said, Thou wert perfect in my comeliness which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord, and having confidence in thy beauty thou hast committed fornication in thy renown (Ibid. xvi. 14, 15). For the mind is lifted up by confidence in its beauty, when, glad for the merits of its virtues, it glories within itself in security. But through this same confidence it is led to fornication; because, when the soul is deceived by its own thoughts, malignant spirits, which take possession of it, defile it through the seduction of innumerable vices But it is to be noted that it is said, Thou hast committed fornication in thy renown: for when the soul leaves off regard for the supernal ruler, it forthwith seeks its own praise, and begins to arrogate to itself all the good which it has received for shewing forth the praise of the giver; it desires to spread abroad the glory of its own reputation, and busies itself to become known as one to be admired of all. In its renown, therefore, it commits fornication, in that, forsaking the wedlock of a lawful bed, it prostitutes itself to the defiling spirit in its lust of praise. Hence David says, He de livered their virtue into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hands (Ps. lxvii. 61 4). For virtue is delivered into captivity and beauty into the enemy's hands, when the old enemy gets dominion over the deceived soul because of elation in well doing. And yet this elation in virtue tempts somewhat, though it does not fully overcome, the mind even of the elect.

it was beyond his powers to continue the keeping which he sware, straightway, being troubled, he found his weakness. Whence also he all at once betook himself to the aid of prayer, saying, I am humbied all together; quicken me, O Lord, according to Thy word (Ibid. v. 107). But sometimes Divine government, before advancing a soul by gifts, recalls to it the memory of its infirmity, lest it be puffed up for the virtues it has received. Whence the Prophet Ezekiel, before being led to the contemplation of heavenly things, is first called a son of man; as though the Lord plainly admonished him, saying, Lest thou shouldest lift up thy heart in elation for these things which thou seest, perpend cautiously what thou art; that, when thou penetratest the highest things, thou mayest remember that thou art a man, to the end that, when rapt beyond thyself, thou mayest be recalled in anxiety to thyself by the curb of thine infirmity. Whence it is needful that, when abundance of virtues flatters us, the eye of the soul should return to its own weaknesses, and salubriously depress itself; that it should look, not at the right things that it has done, but those that it has left undone; so that, while the heart is bruised by recollection of infirmity, it may be the more strongly confirmed in virtue before the author of humility. For it is generally for this purpose that Almighty God, though perfecting in great part the minds of rulers, still in some small part leaves them imperfect; in order that, when they shine with But it, when lifted up, is forsaken, and, wonderful virtues, they may pine with disgust being forsaken, it is recalled to fear. For at their own imperfection, and by no means hence David says again, I said in mine abund-lift themselves up for great things, while still ance, I shall not be moved for ever (Ps. xxix. 75). | labouring in their struggle against the least; But he added a little later what he underwent for having been puffed up with confidence in his virtue, Thou didst turn thy face from me, and I was troubled (Ibid. v. 8). As if he would say plainly, I believed myself strong in the midst of virtues, but, being forsaken, I become aware how great was my infirmity. Hence he says again, I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep the judgments of thy righteousness (Ps. cxviii. 1066). But, because

but that, since they are not strong enough to overcome in what is last and lowest, they may not dare to glory in their chief performances.

See now, good man, how, compelled by the necessity laid upon me by thy reproof, being intent on shewing what a Pastor ought to be, I have been as an ill-favoured painter pourtraying a handsome man; and how I direct others to the shore of perfection, while myself still tossed among the waves of transgressions. But in the shipwreck of this present life sustain me, I beseech thee, by the plank of thy prayer, that, since my own weight sinks me down, the hand of thy merit may raise me up.

See Pedigree of Kings of Gaul, Prolegomena, p. xxx.

REGISTER OF THE EPISTLES OF SAINT

GREGORY THE GREAT.

BOOK I.

THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, INDICTION IX., BEING TIE
FIRST YEAR OF HIS ORDINATION.

EPISTLE I.

TO ALL THE BISHOPS OF SICILY. Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to all the bishops constituted throughout Sicily.

