Letter 10051: I want to address a concern that I understand you have raised: that I might advocate for people regardless of...

TO LEONTIUS, FORMER CONSUL. [Summary] That he has never asked anyone's protection except where justice favored it. That even if Libertinus committed fraud in public affairs, his property ought to have been struck, not his liberty. That in the punishment of evildoers anger ought to follow the reason of the mind, not run ahead of it. Gregory to Leontius, former consul. Your Glory took pains to transmit to me the document and a copy of Libertinus' case, so that you might show me with what obligation, or with what mind, this same Libertinus came to the dignity of the prefecture. When this had been read over by my glorious brother Palatinus the Patrician, and by my counselor Theodore, a man of magnificent rank, it was subtly disclosed to me, and it appeared abominable both to me and to all who were able to take cognizance of it. But Your Glory ought to remember that he never received letters of mine for the recommendation of anyone, except that you should grant your protection where justice favored it. And because the whole province at the same time was returning thanks concerning this same Libertinus, I made it known. For who he might be, or what kind of cases he had, I have never professed, nor to this point do I subtly know. For if in this matter of the bond he is found culpable, and as to other matters I do not know what he may allege on his own behalf, this one thing nevertheless I know well and steadfastly: that even if he committed any fraud in public affairs, his property ought to have been struck, not his liberty. For in this, that free men are struck -- to say nothing of the fact that almighty God is offended, to say nothing of the fact that your reputation is gravely burdened -- nevertheless the times of our most pious emperor are altogether darkened. For this is what distinguishes between the kings of the nations and the emperors of the Romans, that the kings of the nations are lords of slaves, but the emperor of the Romans is lord of free men. Whence you too, whatever you do, ought first indeed to act with justice preserved, and then with liberty guarded in all things. It is written: "What you do not wish to be done to you, see that you yourself do not do to another" (Tobit iv, 16). And Truth himself says: "Whatever you wish that men should do to you, do you also the same to them" (Matthew vii, 12). The liberty therefore of those who have been committed to you for examination you ought to attend to especially as your own; and if you yourselves do not wish your own liberty to be injured by your superiors, guard the liberty of your subjects, to be honored. For we know who said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew xxiv, 35). And because his words do not pass away, but are fulfilled in all things, let us fear what he says again: "With what measure you shall have measured, it shall be measured back to you" (Matthew vii, 2). But what does Your Glory suppose -- that if we act proudly, if we act cruelly, by despising God we placate a man for ourselves? By no means. For he who is despised provokes against us the very one whom, having despised God, we wish to placate. Let us therefore take care in all things to please God, who is able even to bring angry men back to gentleness. For, as I have said, even gentle men are provoked to wrath when God is indignant. But if it is said that public frauds cannot be discovered without beatings and terrors, I could admit this, had not the lord Leontius come into a case of accounts. For it is true that those are wont to go to excess with their hands who are deficient in sense and in tongue; concerning which matter, if Your Glory cannot excuse me -- for, subtly examining either what you hear or what you say, I have found that you strike men without cause, you who, with God's help, are able to do all things by words. But concerning the cases of those whom