Letter 9021

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Libertinus, ex-prefect [a former imperial official, now a layperson with good connections] Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory asks Libertinus to help the new defender Romano with his work in managing the Syracusan patrimony. Gregory to Libertinus, ex-prefect. Romano has just arrived in Sicily to manage the church's patrimony in the Syracuse area. He is a capable man, but new to the region and without the network of relationships that makes this kind of administrative work possible. You have exactly the network he needs. I ask you to share it — to introduce him to the relevant people, to vouch for him where your word carries weight, and to advise him when he is uncertain about local conditions and local personalities. This is a service to the church, and I believe it is also a service to justice: the church's estates in Sicily should be well managed, which benefits not only the church but the poor who depend on the church's charitable distributions. I am grateful for your support. Gregory

AD LIBERTINUM EXPREFECTUM. Novum deſensorem Romanum consiliis juvet. Gregorius ® Libertino exprxſecto, Glorie vesire et experta et cognila nos devotio provocat, epistolari vos alloquio causis ecclesiaslicis exhihere adjutores. Et jdeo quia Romano deſensori presentium poriitori curam patrimonii Ecclesiz no- ${re, quod in Syracusauo alque Catinensi territorio Silum est, Deo auctore commisimus, $alulantes glo- riam vestram, pelimus ut concurrere illi ac ferre s0latium in omnibus debeatis. Et ne ſorsan de novitate minus aliqua que $Sunt ulilia comprehendat, vestris eum $ubliliter consiliis informate, atque ad agenda hec veslram ill, sicut consuevistis, operam adhibete, C quatevus dum vobis opitulantibus utiliter quz ei inzuncla $unt peregerit, et vos de bono vestro merce- dem recipere valealis, et nos pro gloria vestre vita omnipotentis Dei misericordiam exorare enixius invi- leur. De capitulo autem de quo mihi lator prasentium est locutus, vel reverendissimus ſrater noster Joannes episcopus 5cripsit, interim vel tentari vel agi nil potuit, quia persona apud quam agi poterat, necdum esl in poteslatc aliqua conlirmala. EPISTOLA XMXitl. AD CIRIDANUM. Romano deſensori ſaveat. Gregorius © Ciridano. Gloriz vesirx bonilas nuntio veraci diſſusa tlan- tam nobis de se certitudinem prebet, ut in nullo de ea diſfidere, ed magis sicut revera 8apienti (ili Ecclesiz nostire debeamus specialiter causam commendare. Et ideo Rom»num defensorem nostrum JAG pre>entium portitorem ad gubernationem patrimonii Ecclesiaz nos- aliis immediate sequentibus in plerisque Mss. etiam omissa est ; alioquin eas esse Gregorii stylus $alis ostendit; verum ab amannensibus forte fuerunt pric- termiss:? qua de eodem fere argumento script:;t $unt; eas exhibent laudatus Codex Vatic, A, San Victorizus et Remig. : EerisT, XXI [A/. 20]. — * Libertinus Siciliz pr- lor eral an 5 4, ex epist. 32 hb. yv, Indict. 13. Eer>T. XXII [Al. 24] .—* Vitiose prius legebatur in Excu<is Libertino Ciridano. Primum nomen cx+- punximus, Suadente Ms, Vatic. A, ire in Catanensibus vel Syracusanis partibus consti- A es, Sibi deberet sine dulio vindicare, et ipsa ad per- uti, Deo protegente transmisimus. Salutantes igitur paterna dilectione gloriam vestram, pelimus ut in cunclis aſſectum vestrz charilatis iavenial, et ſavoris - veslri 80laliis quocunque necesse fuerit potialur, ut vobis presentibus nos absentes esse non Sentiat, qua- lenus cum injunclta $ibi salubriter vestra ope expleve- Fil, et nos yobis gratiarum possimus existeredebitores, et beatus Petrus apostolorum princeps, in cujus causis vos impeundilis, hic vobis et in ſuluro compeuset. EPISTOL \ XXIIL AD JOANNEM SYRACUSANUM EPISCOPUM. Commigsas Romano deſensori causas Leoniii adversus Leonem episcopum, et Archelaum medicum. Gregorijus Joanni episcopo Syracusano. Filius nosler gloriosus vir Leontius exconsule de ſraire el coepiscopo nostro Leone graviler est questus nosque ejus querela omnimodo turbavit, quia ita pre- cipitanter et leviter abepigcopo agi non debuit. Quam causam Subliliter ex$equendam venienti Romano de- ſensori commisimus. De vesira autem fraternitate qui ab eo direcius est queritur, quod * Archelai viri claris- simi medici defensione frairis et coepi>copi nos(ri Þ Domitiaui metropolitz ulilitas gravetur. Et quidem tweri jusle filios $uos, vel, sicut est, ſorte sanclz Eeclesie negolia, ſraternitas vesira debet, et nullam oceasionem dare ad versariis maledicli gratia. Quod tamen vos per omnia cuslodire etiam isla loquendo hou awmbigo; eidem tamen Romano venienti eliam de hac causa injunximus, ut vobiscum debeat quz $unl recla disponere.