Letter 11026: You sent me a most generous gift of sails, and for this I am grateful — though you should not have put yourself to...

I have received your Excellency's letter, which, situated as I am in the gravest illness, wholly relieved me by [the news of] your good health, your devotion, and your kindness. One thing, however, I received with distress, because in those same letters to me the words, which could be said once, were said again and again: your handmaid, and your handmaid. For I, who through the burdens of the episcopate have been made the servant of all, on what ground does she call herself my handmaid, whose own [servant] I was before my episcopate when I was taken into [your household]? And therefore I beg, through almighty God, that I may never find this word in your writings to me. But those gifts which from a most pure and most sincere heart you transmitted to the blessed Peter, the chief of the apostles, were received in the presence of all the clergy and hung up there. For my son, the magnificent man, the lord Symmachus, because he found me sick from the pain of gout and almost despaired of, deferred giving me your letter and gave it after much time, after the sails had been taken in [i.e., after the ship had arrived]. Afterward, however, in your Excellency's writings we found that [the gifts] ought to have been carried in procession to the church of the blessed Peter. This was by no means done, because, as I said before, we received the sails before the writings. Nevertheless the aforesaid man, with all the household of your house, did this which you wished us to do with the clergy. But even if the voices of men were lacking, your offering itself has its own voice before the almighty Lord. For I trust in His mercy, that He whose body you covered over in the earth, His intercession protects you from all sins in heaven, and rules your whole household by His providence and guards it by His vigilance. But concerning the trouble of gout, which you indicated had befallen you, I was both vehemently saddened and gladdened: gladdened, because the harmful humor, seeking the lower parts, has completely abandoned the upper; saddened indeed, because in so very frail a body I greatly fear that you will suffer excessive pains. For where flesh is lacking, what strength can there be that resists pains? As for me, whom you know what sort of man I have been, so does bitterness of soul and constant exasperation, and through this the trouble of gout, afflict me, that my body has been so dried up as if [laid out] for burial; whence it comes about that now I am rarely able to rise from my bed. If then the pain of gout reduces the bulk of my body to such dryness, what shall I feel about your body, which was exceedingly dry even before the pains? But concerning the alms which you gave to the monastery of the blessed apostle Andrew, what need is there for me to say anything, since it is written: 'Hide alms in the bosom of the poor man, and this will entreat for you'? If then before the secret ears of the Lord that good work itself has its own voice, whether we cry out or keep silent, this very thing which you did well cries out. But I make known [to you] that so great are the miracles, so great the care, so great the protection of the monks in that same monastery of the same apostle, as if he himself were specially the abbot of the monastery. For that I may speak a few things out of many, which I learned from the abbot and the prior of the monastery as they related them: on a certain day two brothers were sent out from there, who were to buy something for the use of the monastery, one younger, who seemed more prudent, the other older, who was to be the guardian of the younger. Both went forth, and out of the money which they received the very one who had been sent as guardian, without the other knowing, committed a theft from that same money. As soon as they had returned to the monastery and come before the threshold of the oratory, the one who had committed the theft was seized by a demon, fell, and began to be tormented. But being released by the demon, with the monks running together he was questioned, whether perhaps he had committed a theft from that which he had received; he denied it, [and] again he was tormented; released and again questioned he denied it, and again he was tormented. And