Letter 11031: Gregory to Paschasius, bishop of Naples.

To Paschasius, Bishop of Naples. [Summary heading:] That he may grant the relics of Saint Severinus to Venantius for the consecration of an oratory. Gregory to Paschasius, Bishop of Naples. John, the servant and agent of the lord Venantius, by an offered petition asks that the sanctuaries [relics] of the blessed confessor Severinus ought to be granted to his aforementioned lord, so that an oratory built at his own expense may be solemnly consecrated in his name. And therefore, most dear brother, it befits you, in accordance with our injunction, to comply with the desires of the aforesaid man, so that he may obtain the effect, in the consecration which he asks for, of his own devotion. Given in the month of February, in the 4th indiction. LETTER XXXII. To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. [Summary heading:] Having granted relics to Candidus the abbot, [he writes] that he is afflicted with so many and such great sicknesses that to live is a punishment. He asks for prayers before God, that He may soften the scourges and grant patience. Gregory to Marinianus of Ravenna. When the bearer of these present letters, Candidus the abbot, came in order to request relics, which have indeed been granted, by however much I was gladdened by the nurturing care of your brotherliness, because in him the zeal of your brotherliness appeared, by just so much was I saddened that I could not, as I wished, enjoy his presence, because he found me sick, and on departing left me still placed in infirmity. [Editorial apparatus, in memoriam, that we may be judged together (Isaiah xliii. 26).] [Editorial apparatus: Letter XXX (alternatively 25). In this superscription we have followed the Norman, English, Corbie manuscripts and most of the Vatican ones; you have only "to Venantius of Syracuse." The old Colbert codex agrees. In the printed editions it is read faultily as "to the bishop of Syracuse," except in Gussanville's most recent edition. This Venantius is well enough known from the earlier letters, especially from letter 54 of book 1.] [Editorial apparatus: "Our offenses" is omitted in the Norman and Corbie codices.] [Editorial apparatus: In the printed editions, "forever." Four Vatican codices: "may they hide in the boundary."] [Editorial apparatus: The more recent common editions: "may He withhold sweetness." We adhere to four Vatican codices, as many Colbert ones, and all the Norman, Corbie, Royal, etc.] [Editorial apparatus: Letter XXXII (alternatively 27). In Vatican codices B and E, "to Marinianus, bishop of Arabia." In the printed editions, "to Marimianus, bishop of Arabia." We have corrected those faulty inscriptions from all the English, Norman, four Colbert, two Tellier, Corbie, Rheims, Royal, and Vatican D codices.] [Page heading: 1445. Of the Letters, Book XI. Indiction IV. Letter XXXIV. 1146] [The body of the letter to Marinianus continues:] ...still placed in infirmity he abandoned [me]. For it is now a long time that I am unable to rise from my little bed. For at one moment the pain of gout torments me, at another I know not what fire spreads itself with pain throughout my whole body; and it often happens that at one and the same time the burning contends in me with the pain, and both body and spirit fail within me. But by how many other necessities, beyond these of infirmity which I have related, I am afflicted, I am not able to enumerate. But briefly I say that the infection of a noxious humor has so soaked into me, that to live is a punishment to me, and I longingly await death, which alone I believe can be a remedy for my groanings. Therefore, most holy brother, entreat for me the mercy of the divine compassion, that He may propitiously soften the scourges of His chastisement toward me, and grant patience to endure them, lest by too great a weariness—which God forbid—my heart break forth into impatience, and that fault which could be well cured through the blow should increase from murmuring. [The text then continues, from the same or a closely joined passage:] For I myself am very weak, and it is altogether useful that, when by the grace of God you are healthy, you should return to your Church; or assuredly, if you are to be called [from this life], you may be called amid the hands of your own people; and I too, who see myself near to death, if almighty God should wish to call me before you, may pass over amid your hands. But if the condition of the time should hinder you from coming, when some small gift has been given, it can be arranged at [the place of] the contest [agon] that he should send his own man together with you all the way to Rome. If therefore you feel yourself burdened by the same sickness, and you arrange to come, you must come with few companions, because, remaining with me in the episcopal residence, you will have daily provision from this Church. Moreover, I neither urge nor admonish, but strictly command, that you presume by no means to fast, because the physicians say that it is very contrary to this ailment. Given in the month of February, in the 4th indiction. (Compare John the Deacon, book IV, chapter 67.)