We have plainly perceived it to be very necessary that, even as our predecessors thought fit to do, we should commit all things to one and the same person; and that, where we cannot be present ourselves, our authority should be represented through him to whom we send our instructions. Wherefore, with the help of God, we have appointed Peter, subdeacon of our See, our delegate in the province of Sicily. Nor can we doubt as to the conduct of him to whom, with the help of God, we are known to have committed the charge of the whole patrimony of our

church.

sions may peradventure be proved. From which council far be animosities, which are the nutriment of crimes, and may inward grudges die away, and that discord of souls which is beyond measure execrable. Let corcord well-pleasing to God, and charity, approve you as His priests. Conduct all things, therefore, with such deliberation and calmness that yours may most worthily be called an Episcopal Council.

EPISTLE II.

TO JUSTINUS, PRÆTOR OF SICILY.
Gregory to Justinus, Prætor of Sicily.

What my tongue speaks my conscience approves; since even before you had become engaged in the employments of any office of dignity, I have greatly loved and greatly This also we have plainly perceived to be respected you. For the very modesty of your a thing that ought to be done; that once in deportment made certain incipient claims on the year your whole fraternity should assemble, affection even from one who had been loth. at Syracuse or Catana, receiving, as we have And, when I heard that you had come to charged him, the honour due to you; to the administer the prætorship of Sicily, I greatly end that, together with the aforesaid Peter, rejoiced. But, since I have discovered that subdeacon of our See, you may settle with a certain ill-feeling is creeping in between you due discretion whatever things pertain to the advantage of the churches of the province, or to the relief of the necessities of the poor and oppressed, or to the admonition of all, and the correction of those whose transgres

"Sanctus Gregorius primus omnium se in principio epis. tolarum suarum servum servorum Dei satis humiliter definivit." (Joan Diac. in Vit. S. Greg. 1. ii. c. 1). The designation, how (Ep. IV. ad Stephanum et Africa Episcopos), and Augustine Ep. ad Vitalem). Gregory may have been the first to use it habitually. It is true that in the Registrum Epistolarum we find it four times only, viz. in the headings of Epistles I. 1, I. 36, VI. 51, XIII. 1. But it may have been omitted in the copies of his letters preserved at Rome. This is probable from the tact given by Bede, though absent from the same letters in the that it occurs in the letters relating to the English Mission as Registrum.

ever, had been used by others before him, as by Pope Damasus

and the ecclesiastics, I have been exceedingly distressed. But now that you are occupied with the charge of civil administration, and I with the care of this ecclesiastical government, we can properly love one another in particular so far as we do no harm to the general community. Wherefore I beseech you by Almighty God, before Whose tremendous judgment we must give account of our deeds, that your Glory have always the fear of Him before your eyes, and never allow anything to come in whereby even slight dis sension may arise between us. Let no gains the threats or the favours of any one cause you draw you aside to injustice; let not either

to deviate from the path of rectitude. See that, when the most eminent lord the exHow short life is: think, ye that exercise consul Leo comes, I suspect that you will judicial authority, b fore what judge ye must not remain in Sicily; and when thou thyself at some time go. It is therefore to be dili- also, tied by thine own dignity, shalt come to gently considered that we shall leave all gains be detained in Rome, thou wilt come to know behind us here, and that of harmful gains we what sorrow and what bitterness I suffer. But shall carry with us to the judgment the pleas when the magnificent lord Maurentius, the only that are against us for them. Those ad- Chartularius, comes to you, I pray thee convantages, then, are to be sought by us which cur with him in regard to the present straits of death may in no wise take away, but which the the Roman city, since outside we are stabbed end of the present life may shew to be such without cease by hostile swords. But we are as will endure for ever. still more heavily pressed by danger within through a sedition of the soldiers. Further, we commend to your Glory in all respects Peter our sub-deacon, whom we have sent to rule the patrimony of the Church.

As to what you write concerning the corn, the magnificent Citonatus asserts very differently that no more has been transmitted than what was supplied for replenishing the public granary in satisfaction of what was due for the past indiction. Give attention to this matter, since, if what is transmitted be at all defective, it will be the death not of any one single person only, but of the whole people together?. Now for the management of the patrimony of Sicily I have sent, as I think under the guidance of God, such a man as you will be in entire accord with, if you are a lover of what is right, as I have found you to be. Moreover, as to your desire that I should remember you kindly, I confess the truth when I say that, unless any injustice should creep in from the snares of the ancient foe, I have learnt thy Glory's modesty to be such that I shall not blush to be thy friend.

