Letter 219: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Justin Augustus to Pope Hormisdas, through the legates Germanus and John, bishops, Felix and Dioscorus, deacons, and Blandus, presbyter. The greatest thanks indeed must be given to you, because you do not hesitate to expend eager effort toward the gathering and uniting of the venerable churches; but in this matter your perfect skill shines forth most of all, that you choose men who can serve the sincere and upright purpose of your holiness with a benevolent and whole-hearted devotion. For Germanus, the most reverend bishop, and likewise Felix and Dioscorus and Blandus, men most religious, showed themselves so attentive with great diligence, and were versed in such great wisdom, that, so far as pertains to their office, with everything carried through to completion and worked out, no further matter of dispute remained. But since mortal frailty is of such a condition that it desires to be dealt with more leniently, and to be given a plain answer to its questions, especially when some matter has been brought down into an immense multitude of people, it has come about that in this most flourishing city whatever was ordained concerning the cause of religion and concerning the celebrating of unity with the apostolic see, in the times of John of most religious memory, while he held the priesthood of this royal city, that, by God's favor, is kept unmoved; indeed, in very many other cities as well your ordinance has been approved and accepted; but the rest stand in need of a certain more lenient moderation in the matter of the names of the prelates -- not of those who were specifically enumerated in the letter which your holiness is known to have addressed to us, but of others, whose memory the greatest cities cherish, in which their survivors are known to have flourished. For which reason the legates of your holiness had no liberty to go beyond the tenor of the mandate with which they were sent; but the whole conclusion of the business now hangs only upon your judgment, so that he alone ought to conclude the peace who first set in motion the beginnings of the affair. But these matters, and likewise certain others, will be set forth more openly through our legate, who will be dispatched a little later. For the present, however, with these most religious men returning, we have believed that your reverence ought as much to be addressed as to be reminded, that you may employ your prayers on behalf of our empire and for the safe condition of the commonwealth. Given on the seventh day before the Ides of July at Constantinople, in the consulship of Vitalianus and Rusticus, men most illustrious.

a.52od. Justini Augusti ad Hormlsdam papam. Tacc^d Legatos ipsius fideliler perfecisse^ quae Hormisda mandaverat. ReHquos Onen- p j 17Sept!) iales, ui ad unitatem reduci valerent, atiqua indigere clementia. Justinus Augustus Hormisdae papae per legatos Germanum^) et Johannem episcopos, Felicem et Dioscorum diaconos, et Blandum presby- terum. Sunmia quidem habenda vobis est gratia, quod alacrem operam non dubitatis impendere ad colligendas adunandasque venerabiles ecclesias-, verum in ea praelucet maxime perfecta soUertia, quoJ homines adoptatis, qui voto benevolo tuae sanctitudinis sincero ac integro possint animo deservire. Germanus siquidem reverendissimus episcopus nec non Felix et Dioscorus et Blandus viri religiosissimi tanta semet praebuerunt attentos industria ac in tanta sapientia versati sunt, ut quantum ad officium eorum pertinet, transactis in plenum et elaboratis omnibus, nihil altercationis superesset ulterius. Sed quum ea conditione sit mortalis fragilitas, ut remissius circa se agi desideret, et interrogationibus suis planum praeberi responsum, maxime quum aliqua causa in immensa hominum fuerit multitudine devoluta, factum est, ut in hac quidem urbe florentissima quidquid ordinatum est de causa religionis deque unitate celebranda cum apo- stolica sede sub temporibus Johannis religiosissimae memoriae, quum in sacerdotio regiae esset hujus urbis, id favente Deo servetur im- mobile; quin et in aliis compluribus civitatibus probata sit vestra ordinatio atque suscepta; cetera vero clementiore quodam indigeant moderamine in norainibus antistitum, non eorum qui speciaUter numerati sunt in epistola^), quam sanctitudo tua nobis destinasse noscitur, sed aliorum, quorum memoriam maximae civitates diligunt, in quibus floruisse noscimtur superstites. Quamobrem legatis qui- dem tuae sanctitudinis nulla fuit licentia mandati tenorem egre- diendi, cum quo directi sunt: onmis autem finis negotii vestro jam tantum pendet arbitrio, ut solus pacem concludere debeat, qui prima rei commovit exordia. Sed ea quidem nec non quaedam commemo- rabuntur apertius per legatum nostrum, qui paulo post destinabitur. In praesenti vero redeuntibus viris religiosissimis tam appellandam') 116 ^) Ex cpistolae contextu colligitar, hic legendum esse Oermanum episeojmm, Felicem etc. , non addito nomine Johannis, quem quidem ez vulneribus Thesn- lonicac acceptis nondum recouvaluisse verifiimilc est (conf. epist. 121 n. 3et 123). Johannem autem episcopum, Justini legatum in epistolis 126, 127, 129 memon' tum, ab hoc alium csse jiutamus (conf. epist. 129 not. 19). EPISTOLAE 116 — 118. 919 vestram reverentiam credidimus quam commonendam; ut suis oratio- a. 52o. nibus pro nostro utatur imperio proque incolumi statu reipublicae. Data VII Idus Julii CJonstantinopoli, Vitaliano et Rustico viris cla- rissimis consulibus. Epistola 117. (Y|^\^ Euphemiae Augustae ad Hormisdain papam. ^1^^* ^\ Ipsius oralionihui se virumque suum et rempublicam commendat, Euphemia Augusta Hormisdae papae. Beatitudinis tuae litteras grato jucundoque suscepimus animo. ^V- 51 Quem etenim non solum apostolicae sedis auctoritas celebrat, sed vitae quoque commendat integritas et studiosa rectae fidei sollertia, hujus verba quis non libentissimis suscipiet auribus? Igitur posci- mus ac monemus, ut orationibus vestris nunquam excedat nomen meum, ac praecipue serenissimi conjugis nostri, sed tam utrique nostrum^) quam reipublicae supernum precibus vestris placetur prae- sidium.