you are examining, I confess truly that, hearing many things which I never knew before, I blush vehemently. Whence both to you and to the most pious lord emperor I keep silence. For if it could be established for me that they had just causes from their own reasonings, I should both have had to assail you first by letters, and if I had not been heard at all, I should suggest it to the most serene lord emperor. But because nothing concerning their reasonings is established for me, therefore, as I have said, I say nothing to you nor to the most pious prince to this point. For it is base for me to defend that which has not first been established for me to be just, since I love men for the sake of justice, but I do not set justice after men. So act therefore, glorious son, that in the business committed to you you may first have placated him who contains all things, and then may fulfill the advantage of the most serene prince with all solicitude. For also in the business of him by whom it was committed to you, I judge it to be not without sin to be negligent. But because, by almighty God's bounty, your wisdom is fit both to inquire vigilantly and subtly into the reasonings, and to placate the Creator's judgment toward you through meekness, as often as anger invades your mind, tame your mind, conquer your very self. Defer the time of fury, and when your mind has become tranquil, judge what is pleasing. For anger, in the punishment of evildoers, ought to follow the reason of the mind, not to go before it, so that it may come behind, as it were a handmaid of justice, and not break out wantonly before its face. Sometimes indeed it is to be shown, and not exhibited; sometimes it is to be exhibited, but never to be followed. For when, in the execution of justice, we grow angry with a placated mind, we both do not follow anger, and we exhibit it. For how much consideration anger -- which disturbs the mind -- is to be guarded against, is shown by that which is written: "Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the anger of man does not work the justice of God" (James i, 19). Hence again it is written: "Who can dwell with a man whose spirit is prone to anger?" (Proverbs xviii, 14). Hence again it is said: "Be not a friend to an angry man, nor walk with a furious man, lest perhaps you learn his paths, and take a scandal to your soul" (Proverbs xxii, 24). Against this, in praise of patience, it is written: "Better is the man who conquers anger than he who takes a great city." Hence David, taking upon himself the person of the weak, says: "My eye is troubled because of anger" (Proverbs xvi, 32). And out of that very disturbance he added what follows: "I have grown old among all my enemies" (Psalm vi, 8). For out of anger, when the eye of the heart has been disturbed, we are led down to oldness among our enemies, because we are recalled to the likeness of the old man among malignant spirits. Since therefore the sacred utterances detest with so many testimonies the anger which moves the heart, let us weigh with what intention we ought to flee this vice, which, God being judge, is so often reproved in his testimony. Another opinion also occurs, that some are burdened more than others; and to certain men, the things that were expended by the principal command are by no means reckoned. Whether this be true, I do not know. If however it is so, you ought by no means to do this at all, both for fear of the eternal judgment, and for the very reason of human consideration. Behold, glorious son, provoked by love of God and of you, I have briefly indicated all that I have perceived, all that I have heard. But it is the part of a wise man both to weigh more broadly the things briefly heard, and to correct in swiftness whatever things displease God. May almighty God surround you with the protection of his heavenly grace, that he may [keep] you here both from depraved acts, and [...]

