Letter 142: Though my desire to meet you is warm, and the need of your petitioners is great, yet my illness is invincible. Therefore I am bold to commit my intercession to writing. Have respect to our gray hair, which you have already often reverenced by good actions.

Gregory to Olympius. Though my desire to meet you is warm, and the need of those I represent is great, my illness is unrelenting. I am therefore bold to commit my plea to writing. Have respect for our gray hairs, which you have already shown reverence to on many occasions. I ask on behalf of those who suffer and those who fear. Show them the mercy that your position makes possible and that your character has always made natural. A letter is a poor substitute for a face-to-face appeal, but when the body cannot travel, the heart must go by post.

Ep. CXLII. Though my desire to meet you is warm, and the need of your petitioners is great, yet my illness is invincible. Therefore I am bold to commit my intercession to writing. Have respect to our gray hair, which you have already often reverenced by good actions. Have respect also to my infirmity, to which my labours for God have in part contributed, if I may swagger a little. For this cause spare the citizens who look to me because I use some freedom of speech with you. And spare also the others who are under my care. For public affairs will suffer no damage through mercy, since you can do more by fear than others by punishment. May you, as your reward for this, obtain such a Judge as you show yourself to your petitioners and to me their intercessor.