EPISTLE III.

To PAUL, SCHOLASTICUS.

Gregory to Paul, &c.

EPISTLE IV.

as

TO JOHN, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE 3. Gregory to John, Bishop of Constantinople. If the virtue of charity consists in the love of one's neighbour, and we are commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves, how is it that your Blessedness does not love me even as yourself? For I know with what ardour, with what anxiety, you wished to fly from the burden of the episcopate; and yet you made no opposition to this same burden of the episcopate being imposed on me. It is evident, then, that you do not love me yourself, seeing that you have wished me to take on myself that load which you were unwilling should be imposed on you. But since I, unworthy and weak, have taken charge of an old and grievously shattered ship (for on all sides the waves enter, and the planks, battered by a daily and violent storm, sound of shipwreck), I beseech thee by Almighty God to stretch out the hand of thy prayer to me in this my danger, since thou canst pray the more strenuously as thou standest further removed from the confusion of the tribulations which we suffer in this land.

However strangers smile upon me on account of the dignity of my priestly office, this I take not much account of; but I do grieve not a little at your smiling upon me on this account, seeing that you know what I long for, and yet suppose me to have received advancement. For to me it would have been the My synodical epistle I will transmit with all highest advancement, if what I wished could possible speed, having despatched Bacauda, have been fulfilled; if I could have accom- our brother and fellow-bishop, immediately plished my desire, which you have been long after my ordination, as the bearer of this acquainted with, in the enjoyment of longed-letter, while pressed by many and serious for rest. Yet, since I am now detained in the engagements. city of Rome, tied by the chains of this dignity, I have something wherein I may even rejoice in addressing your Glory, seeing

2 The population of Rome had long been greatly dependent on Sicily for the supply of corn, which it was the duty of the prætor to purchase and transmit to Rome. Famine might result from failure of this supply. Hence what is said further on the subject in this Epistle. Cr. "Neminem vestrum præterit, judices, omnem utilitatem opportunitatemque provincia Siciliæ quæ ad commoda populi Romani adjuncta sit consistere in re frumentaria maxime. Nam cæteris rebus adjuvamur ex illa provincia, hac vero alimur et sustinemur." (Cicero in Verrem, Act II. lib. 3, c. 5.)

EPISTLE V.

TO THEOCTISTA, SISTER OF THE EMPEROR. Gregory to Theoctista, &c With how great devotion my mind prostrates itself before your Venerableness I cannot fully express in words; nor yet do I labour to give utterance to it, since, even though I were silent, you read in your heart your own sense

3 For notice of him, see III. 53, note.

the feet of the Lord with Mary, to take in the words of His mouth; and lo, I am compelled to serve with Martha in external affairs, to be careful and troubled about many things (Luke

been raised up, but while they were being raised up; because all bad men fall inwardly, while through the support of temporal dignity they seem outwardly to rise. Wherefore their very raising up is their fall, because, while they

