Letter 9123: Gregory to the lord Venantius, Patrician, and Italica his wife. I have taken care, with due affection, to enquire of certain persons who have come from Sicily about your Excellency's health. But they have given me a sad report of the frequency of your ailments.

Gregory to the lord Venantius, Patrician, and Italica his wife. With due affection, I have made inquiries of certain people who have come from Sicily about Your Excellency's health. But the report they gave me was a sad one, full of accounts of your frequent ailments. When I say this, I have nothing better to report about myself. For my sins, it has now been eleven months since I have rarely been able so much as to rise from my bed. I am afflicted by such severe gout and such heavy troubles that my life has become a grievous pain to me. Every day I faint under my sufferings and sigh in expectation of the relief that only death can bring. Indeed, among the clergy and people of this city, there has been such an outbreak of fever that hardly any free man or slave remains fit for any office or service. From the neighboring cities we receive daily reports of devastation and death. Africa, too, is being ravaged by disease and mortality — and I believe you know this more accurately than we do, being closer to it. From the East, those who come from there report even more terrible desolation. In the midst of all this, since you can see that a universal scourge is falling upon us as the end of the world draws near, you should not be excessively distressed by your own personal troubles. Rather, as wise and noble people, turn your whole heart to the care of your souls, and fear the strict judgment all the more as it draws so much nearer. Devote yourselves to godliness, of which it is written: "It has promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). May Almighty God preserve the life of Your Excellency for a long time here, and after many years bring you to eternal joys. I ask that my most dear daughters, the lady Barbara and the lady Antonina, be greeted in my name.

Book IX, Letter 123 To Venantius and Italica . Gregory to the lord Venantius, Patrician, and Italica his wife. I have taken care, with due affection, to enquire of certain persons who have come from Sicily about your Excellency's health. But they have given me a sad report of the frequency of your ailments. Now, when I say this, neither do I find anything to tell you about myself, except that, for my sins, lo it is now eleven months since it has been a very rare case with me if I have been able now and then to rise from my bed. For I am afflicted by so great sufferings from gout, and so great from troubles, that my life is to me most grievous pain. For every day I faint under my sufferings, and sigh in expectation of the relief of death. Indeed among the clergy and people of this city there has been such an invasion of feverous sicknesses that hardly any freeman, hardly any slave, remains fit for any office or ministry. Moreover, from the neighbouring cities we have news daily of havocs and of mortality. Then, how Africa is being wasted by mortality and sickness I believe that you know more accurately than we do, insomuch as you are nearer to it. But of the East those who come from thence report still more grievous desolations. In the midst of all these things, therefore, since you perceive that there is a general smiting as the end of the world draws near, you ought not to be too much afflicted for your own troubles. But, as becomes wise nobles, bring back your whole heart to the care of your souls, and fear the strict judgment all the more as it is so much nearer at hand. Devote yourselves to piety, of which it is written that It has promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come 1 Timothy 4:8. But Almighty God is powerful both to preserve the life of your Excellency for a long time here, and to bring you after many courses of years to eternal joys. I beg my most sweet daughters, the lady Barbara and the lady Antonina, to be greeted in my name; whom I pray that heavenly grace may protect, and grant them to be prospered in all things. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209123.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.