Letter 1007: Avitus, bishop, to Bishop Contumeliosus.

Avitus, bishop, to Bishop Contumeliosus. The more the day of my prayer draws near — with you interceding before God on my behalf, whatever that prayer may be worth — the more desire and shame contend in my heart. For I am begging a blessing upon an unfinished work. There might perhaps be some small excuse, if the greatness of the subject concealed and covered over the fault of my sloth in it. But as it is, what can be more unsightly than something at once meager and unpolished? One thing alone, therefore, consoles my trembling mind with bold encouragement: namely, that by your arrival — if God deigns to hear the devout — all things are to be turned to the better. For there is nothing that you cannot either set in order by praying or excuse by pleading. Only let us, just as we are certain of your incomparable devotion's intention, so also rejoice at the advance announcement of the awaited visitation. Victorius, bishop, to Bishop Avitus. To separate the tares from the wheat on the Lord's threshing-floor, the winnowing-fans of your ordination must be called for; because he who appointed you to hold the primacy of the leading see willed that we should carry out what you command in the work, while as for what is to be done, that you should give the order. For a certain one of the citizens, as has now been reported, some years ago joined to himself in marriage the sister of his deceased wife. Since therefore the accuser of so great a crime, now heard in the presence of many, did not set forth the character of the deed by hidden whispering among the partners of the act, but laid it out in the very presence of the man who carried this out — and since that man, with the same audacity by which he presumed the unlawful thing, being almost pitiable, did not deny it before you who adjudicate — accordingly, prescribe under what condition he is to be barred: instruct us whether they should mourn together alike, or whether sequestration is to be imposed, or what manner of penance there should be. For it is not, as I think, any less grave to take a wife's own sister into marriage than a brother's wife. You, however, as I have suggested, determine what seems right; because apart from your ordination I can scarcely decide what ought to be pronounced concerning such a case. For indeed I withdraw him from communion, or grant it to him, only in trepidation, unless I have been strengthened by your authority.

Avitus episcopus Contumelioso episcopo. Quantum vobis apud deum suffragantibus qualiscumque voti mei dies propinquant, tantum animis meis desiderium pudorque decertant. Benedictionem quippe flagito operi imperfecto. Esset fortasse quantulacumque excusatio, si in eo inertiae meae noxam velaret ac tegeret magnitudo. Nunc vero exiguo pariter atque impolito quid potest esse deformius? Vnum igitur est, quod trepidantem animum audaci solatur hor- tatu, vestro scilicet, si pios deus exaudire dignatur, adventu cuncta in melius esse vertenda. Neque enim est, quod non possitis aut orando componere aut perorando excusare. Tantum sicut de incomparatae pietatis voto certi sumus, ita praevio prae- stolatae visitationis nuntio gaudeamus. Victorius episcopus Avito episcopo. Ad separandum a tritico lolium in area domini ordinationis vestrae ventilabra poscenda sunt; quia ille, qui vos constituit tenere loci principis principatum, nos voluit exequi, quod praeceperitis in opere, quod autem operandum est, vos iubere. Quidam enim civium, ut nunc delatum est, ante quam plures annos sororem defunctae coniugis sibi in matrimonium sociavit. Quod ergo nunc sub multorum praesentia auditus ac- cusator tanti criminis non occulta susurratione a sociis facti disseruit qualitatem, sed ipso coram, qui peregit ista, proposuit quique eodem quo illicita praesumpsit ausu, vobis dispensantibus miserabilis prope modum, non negavit. Proinde qua sit abstinen- dus condicione, praecipite: sive ut pariter lugeant, vel si est indicenda sequestratio, vel qui modus paenitentiae, edocete. Nam non est, ut puto, minus in coniugium germanam coniugis quam uxorem fratris adsciri. Vos tamen, ut suggessi, statuite, quod videtur; quia praeter ordinationem vestram de tali causa quid pronuntiari con- veniat, vix decerno. Communioni nempe eum trepide subtraho vel permitto, nisi auctoritate vestra roboratus extitero.