1. Since, O virgin reverend to us, Caesaria, together with the choir of fellow nun-companions committed to you, you ask of us that, taking up from the beginning the life and conduct of the holy Caesarius of blessed memory, our founder, we ought to set it down in writing—through which his life now enjoys its reward, whose blessedness cannot be unfolded by the speech of mortals: although it was long ago venerably spread abroad throughout the whole world while he himself was yet living here—nevertheless we believe it would be wrong if we were in the least to fail so holy a desire: especially since this could serve your monastery, indeed his own the more, in place of his presence; and that we ourselves, while we speak of him, may rejoice in some manner even to see him.
With God therefore helping, we shall undertake to fulfill what you request. And indeed many things concerning that most blessed lord Caesarius we have learned by reliable account, many things seen by ourselves, and some things also brought forth by the relation of venerable presbyters or deacons, his disciples—chiefly, however, of the venerable presbyter Messianus and the most faithful man Stephen the deacon, who from their youth served him—only those things, at least, which may less burden and are removed from prolixity.
One thing only, however, in the devotion of the present little work, do we ask of our readers: that if by chance the ears and judgments of the learned should come upon us simple narrators, they not find fault that our style appears destitute of the pomp of words and of the caution of grammatical art; because, while we narrate the deeds and words or merits of so great a man with truth, the light of his works and the ornaments of his virtues suffice us. For indeed the aforesaid lord Caesarius, whom we have in hand, was wont to say: Some shun the rusticity of words, and do not turn away from the vices of life. Indeed the pure sincerity of Christ's virgins deserves this also, that nothing painted, nothing composed with worldly art, be offered either to their eyes or to please their ears:
but let them receive the words of a most pure relation, flowing from the fountain of simple truth. And therefore this our discourse, content with the religion of integrity, refuses worldly pomp, and spurns, along with its works, the boasting of worldly glory; and is rather delighted to be in concord with the eloquence of fishermen than of rhetoricians. Now therefore let each one strive to follow by living what he hastens to know by reading.