AD LEONTIUM EXCONSULEM. Se nulli unquam protectionem, nisi ſavente justitia, postulasze. Etsi in rebus pubiicis ſraudem ſecerit Libertinus, subslantiam ejus cad: uizze, non li- bertatem. Iram in vindictum malorum 8equi deber rationem animi, non preire. Gregorius Leontio exconsuli * Cantionis et exemplar Libertini ad me 8tuduit- gloria vestra [ransmittere , quatenus mihi ostenderet cum qua obligatione vel mente LOQ7Y Þ ad prefe- clurz dignitatem idem Libertinus accesserit. Qua a glorios0 ſratre meo Palatino Patricio, vel consiliario meo viro magnifico Theodoro relecta, mihi subtiliter insinuata est, atque exsecrabilis et mihi et cunctis apparvit, qui cognoscere © valuerunt. Sed debet gloria vestra meminisse quia nunquam epislolas meas pro commendatione alicujus accepit, nisi ut D protectionem vestram, ſavente juslitia, preslarelis. genere sinl securi, jla ut ei cui rens ſuerit criminosus. de zatisſactione conveniat. (Juod 8t sacramenta quis conrictus ſuerit violasse, reus perjurii non 80{um @ communione Ecclesia vel omnium clericorum, rerum etiam et a catholicorum convivio separetur. Nola 1bt. agi de homicidis, adulteris et furibus. GUSSANV. _ EeisT. LI. - © In Excusis detracta est copulalivs et, quz lamen in omnibus Mss. reperitur. In plur. Mss. legitur cautiones. Retinvimus cautionts, ul ellan | babent Norm. et Colbert., propler ita que? Seyquun- tur, in is/a causa cautions. ; nullis Mss. preetor, ab aliis oreſectus appellatur. © Recent, voluerunt. | 4 ne of Et quia de eodem Libertino tota simul provincia A Domno imperatori taceo. Nam si mihi constare p0- gratias reſerebat, indicavi. Nam vel quis esset, vel quales eausas habverit , neque unquam proſessus Sum, nec hactenus sSubtiliter scio. Nam si in ista causa cautionis culpabilis invenitur, et de aliis cau- sis quid pro 8e alleget nescio , unum hoc tamen be- ne atque conslanter novi, quia et si quam in rebus publicis ſraudem ſecit, substantia ejus c#di debuit, non libertas. Nam in hoc quod liberi cxduntur, ut laceam quod ownipotens Deus offenditur, vt taceam quod vesira opinio vebementer gravatur, piissimi ta- men imperatoris nostri omnino tempora fuscantur. Hoc enim inter reges gentium et imperatores Ro- manorum dislat, quia 4 reges gentium domini servo- rum sunt, imperator vere Romanorum dominus liberorum. Unde et vos quidquid agilis, prius qui- dem sServala juslitia, deinde cuslodita per omnia libertate agere debetis. Scriptum est : Quod tibi non vis fieri, pide ne ipse alleri ſeceris (Tob. 1v, 16). El per semetipsam Veritas dicit : Que rultis ut ſaciant vobis homines, et vos eadem ſacite illis (Matth, vii, 42). Liberiatem ergo eorum qui vobis in discussio- nem commissi Sunt ut vesiram $pecialiter altendere debetis ; et si ipsi a majoribus vestris injuriari liber- talem vesiram non yultis, subjectoruin vestrorum honorandso libertalem *©- custodite. Scimus enim qui dixi4 : Celum et terra transibunt, rerba aulem mea non fransibunt (Yatth. xx1iv, 55), Cujus quia verba non lranseun!, sed per omnia implentur, metnamus quod - iterum dicit : In qua mensura mensi ſueritis, f in ca tuisset quia juslas causas de $uis rationibus habe. rent , et prius per epistolas vos pulsare habui, et si auditus minime ſuissem, serenissimo Domno impe- ratori suggererem. Sed quia mibi de eorum rationi- bus nibil constat, ideo, sicut dixi, et vobis et pii«sj- mo principi hactenus nihil dico. Turpe est enim me hoe deſendere quod prius mihi non constiterit ju- stum esse, quia ego homines propter justitiam diligo non autem justitiam propter homines postpono. Ita ergo age, gloriose (ili, ut in actione commigsa prius illum habeas placatum qui continet omyia, ae deinde serenissimi principis utilitatem cum omni Sollicitudine impleas. Nam et in ejus actione, a quo tibi commissa est, esse negligentem non $Sine peccato B existimo. Sed quia, omnipotente Deo largiente, idonea est vestra Sapientia, et rationes vigilanter 2c Subliliter exquirere, et Creatoris vobis judicium per mansueludinem placare, quoties ira animum invadit, mentem edoma, vince te ipsum. Difſer tempus ſuro- ris, et