so eight times he denied, eight times he was tormented. But after the eighth denial he confessed how many coins he had carried off by theft. And doing penance, prostrate, he testified that he had sinned; and thereafter the demon no longer came to him. At another time also, while on the birthday [feast] of the same apostle, at the noon hours, the brothers were resting, suddenly a certain brother, with his eyes open, struck blind, began to tremble and to send forth huge cries, by which cries he testified that he could not bear what he was suffering. The brothers ran together, they saw him blind with open eyes, trembling and crying out, and estranged from those present and perceiving nothing of what could be done outside; and they lifted him up in their hands and laid him down before the altar of the blessed apostle Andrew, and they themselves prostrated themselves in prayer for him. He, immediately returning to himself, confessed what he had suffered: that a certain old man appeared to him and sent a black dog to tear him to pieces, saying: 'Why did you wish to flee from this monastery?' 'And when I could in no way escape from the bites of the dog, certain monks came and entreated that same old man on my behalf. He immediately ordered the dog to depart, and I myself returned to myself.' He also confessed that 'on the day on which I suffered these things I had formed a plan to flee from that same monastery.' Another monk also wished secretly to depart from that same monastery. And when he had turned this over in his mind, he came to enter the oratory; immediately, handed over to a demon, he was most vehemently tormented. But he was released by the demon, and, if he stood outside the oratory, he suffered nothing adverse; if he attempted to enter, immediately, handed over to the malign spirit, he was tormented. And when this happened often, he confessed his fault, that he was thinking of going out from the monastery. Then the brothers, gathered together for him, bound themselves in prayers for three days, and so he was cured, that afterward the malign spirit never again came to him. And he said that he himself, while he was being tormented, had seen the blessed apostle, and had been rebuked by him, why he had wished to depart. Two other brothers also fled from that same monastery, and first, by conversing, gave signs to the brothers that, descending by the Appian [Way], they were heading for Jerusalem. They, going out, turned aside from the road, and, that they might by no means be found by those following, finding hidden caves near the Flaminian gate, concealed themselves in them. But when, sought in the evening hours, they were by no means found in the congregation, certain brothers, mounting horses, followed them, going out through the Metrovian gate, that they might follow them on the Latin or the Appian Way. Suddenly a plan arose for them, that they should seek them on the Salarian Way. Therefore going outside the city they turned off onto the Salarian. But by no means finding them, they resolved to return by the Flaminian gate. And when they were returning, as soon as their horses came before those caves in which [the fugitives] had hidden themselves, they fixed their step, and, struck and driven on, they refused to move a pace. The monks considered that such a thing could not be without a mystery; they looked toward the caves, they saw their entrances blocked by a wall set up, but since their horses were going nowhere, they dismounted. They took down the stones which had been placed in the mouth of the caves; they entered and found them in those same dark hiding places thrown down to the ground in dismay. Having been brought back to the monastery, they were so improved by that miracle that it greatly profited them to have fled from the monastery for a little while. These things I have said, that it might become known to your Excellency, to whose oratory you gave alms. And may almighty God guard you both in soul and in body and in your whole house with heavenly protection, and grant that you may live long for our consolation. My sweetest son, the lord Strategius, together with his glorious parents, your children, I ask to be greeted in my stead.

