Letter 12026: I must raise with you a matter of fairness in your military dispositions.

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Maurentius|c. 601 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|AI-assisted
imperial politics

I must raise with you a matter of fairness in your military dispositions. I have heard that when you make personnel decisions, you have been retaining the son of Domitius while dismissing others who have served equally well. Whatever personal regard you have for Domitius's family, you must not allow it to produce unjust outcomes for others. Treat all those under your command with the same standard, and do not make exceptions that others will rightly regard as unfair. The respect of those under your command depends in part on their trust that your decisions are made on merit.

AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.

Latin / Greek Original

AD MAURENTIUM MAGISTRUM MILITUM.

Ne dimissis aliis, Domitii filium retineat.
Gregorius Maurentio magistro militum. |
Petiit Domitius vir magniſicus, ut vestre gloriz

8cribere deberemus, quatenus, navigantibus aliis, et
ſilio $uo similiter esset licentia navigandi. Et quam-
vis de gloria vestra certi sumus quia nihil quod indi-
scretum est ſaciat, sed omnia $apienter intendat;
hortamur tamen ut 8i alii relaxantur, ille non debeat
retineri, ne forsitan non ex ratione, ® sed sola fra-
trum inimicitia relineri videatur. Vos tamen qui
presentes eslis, 2quitatis consideratione generalem
etiam utilitatem attendentes, melius quid expediat
potestis advertere.

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