cum. tranquiila mens ſuerit, quod placet Þ ju- dica. Ira enim in vindictam malorum sequi debet rationem animi, non preire, ut quasi ancilla justitie post tergum veniat, et non lasciva ante faciem pro- rumpat. Aliquando vero ostendenda est, et non exhibenda; aliquando exhibenda est, sed nunquam sequenda. Quanilo enim in exsecutione juslitize pla- cala mente irascimur, iracundiam et non sequimur, et exhibemus. Ira enim aue animum perturbat, quanta consideratione cavenda est monstralur. De metiel1r robis (Matth. vu, 2). Quid autem gloria C qua scriptum est : Sit omnis homo velox ad audien- vestra existimat quia si superbe, $si crudeliter agi- mus, despeecto Deo nobis hominem placamns? Nullo modo. Nam ipse qui despicitur eum contra nos quem despecto Deo placare volumus irritat. Curemus ergo per omnia 5 placere Deo qui potens est etiam iratos homines ad mansuetudinem reducere. Nam, sicut dixi, etiam mansueti homines indignante Deo ad iracundiam provocantur. Si autem dicitur quia 8ine verberibus atque terro- ribus ſraudes publicz inveniri non possunt, hoe ad- miltere poleram, $i in ratiociniorum causa domnus Leontius non venisset. Nam verum est quia illi s0- lent manibus excedere, qui in $sensu et lingua defi- ciunt; de qua re $2 mihi vestra gloria non valet dun:, tardus autem ad loquendum, et tardus ad iram. Ira enim viri justifiam Dei non operatur (Jac. 1, 19), Hine rursum scriplun est :. Quis potest habitare cum homine, cujus spiritus ſacilis est ad irascendum (Prov. xXYMIl, 14)? Hinc iterum dicitur : Noli esse cum ho- mine iracundo, neque ambules cum viro ſurios0, ne forte discas semilas ejus, et sumas 8candalum anime txe (Prov. xxn, 24). Contra hanc in laude patien- liz scriptum est : Melior est vir qui vincit iram, quaint qui capit civitalem magnam. llinc David personam in $e infirmorum $umens, ait : Turbatus est pre ira oculus meus (Prov. xv1, 32). Atque ex ipsa turbatione quid sequatur adjunxit : Inveteravi inter omnes ini- micos meos (Pal. v1, 8). Ex ira quippe cum turbatus excusare. Nam vel quz audilis, vel quid dicitis, $ub- D fuerit oculus cordis, inter inimicos nostros ad vetus Uliter exquirens, inveni quia YQGO homines sine causa c2ditis, qui auxihanlte Deo verbis agere omnia poteslis. De causis vero eorum quos discutitis, verum fa- teor quia multa audiens que nunquam ante cognovi, vehemenler erubesco. Unde et vobis et pijssimo 4 [dem repetitar epist. 38 lib. x1, nunc. liv. xt epis1. 31. ius, oratione 41, idem afticmat : "Kio ut» Devbipuy &pyetv, 6k Gt oberrov, xot T6 piv &periic vnepoxt, 76 38 ruxng nhcovetia. Vides, lector, Sanctum Gregorium hic loqui de regibus barbaris, qui subditos quasi servos habent, patris appellatione spteta. Optime idem Themistius, oratione 5, ad fi- nem : Toe 3 werrtpe utv Texaxwovvn, Guog 3t SromotrAY, xi Taov 38 pilox pnuetiax, Oeia 3t jovh 1 TOY matpos Statem deducimur, quia inter malignos $piritus ad velusti hominis similitadinem revocamur. Cum igi tur iram, quz cor permovet, sacra eloquia tot testi- moniis detestentur, perpendamus JOS1J qua inten- tione debemus hoc vitium fugere, quod, Deo judice, in testimonio illius toties reprobatur. imo uix. Juslitia facit esse patrem, ira dominum, cau- ponem avaritia ; s0la. vero patris appellatio divina ex. Gussaxv. Vaticanis, Remig., Norm., Reg., etc. 8 Ed., placore Deum. 2 a” Oe as Ht as os. 1109 EPISTOLARUM LIB. X. — INDICT. II. — EPIST. LIVY. 4110 Alia quoque occurrit opinio, quia alii pre aliis A gravaniur ; el quibusdam, quz ex principali jussioue expensa Sunt, Mminime repulaniur. Quod $i verum Sit, nesCi0. Si lamen ita esl, hoc omnino facere et pro limore #lerni judicii, et pro ipsius humanz con- ziderationis ratione minime debelis. Ecce, gloriose (ili, amore Dei tuoque provocalus, euncla que Sensi, cuncla que audivi, breviter indi- -eavi. Sapientis autem viri est, et breviler audila la- tius pensare, et quzeque Deo displicent in celeritale corrigere. Omnipotens Deus celesti vos gratiz pro» tectione circumdet, ut hic vos et a pravis aclibus, et