Letter 8016: Gregory to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna.

To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. He warmly commends Abbot Claudius, who is returning from Rome. Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. That a long delay has until now kept with us our common son, Abbot Claudius, the bearer of the present letter, was brought about by that occupation which was, as you yourselves know, a great consolation to us in the word of God; and him we had even wished to retain here longer still, had he not himself been hastening to his own monastery, and had we not known his presence to be altogether necessary to the congregation of his brethren. And therefore, since we have judged that he ought to be released, just as he asked and as advantage required, commending him, we exhort that your Holiness receive him with priestly affection, and, having by the benefit of your support rendered him free from all disquiet [...], permit him to be at leisure for the quiet and the advantages of the brethren, and that you love him particularly, as you know that he is loved by us; so that he may both recognize in himself more abundantly the affection of your charity, which he experienced long ago, and that we may rejoice to have found ourselves in you. Letter XVII. To Maurentius. He congratulates him on his zeal for sacred reading. He thus laments the rarity of those who study; he pledges himself as a colleague. Gregory to Maurentius, Master of the Soldiers. My most beloved son Cyprian the deacon, on his return, would have greatly pleased me, had he come back to me wholly. But after your Glory retained him in Sicily, I know most certainly that my aforesaid son returned to me indeed in body, but in mind remained in Sicily. Yet, in saying this, I rejoice together with your quiet as much as I groan over my own occupations. And this above all I exhort, that if the sweetness of inmost delight has touched the palate of your heart, the soul may be so caught up within, that everything which sounds without may be sad, everything which delights without. But I praise that you avoid human gatherings, because often the soul which desires to be renewed in God through the grace of compunction grows old again through depraved conversations and words. But I sought who might cling to you in the fellowship of sacred reading, and I found no one, and I groaned vehemently over the poverty of good. And although I, a sinner, am very much occupied, nevertheless, if you should be willing to come to the thresholds of the blessed Apostle Peter, you will be able to have me as a close colleague in sacred eloquence. May Almighty God guard you with heavenly protection, and grant that you remain fortified against the snares of the ancient enemy.

AD MARINIANUM RAVENNE EPISCOPUM. Redeuntem Roma Claudium abbatem impense com- mendat. Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravennatli. | Quod/ communem filium Claudium abbatem lato- rem prasentium longa apud nos hactenus mora re-. tinuit, res jlla ſecit quod magnum nobis, sicut no- S$lis, erat in verbo Dei solatium; quem eliain hic adhuc volueramus diutius retinere, * $i et ipse non ſeslinas$et ad $Suum monasterium, et n0s Ccongrega- tioni fratrum ejus prasentiam esSe OMNninO NECESSA=- riam sciremus. Et ideo quia illum sicut petiit et exigebat ulilitas relaxandum esse prospeximvs, Ccollt- mendantes eum, hortamur ut sanctitas vestra $a- cerdotali eum affectione suscipiat , paternam ili Sidii $ui beneficio liberum ab omni inquietudine - reddituin quieti et utilitatibus fratrum vacare per» mittat, atque peculiariter sicut a nobis eum scit di- ligi diligat ; quatenus et charitatis vestrz affectum quem- olim expertus est, in se multiplicius recogno- Scat, et nos in vohis invenisse $e gaudeat. 908 * EPISTULA X\I.I. AD MAURENTIUNM. De 8acre lectionis studio gratulatur. Sic 8tudentium deflet raritatem ; 8e collegam spondet. Gregorius Maurentio magistro militum. Dilectissimus filius meus Cyprianus diaconus re- verlens mihi valde placuerat, si ad me totus rediis- Set. Sed postquam gloria veslra in Sicilia sese reli- nuit, certissime <cio quia pradictus filius meus ad me quidem corpore rediit, sed mente in Sicilia re- mansit. Hae tamen dicens, lantum quieti vestre congaudeo, quantum . de meis occupationibus inge- D verbis ejusdem epistolze. Legenda sancti Augustini epist. 48, al. 84, in qua hortatur monachos ad Ec- clesiz munia obeunda. GussaNnv. "* P Hac legimuns tantum in Vatic. et Colbert. Eeisr. XVI [Al. 49]. — © Vulgati recent., Nisi et ipsum ad suum monasterium ſeslinare, el... . . . pre- sentiam esse Omnino necessariam $ciremus. Þ Ita in quatuor Vatic., omnibus Norm., Corb., Colbert., Rhem., non, ut habent Excusi, monas!e- rioque ejus. Hinc ,patet Claudium abbatem plurimis monaslteriis ſuisse preposiuum. Eeisr. XVIL [AL. 25, lib. xn, ind. 7]. — * Hee epistol: desideratur in Anglic. Norman. et plerisque Mss. In ontiq. Edit. legebatur, Luvino Cathanens: episcopo. 'Sed lectio hc, etsi ei suffragetur Vatic A, mendosa est, ad episcopum enuiu non SCFIPSISSC' Sanclus Gregorius gloria ves(ra. iden —— —_ misco. Atque hoe summopere exhortor, ut si pala- A compellantur ; quatenus, cunctis vigilantibus, me- tum cordis dulcedo tetigit intime snavitatis, ita in- trorsus rapiatur animus, ut triste sit omne quod foris s0nal, omne quod: foris delectat. Laudo autem quod humana conventicula cavelis, quia $xpe ani- mus qui renovari in Deo per compunctionis gratiam desiderat, per prava colloquia atque verba iterum veterascCit. Quzsivi autem qui vobis adhzreant in lectionis. Sacrz collegio, et neminem reperi, et ve- hementer ingemui pauperlatem boni. Et quamvis peccator ego valde occupatus sum, tamen si ad beati Petri apostoli limina venire volueritis, in $acro eloquio $trictum poleritis me habere collegam. Om- nipotens Deus cclesti vos protectione cuslodiat, alque ab antiqui hostis insidiis munitos . permanere concedat.