iixcellcntiae vestrac scripta suscepi, quae me" in^ gravissima aegritudine positum de salute, de devotione ac de dulcedine sua omnino relevarent^. Unum vero aegre suscepi, quia in eisdem epistolis ad me, quod semel essc poterat'', saepius dicebatur: ancilla vestra, et ancilla vestra. Ego enim, qui pcr episcopatus onera servus sum omnium factus S qua ratione mihi se illa ancillam® dicit, cuius susceptus ante' epi- scopatum proprius fui? Et ideo rogo per omnipotentem Deum, ne hoc verbum ali- quando ad me in^ scriptis vestris inveniam. Ea autem quae ex purissimo et sincerissimo corde** beato Petro apostolorum principi munera* transmisistis praesente omni clero suscepta atque illie suspensa sunt. Filius enim*^ meus vir magnificus^ domnus Sym- machus™, quia ex podagrae dolore aegrotum me et paene desperatum" repperit^, scripta vestra mihi dare distulit et post multum temporis, quam® vela suscepta sunt, dedit. Postmodum vero in^ scriptis excellentiae vestrae invenimus, ut cum letania ad beati Petri ecclesiam portari dcbuissent. Quod ideo minime factum est, quia, sicut praedixi, ante vela quam scripta*» suscepimus. Tamen praedictus vir cum omni familia domus vestrae^ hoc' fecit, quod* nos facere cum clero voluistis. Sed et si voces defuerunt hominum, habet ipsa vestra oblatio apud omnipotentem Dominum vocem suam. In eius enim pietate* confido, quia cuius vos corpus cooperuistis " in terra eius vos inter- cessio a peccatis omnibus protegit in caelo^ omnemque domum vestram sua^ provisione regit et* sua vigilantiay custodit. De podagrae autem molestia, quam vobis evenisse signastis', et contristatus vehe- menter sum et laetatus: laetatus, quia humor noxius inferiora petens superiora per- fecte* deseruit; contristatus vero, quia in** tam tenuissimo corpore dolores vos nimios® perpeti pertimesco. Ubi enim deest caro, quae virtus esse poterit doloribus resistens? Me etenim, quem, qualis fuerim, nostis, ita amaritudo animi et adsidua exacerbatio atque per hoc podagrae molestia afficit^, ut corpus meum tamquam in sepulturam ita siccatum sit; unde fit, ut iam raro de lecto surgere valeam. Si ergo mei molem cor- XI, 26 in titulo: patriciana q*4. ») me om. Bl. in supraser. q1. «) jn relevarunt eorr. m. posL q 1. d) exsuperat eoni. Mommsen. «) se illa om., sed ante mihi supraser. te p 1 — ancillam in rai., ut videtur, ex illa eorr. Ql. 0 ^oc, ut videtur, in aute suBceptum corr. Q 1; subiectus ante suscep- tum Vat, A. E (ed. 31.). e) in om. q 1. h) de add. Rl. ex mune corr. Q 1. iia Rl.ql. q*1: autem cet. codd. 1) umabbr. Rl. g*l; q*2 in contextu rasur. et in marg.: vir magnus; Q*3: vir maguus. ™) Symmacus q3. disp. Q 1. Q*. °) m postquam corr. q 1. P) post multum vero (pm. in) q3. «) ante vel aquam scriptam Rl. ') hanc Vat. A. D. E (ed. M.). ■) quam q et Vat. A. D. E (ed. M.J. XI, 26. Haec et scquentes epistulae certe una transmissae mnt. — De Rustidana cf. ep. II, 27 n 1) Cf. Gregorii titulum: servus servonim Dei. Balm. apud Boziere Lib. diurn. p. 38. Eicdld in N. A. in p. 645. Grisar in Ztschr. f. Jcath. Tkeol IV, 475 ss. 2) De Gregorii valetudine cf. ep. VIII, 29 n. 1. IX, 175 n. 3. IX, 232 n. 2. 3) Cf ep. VIII, 22 n. 2. GRE60RU I. REGISTRI poris in tantam podagrae dolor ariditatem redigit, quid de vestro corpore sentiam, quod nimis siccum ante dolores fuit? De elemosina vero quam beati Andreae apostoli monasterio * fecistis, quid necesse Ecci. », 15. est me aliquid dicere, cum scriptum sit: ^Absconde* elemosinam in sinu pauperis, et haec pro te^ exorabit'? Si ergo apud secretas aures Domini habet ipsa bona operatio Yocem suam, sive nos clamemus, sive taceamus, hoc ipsimi^ quod bene egistis clamat. Indico autem, quia tanta miracula^, tanta cura, tanta custodia monachorum in eodem monasterio eiusdem apostoli est, ac si specialiter abbas monasterii ipse sit. Nam ut pauca de multis loquar, quae abbate ac praeposito^ monasterii narrantibus agnovi, quadam die duo exinde fratres transmissi simt, qui aliquid emere pro monasterii utili- tate debuissent, unus iunior, qui prudentior videbatur, alter senior, qui custos iunioris^ esset. Perrexerunt utrique, et de pretio quod acceperunt ipse qui custos missus fuerat nesciente altero de eodem pretio furtum fecit. Qui mox ut in monasterium^ sunt reversi atque ante oratorii limen venerunt, arreptus dacmonio™ is qui furtum fecerat cecidit et vexari coepit. Dimissus autem a daemonio concurrentibus monachis requi- situs est, ne forsitan de eo quod accepcrat furtum fecisset; negavit, iterum vexatus est; dimissus