of my devotion. I wonder, however, that you withdrew your countenance, till of late bestowed on me, from this my recent engagement in the pastoral office; wherein, under colour of episcopacy, I have been brought back to the x. 39, seq.). A legion of demons having been, world; in which I am involved in such great as I believed, cast out of me, I wished to forget earthly cares as I do not at all remember those whom I had known, and to rest at the having been subjected to even in a lay state of feet of the Saviour; and lo it is said to me, so life. For I have lost the deep joys of my as to compel me against my will, Return to quiet, and seem to have risen outwardly while thine house, and declare how great things the inwardly falling down. Whence I grieve to Lord hath done for thee (Mark v. 19). But find myself banished far from the face of my who in the midst of so many earthly cares may Maker. For I used to strive daily to win my be able to preach the wondrous works of God, way outside the world, outside the flesh; to it being already difficult for me even to call drive all phantasms of the body from the eyes them to mind? For, pressed as I am in this of my soul, and to see incorporeally supernal office of dignity by a crowd of secular occupajoys; and not only with my voice but in the tions, I see myself to be of those of whom it is core of my heart I used to say, My heart hath written, While they were being raised up thou said unto Thee, I have sought Thy face, Thy didst cast them down (Ps. lxxii. 186). For he said face, Lord, will I seek (Ps. xxvi. 8). Moreover not, Thou didst cast them down after they had desiring nothing, fearing nothing, in this world, I seemed to myself to stand on a certain summit of things, so that I almost believed to be fulfilled in me what I had learnt of the Lord's promise through the prophet, I will lift thee up upon the high places of the rely on false glory, they are emptied of true earth (Isai. Ivin. 14). For he is lifted up upon glory. Hence, again, he says, Consuming away the high places of the earth who treads under as smoke shall they consume away (Ps. xxxvi. 207). foot through looking down upon them in his For smoke in rising consumes away, and in exmind even the very things of the present world tending itself vanishes. And so indeed it which seem lofty and glorious. But, having comes to pass when present felicity accom been suddenly dashed from this summit of panies the life of a sinner, since whereby he is things by the whirlwind of this trial, I have shewn to be exalted, thereby it is brought fallen into fears and tremors, since, even about that he should cease to be. Hence, though I have no fears for myself, I am greatly again, it is written, My God, make them like a afraid for those who have been committed to wheel (Ps. lxxxii. 149). For a wheel is lifted On every side I am tossed by the up in its hinder parts, and in its fore parts falls. waves of business, and sunk by storms, so But to us the things that are behind are the that I may truly say, I am come into the goods of the present world, which we leave depth of the sea, and the storm hath over- behind us; but the things that are before are whelmed me (Ps. lxviii. 34). After business I those which are eternal and permanent, to long to return to my heart; but, driven there- which we are called, as Paul bears witness, sayfrom by vain tumults of thoughts, I am unable ing, Forgetting those things which are behind, to return. From this cause, then, that which and reaching forth to those things which are is within me is made to be far from me, so that I cannot obey the prophetic voice which says, Return to your heart, transgressors (Isai. xlvi. 8). But, pressed by foolish thoughts, I am impelled only to exclaim, My heart hath failed me (Ps. xxxix. 13 5). I have loved the beauty of the contemplative life as a Rachel, barren, but keen of sight and fair (Gen. xxix.), who, though in her quietude she is less fertile, yet sees the light more keenly. But, by what judgment I know not, Leah has been coupled with me in the night, to wit, the active life; fruitful, but tender-eyed; seeing less, but bringing forth more. I have longed to sit at

me.

before (Phil. iii. 13). The sinner, therefore, when he is advanced in the present life, is made to be as a wheel, since, while falling in the things which are before, he is lifted up in the things which are behind. For, when he enjoys in this life the glory which he must leave behind, he falls from that which comes after this life. There are indeed many who know how so to control their outward advancement as by no means to fall inwardly thereby. Whence it is written, God casteth not away the mighty, seeing that He also Himself is mighty (Job xxxvi. 5). And it is said through Solomon,

A man of understanding shall possess govern ments (Prov. i. 5). But to me these things are difficult, since they are also exceedingly burdensome; and what the mind has not received willingly it does not control fitly. Lo, our most serene Lord the Emperor has ordered an ape to be made a lion. And, indeed, in virtue of his order it can be called a lion, but a lion it cannot be made. Wherefore his Piety must needs himself take the blame of all my faults and short-comings, having committed a ministry of power to a weak agent.

EPISTLE VI.

TO NARSES, PATRICIAN 9. Gregory to Narses, &c

that it is subjoined, Slay and eat (Acts x. 13). Thou, then, who hadst not yet slain these beasts, why didst thou already wish to eat them through obedience? Or knowest thou not that the beast about which' thou wrotest refused to be slain by the sword of thy mouth? Thou must needs, then, satisfy the hunger of thy desire with those whom thou hast been able to prick and slay (Lit., to slay through compunction) 2.

Further, as to the case of our brethren, I think that, if God gives aid, it will be as thou hast written. It was not, however, by any means right for me to write about it at present to our most serene lords, since at the very outset one should not begin with complaints. But I have written to my well-beloved son, the deacon Honoratus 3, that he should mention

the matter to them in a suitable manner at a seasonable time, and speedily inform me in my behalf to the lord Alexander, the lord of their reply. I beg greetings to be given

the lady Eudochia, and the lady Dominica. Theodorus, my son Marinus, the lady Esicia,

EPISTLE VII.