AD PASCHASIUM NEAPOLITANUM EPISCOPUM, Venantio sancti Severini reliquias ad oratorii cons6- cralionem. concedat.. Gregorius Paschasio episcopo Neapolitano. Joannes, servus el actor domni Venantii, sanctua- ria beati Severini confessoris, oblata petilione, $U- prascripto * domino $uo postulat debere concedi, quatenus in ejus nomine oratorium propriis constru- ctum sumptibus possit Solemniter consecrari; et ideo, ſrater charissiuie, prefati desideriis ex nostra 8 preceplione convenit abedire, ut devotiovis sue in consecratione quam postulat potiatur effectu >. Da- tum mense Februarii, indict. 4. EPISTOLA XXNII. AD MARINIANUM RAVENNATEM EPISCOPUM. Concess1s Candido dbbati reliquias. Se tot ac lantis egritudinibus afſectum, ut vivere pena sit. Preces apud Deum pelit, ut flagella mitiget, et patientiam concedat. Gregorius * Mariniano Ravennz. Latore hue presentium Candido abbate pro pe- tendis reliquiis, que et concess2 $8unt, veniente, quanto de fraternitatis tuz nutrimento ketatus sum, quod in eo $tudium tuz ſraternitatis apparnit, tanto contrislatus $um quod ejus, ut volui, presentia'frui in memoriam, ut judicemur simul (I8ai. xLin, 26). 7 non potui, quod me et zgrotum reperit, et discedens - . EriST. XXX [Al. 25]. — * In hac mscriptione $e-. enti sumus Mss. Norm,, Anglic., Corb. et plerosque Vatic. tantum habes, Venantio Syracusano. Consentit vet. Colbert. In Excusis vitiose legitur episcopo Sy- racusano, si novissimam Gussanvillei Edit. excipias. Venantins ex $Superioribus epistolis, maxime ex 54 lib. 1, satis notus. © Omittitur delicta nostra, in Norm. et Corb. 4 Iy Excusis, in aternum. Quatuor Vaticani, in termino abscondant. * Vulgali recent., dulcedinem intermitlat. Adbe- remus quatuor Vatic., totidem Colbert., omnibus Noru., Corb., Regio, etc. eg. EpisT. XXXIL {Al. 27]. — ® In Vatic. Bet E, Mariniano episcopo Arabie. In Excnsis, Marimiano episcopo Arabie, Emendavimus vitiosas ills in- scriptivnes, ex omnibus Anglic., Norm., quatuor Colhert., duobus Teller., Corb., Rhem., Reg. et Valic. D. 1445 EPISTOLARUM LIB. XI. — INDICT. 1V.— EPIST. XXXIV. 1146 in infirmitate adhuc positum dereliquit. Multum enim A ipse valde sum debilis, et omnino est utile ut cum jam tempus esl quod surgere de lectulo non valeo. | Nam modo 1 1 1G me podagrz dolor crucial, modo ' nexcio quis in toto corpore cum dolore $e ignis ex- pandit; el fit plerumque ut uno in me lempore ardor cum dolore confligat, et corpus in me animusque deficiat. Quantis autem aliis necessilatibus exira hec que retuli infirmitalis aſficiar, enumerare non VYa- leo. Sed breviter dico quia sic me inſectio noxii hu» moris imbibit, ut vivere mihi pena sit, et mortem desideranter exspectem, quam gemitibus meis solam esse credo posse remedium. Proinde, traler sanctis- zine, divine pro me pietatis misericordiam depre=- care, ut percussionis suz erga me flagella propitius mitiget, et patientiam tolerandi concedat , ne nimio, Dei gratia $anus ad twam redeas Ecclesiam; aut certe $i vocandus es, inter tuorum manus voceris ; et ego qui me proximum morii video, si me omni- potens Deus ante te vocare voluerit, inter tuas ma- nus transire debeam. LI 1 1'7 Si autem qualitas tem- poris ad veniendum prepedierit, aliquo * parvo exenio dato, apud agonem agi polest ut ipse vobis- cum hominem suvum usque Romam transmittat. Sj igitur eadem zgritudine gravari te sentis, et venire disponis, cum paucis tibi veniendum est, quia me- cum in episcopio manens, quolidiana obsequia de hac Ecclesia habebis. Przterea nec hortor nec admoneo, sed districle precipio ut jejunare mipime presumas, quia dicuut quod absit, tzedio in impatientiam cor erumpat, et ea B medici huic molestiz valde es8e contrarium, nish quz bene curari per plagam poterat culpa, crescat ex murmure Þ, Datum mense Februarii, indict. 4. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. 1v, c. 67.)