rioque ejus. Hinc ,patet Claudium abbatem plurimis monaslteriis ſuisse preposiuum. Eeisr. XVIL [AL. 25, lib. xn, ind. 7]. — * Hee epistol: desideratur in Anglic. Norman. et plerisque Mss. In ontiq. Edit. legebatur, Luvino Cathanens: episcopo. 'Sed lectio hc, etsi ei suffragetur Vatic A, mendosa est, ad episcopum enuiu non SCFIPSISSC' Sanclus Gregorius gloria ves(ra. iden —— —_ misco. Atque hoe summopere exhortor, ut si pala- A compellantur ; quatenus, cunctis vigilantibus, me- tum cordis dulcedo tetigit intime snavitatis, ita in- trorsus rapiatur animus, ut triste sit omne quod foris s0nal, omne quod: foris delectat. Laudo autem quod humana conventicula cavelis, quia $xpe ani- mus qui renovari in Deo per compunctionis gratiam desiderat, per prava colloquia atque verba iterum veterascCit. Quzsivi autem qui vobis adhzreant in lectionis. Sacrz collegio, et neminem reperi, et ve- hementer ingemui pauperlatem boni. Et quamvis peccator ego valde occupatus sum, tamen si ad beati Petri apostoli limina venire volueritis, in $acro eloquio $trictum poleritis me habere collegam. Om- nipotens Deus cclesti vos protectione cuslodiat, alque ab antiqui hostis insidiis munitos . permanere concedat.