In describing loftily the sweetness of contemplation, you have renewed the groans of my fallen state, since I hear what I have lost inwardly while mounting outwardly, though undeserving, to the topmost height of rule. Know then that I am stricken with so great sorrow that I can scarcely speak; for the dark shades of grief block up the eyes of my soul. Whatever is beheld is sad, whatever is thought delightful appears to my heart lamentable For I reflect to what a dejected height of external advancement I have mounted in falling from the lofty height of my rest. I have found what your Blessedness has And, written to be as rest to the weary, as health to being sent for my faults into the exile of employment from the face of my Lord, I say to the oppressed with heat. For those words the sick, as a fountain to the thirsty, as shade with the prophet, in the words, as it were of destroyed Jerusalem, He who should comfort by the tongue of the flesh, inasmuch as you so of yours did not seem even to be expressed me hath departed far from me (Lam. i. 16). But disclosed the spiritual love which you bear when, in seeking a similitude to express my me as if your soul itself were speaking. But condition and title, you frame periods and

TO ANASTASIUS, PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH 5.
Gregory to Anastasius, &c.

declamations in your letter, certainly, dearest very hard was that which followed, in that brother, you call an ape a lion. Herein we your love enjoined me to bear earthly burdens, and that, having first loved me spiritually, you see that you do as we often do, when we call mangy whelps pards or tigers. For I, my good man, have, as it were, lost my children, since through earthly cares I have lost works of righteousness. Therefore call me not Noemi. that is fair; but call me Mara, for I am full of bitterness (Ruth i. 20). But as to your saying that I ought not to have written, "That you should plough with bubali in the Lord's field," seeing that when in the sheet shewn to the blessed Peter both bubali and all wild beasts were presented to view; thou knowest thyself

32,

9 There are other letters from Gregory to this Narses, viz. iv. vi. 14, and perhaps vii. 30. He may have been the same as the Narses who was a famous general of the Emperor Maurice, and who was eventually burnt alive by Phocas. (Theoph., Siin. V.)

The animal called Boußaxos is described by Pliny (1. 8, c. 15) as "animal ferum in Africa, vitulo ac cervo simile." The reference in the text is to Amos vi. 12, where the Vulgate has, "Numquid currere queunt in petris equi, aut arari potest in bubalis?" The clause in the epistle, "ut in agro Dominico cum bubalis arares,' appears to be a quotation from a previous letter of Gregory's, in which he may have announced his election to Narses.

2 The whole passage is rather obscure to us, not having before us the letter from Narses, which is replied to, or the previous one from Gregory, to which Narses had referred. The drift seems to be as follows. Gregory, in his former letter,had compared his being elected pope to a bubalus being set to plough in the Lord's field. Narses had replied to the effect that, even if he were a bubalus, he was not therefore unfit, since bubali, with other wild beasts, had been in St. Peter's sheet, and pronounced To this Gregory now rejoins, "Yes; but those beasts were to be slain before they might be eaten and so you must first slay me per compunctionem i.e. by so pricking me with the sword of your mouth as to induce me to comply-before you may eat me per obedientiam-i.e. make use of me in the way you wish through my obedience to your desire. Not being thus so far slain, I have a right to protest against being made pope against my will

clean.

3 Honoratus was at this time Gregory's apocrisiarius at Constantinople. We find several letters addressed to him in this capacity, but none throwing light on the case here referred to. 4 Theodorus was the court physician at Constantinople, to whom Epistles III. 66, IV. 31, VII. 28, are addressed.

5 Anastasius had been threatened with deposition and exile (A.D. 563) by the Emperor Justinian, and the sentence had been carried into effect (A.D. 570) by Justinian's successor, Justin II. Notwithstanding this, Gregory after his own accession acknowledged him as the true patriarch of Antioch; and, probably owing to his intercession with the Emperor Maurice, Anastasius was restored to his patriarchal See on the death of Gregory, who had been intruded into it, A.D. 593. Other Epistles to, or concerning this Anastasius are I. 25, 26, 28; V. 39; VII. 27, 33; VIII. 2.