Gregory to John, subdeacon of Ravenna. The monks of the monastery of the late abbot Claudius came and asked that a monk named Constantius should be appointed their abbot. But I greatly detested them in their petition, because they appeared to me to be altogether of an earthly mind, who sought to have as abbot a man far too earthly. For I have learned that this same Constantius is devoted to private ownership—a thing which above all testifies that he does not have the heart of a monk. And then I learned that he presumed to go alone to a monastery situated in the province of Picenum, without any of his brethren. From which action of his we have recognized that one who walks without a witness does not live rightly, or how should he keep a rule for others which he knows not how to keep for his own self.
Withdrawing therefore from this man, they asked for a certain cellarer named Maurus, of whose life and diligence many bear witness, since even the late abbot Claudius used to praise him along with certain others. Let your Experience therefore make careful inquiry; and if his life is worthy of the place of governance, let him cause this man to be ordained abbot by our most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Marinianus. But if there is anything that altogether stands against him, and they cannot find a suitable person from their own congregation, let them choose for themselves from elsewhere, and let the one whom they shall have chosen be appointed.
But take pains to say altogether to the aforesaid brother and fellow-bishop of ours that he should most diligently restrain the private ownership among four or five of the monastery's monks, in whom it has hitherto by no means been able to be corrected, and hasten to cleanse this very monastery from such a plague; for if private property is held there by the monks, neither concord nor charity will be able to remain in that same congregation. And what is the habit of a monk, if not a contempt of the world? How then can they despise the world who, set within a monastery, seek after gold? So therefore let your Experience act, that neither the ordination for the place be deferred, nor a complaint about this matter come to us any further.
Moreover, since that same most dear son of mine, the late Claudius, had heard certain things from me as I discoursed on the Proverbs, on the Song of Songs, on the Prophets, on the books of Kings also, and on the Heptateuch—which things, by reason of my infirmity, I was unable to commit to writing—he himself set them down in his own understanding, lest they should perish through forgetfulness, that at a fitting time he might bring these same things back to me, and they might be dictated more correctly.
(But when he had read them to me, I found that the sense of my words had been very unprofitably altered.) Wherefore it is necessary that your Experience, setting aside all excuse and delay, go to his monastery, cause the brethren to assemble, and, in all truth, let them bring forth into the midst whatever leaves he carried off concerning the various Scriptures; which you are to receive and transmit to me most speedily. But concerning your own return, since we have learned that you have incurred grievous trouble, we intend, God being favourable, to see to it hereafter.
But that which has been brought to me by the report of certain persons—namely, that our most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Marinianus causes the commentary on blessed Job to be read publicly at the vigils—I did not gladly receive, since that work is not for the common people, and to untutored hearers it brings hindrance rather than advancement. But tell him to have the commentary on the Psalms read at the vigils, which especially forms the minds of the secular to good morals. For I do not wish, while I am in this flesh, that whatever I may have chanced to say should easily become known to men. For since Anatolius the deacon, of most beloved memory, gave to our lord the emperor the book of the Pastoral Rule when he sought and commanded it, I received it reluctantly,
which my most holy brother and fellow-bishop Anastasius of Antioch translated into the Greek tongue. And, as has been written to me, it pleased him greatly; but it greatly displeased me that those who have better things should be occupied with the least. But in the third part of blessed Job, at that verse where it is written, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth,' I suspect that the aforesaid brother and fellow-bishop of mine, Marinianus, has a faulty codex. For in our repository that same passage stands otherwise than I have found it to be in the codices of others; and therefore I have caused that same passage to be corrected, so that just as it is in our repository, so likewise the oft-mentioned brother of mine may have it.
For there are four words which, if they be lacking in that passage, can engender no small scruple in the reader. Carry out all these things minutely and speedily. And if with the most excellent exarch you can do nothing, at least let you not seem to have neglected those things which you can. But concerning the matter of Albinus, what shall I say, about which an answer is openly given to us contrary to justice? Yet about it you ought to think more strictly. Furthermore, some time ago we had charged your Experience to act with our most eminent son the prefect, that the care of the aqueducts should be committed to Augustus the vicecomes, for the reason that he is a man altogether attentive and strenuous. And you have deferred it hitherto so long that you have indicated to us not even what you have done.
And therefore hasten with all intention to act even now with that same most eminent son of ours, that the aqueducts may be committed in all respects to the aforesaid most illustrious man, so that by his solicitude he may to some degree be able to restore them. For those aqueducts are so despised and neglected that, unless there be greater care, within a short time they will altogether perish. As therefore you know how necessary and how useful to the general public the cause is, so must you strive that it be committed by all means to the aforesaid man, as we have said, for his diligence. Given in the month of January, in the fifth indiction. Gregory to Romanus, defensor.
It is well known to your Experience that Peter, whom we have made defensor, is a native of that estate of our Church's jurisdiction which is called Vitelas. And therefore, since we ought to be so kindly toward him that yet the Church's interest be not harmed, we command you by this instruction that you strictly admonish him not to presume, by any device or pretext, to join his sons in marriage anywhere outside; but let them be joined within that estate to which they are bound by law and condition. In which matter it is altogether necessary that your Experience too be attentive, and that you terrify them, so that they may not on any occasion depart from the possession to which by birth they are subject.
For if any of them should presume to depart thence—which we do not believe—let him be certain that our consent will never be present to him, that outside the estate in which they were born they should either dwell or be joined in marriage; but also that their land be confiscated. And then know that you will incur no light peril, if, with you being negligent, any of them should by any chance attempt to do anything of those things which we forbid.