Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 713

Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. I have received the writings of your Fraternity, which spoke to me of the sickness of my most sweet son the lord Venantius, and related all that had been done concerning him. But to hear at one and the same time both that he was desperately and grievously sick, and that in the affairs of the orphans wicked men were pressing hard, my grief could scarcely contain itself within my heart. But in this was there solace, that my tears broke forth through groanings.

Your Holiness, therefore, ought not to neglect that first care which is due, namely to think about his soul — by exhorting, by entreating, by setting before him the terrible judgment of God, by promising His ineffable mercy — that he may return to his own state (as a monk) even at the last, lest the guilt of so great a fault stand against him in the eternal judgment; and thereafter it is for you to consider how his daughters, the ladies Barbara and Antonina, ought to be provided for, that no occasion be given to wicked men. For after he adjured me to bear the care of solicitude concerning them, adding that I ought to provide for their settlement, he followed with something else in his letter, which — to my zeal in this matter — is beyond doubt able to stand in the way.

For he says that I should more often supplicate the most pious lord emperor, so that he himself may cause them to be provided for as he shall foresee. How different this is from the former will, you perceive. From which matter I fear lest to men situated in Sicily and seeking an occasion in his affairs a fitting occasion be given. For, this being known, what will they do who, no cause existing, were already striving, as it is said, to lay a seal upon his substance? Does not reason seem to aid them to their face, and, as it were, to furnish them a just pretext for this? If they say: They have been commended to the lord emperor; we cannot neglect them; it concerns our peril; we secure the property, until the lord emperor command it to be conveyed to Constantinople.

Tell me, I pray, what shall I do in these matters, when the father's commendation seems to accord with a man having power? For he adjures me so to provide for their settlement that they be either in the city of Rome, or not taken away from Sicily; and yet he acts so that there be no way either of bringing them hither, or of retaining them there. But do you, as far as you are able, withstand the wicked men. Defend their substance for the sake of Almighty God, as though it were your own; and, if it is still permitted, provide in the testament of the aforesaid man, the lord Venantius, how every occasion of violence may be removed.

But if it so please that they be commended to the palace, he ought not to lay upon me a burden, so as to wish to thrust upon my soul the care of their settlement, concerning whose settlement how I think, let it suffice for Almighty God to know. Whence I have straightway taken care to write to my most beloved son Anatolius the deacon, that he study to speak with the glorious patrician lady Rusticiana, and how he ought to inquire and to make known concerning the persons whose names have been transmitted to me; that he may make all things known to us with speed, and that the things which are to be done may, God ordaining, be arranged.

Moreover, in the writings which you sent to us, we have found your Fraternity saddened, because we did not wish you to come hither as though on account of some ingratitude, whereas we did that for no other reason but the sole cause of usefulness, knowing your presence there to have been very necessary on account of the persons dwelling in that place. But lest perhaps from this you should believe our mind toward you to be ungrateful — which God forbid — if you have a will to come, present yourself at a fitting time at the thresholds of the Apostles. For as far as concerns us, we so love your Charity that we desire to see you often. (See above, letters 30 and 35, and book I, letter 54. Cf. John the Deacon, book III, chapter 48.)