atque iterum requisitus** negavit atque iterum" vexatus est. Octo itaque vicibus negavit, octo vicibus est vcxatus. Post octavam vero negationem confessus est, quantos nummos ftirto abstulerat. Et agens paenitentiam prostratus se peccasse testatus est®; ulterius veroP ad eum daemonium non accessit. Alio quoque tempore dum in die natalicio^ eiusdem' apostoli iam meridianis horis' fratres quiescerent, subito quidam^ frater apertis oculis caecatus coepit tremere, voces ingentes mittere", quibus vocibus testabatur ferre se non posse quod patiebatur. Concurrerunt^ fratres, viderunt caecum oculis apertis trementem et clamantem et a praesentibus alienum nihilque quod foris agi poterat sentientem ; eumque in manibus levaverunt atque ante altare beati^ Andreae apostoli proiecerunt ipsique pro eo in oratione prostrati sunt. Qui statim ad se reversus, quid^ passus fuerat^ confessus est, quia senex quidam ei apparuit et canem nigrum ad eum dilaniandum dimisit dicens: 'Quare fugere voluisti de monasterio isto?' 'Cumque evadere de canis morsibus nullo modo potuissem, venerunt quidam monachi et eundem senem pro me rogaverunt. Qui statim iussit canem^ abscedere, et ipse ad me reversus sum.' Qui etiam' confessus est*, quia *eo die quo ista pertuli consilium habueram de eodem monasterio fugere'*. Alius quoque monachus discedere ex eodem monasterio latenter voluit. Cumque hoc mente tractasset, venit^ oratorium ingredi; statim daemonio traditus vehementissime vexatus est. Relinquebatur vero a daemonio et, si extra oratorium stetisset, nihil patiebatur adversi ; si conatus fuisset ingredi, statim maligno spiritui ® traditus vexabatur. Cumque hoc saepius jSeret, culpam suam confessus est, quia de monasterio egredi cogitabat. Tunc pro illo fratres collecti sese per triduum in precibus astrinxerunt^, atque ita curatus est, ut ad eum postmodum numquam spiritus malignus* accederet. Dicebat autem eundem se beatum apostolum, dum vexaretur, vidisse seque ab eo in- crepatum esse, cur voluisset abscedere. •) abflcondite q*Lq3, ') vobis q3. «) hoc ipsum om. tanta miracala om, S 1. Q* 1; A daemonio, tU videiur, q*2.3. ^) verba requisitus usque iterum om, ®) ut acU. Sl, P) Tero om, q3. 1) natalicii Ql. eius Bl. •) hor^ Bl, ») ex quadam corr. Bl, «) mitteret Bl; emittere q3, ▼) concurrunt Bl. • w) iui El; sancti cet. codd. «) qui q1. ^) canem om. q3. ») saepe add. q*. ») est om. q*1, *>) voluit q. c) malignus {corr, in maligno) spiritus Sl. 4) De manasterio 8. Andreae cf, ep. IX, 44 n. l et 1, 14^ n. 6) Eandem, ut videtur, Mstoriolam de Theodoro guodam in monasterio 8uo puero narrat noster in didl. IV, 38, Alii quoque duo fratre« de eodem monasterio fugerunt^ atque aliqua prius collo- quendo fratribus signa dederunt, quod per Appiara* descendentes'* Hierosolymam* ten- derent. Qui exeimtes deverterunt^ de itinere et, ut a sequentibus inveniri minime potuissent, retrusas cryptas^ iuxta Flammineam™ portam'' invenientes in eis se occultave- runt. Cum vero vespertinis horis requisiti minime in congregationc inventi essent, ascensis caballis eos quidam fratres secuti sunt per Metrovi " portam ** exeuntes, ut eos in Latinam vel Appiam viam° sequcrentur. Subito cis consilium ortum est, ut eos in SalariamP viara requirerent. Extra civitatem igitur pcrgentes' deflexerunt' in Sala- riam*. Eos vero* minirae invenientes per portam Flammineam™ decreverunt reverti. Cumquo reverterentur, mox ut equi eorum'* ante cryptas illas venerunt, in quibus se absconderant^, fixerunt gradum, pulsati et compulsi passum movcre noluerunt. Con- sideraverunt monachi rem talem sine mysterio esse non posse, attenderunt ad cryptas, viderunt earum aditus missa maceria^ daranatos, sod caballis siiis nusquara euntibus descenderunt. Deposuerunt* lapides qui in ore^ cryptarum positi fuerunt*; ingressi sunt* eosque in eisdem tenebrosis latibulis constematos tcrrae invenerunt. Qui ad monasterium reducti ex eodem miraculo ita mcliorati sunt, ut eis* multura profuerit ad parum temporis de monasterio** fugisse. Haec dixi, ut <^xcellentiac vestrae innotesceret*', cuius oratorio eleniosinam fecistis. Omnipotens autem Deus et in anima et in corporc et in omni domo caelesti vos protectione custodiat et ad consolationem nostrara diu vos vivere concedat. Dulcissi- mum* filiura meura domnum Strategium^ cum gloriosis parentibus suis filiis vestris mea peto vice salutari.