Letter 3066: What benefits I enjoy from Almighty God and my most serene lord the Emperor my tongue cannot fully express. For these benefits what return is it in me to make, but to love their footsteps sincerely? But, on account of my sins, by whose suggestion or counsel I know not, in the past year he has promulged such a law in his republic that whoever lov...
Pope Gregory the Great→Virgil|c. 592 AD|gregory great
Imperial politics; Military conflict; Economic matters
Gregory to Theodorus, Physician.
What benefits I enjoy from Almighty God and from my most serene lord the Emperor, my tongue cannot fully express. What return can I make for these blessings, except to love them sincerely? But, on account of my sins — by whose instigation or counsel I do not know — last year the Emperor promulgated a law in his realm that causes anyone who truly loves him to grieve deeply. I was unable to respond at the time, being ill. I have now submitted my concerns directly to the Emperor.
The law decrees that no one may become a monk who has held any public office, who has served as a paymaster, who has been marked on the hand, or who has been enrolled as a soldier — unless his military service is fully completed.
Those who know the old laws tell me that Julian was the first to promulgate such a decree — and we all know how opposed to God that man was.
If our most serene lord has done this because too many soldiers were becoming monks and the army was shrinking — consider this: was it by the valor of soldiers that Almighty God placed the Persian Empire under his power? Was it not rather that his tears were heard, and that God, by means the Emperor himself did not foresee, brought the Persian Empire under his dominion?
It strikes me as exceedingly harsh that he should bar his soldiers from serving the One who gave him everything and granted him authority not only over soldiers but even over priests.
If the purpose is to prevent the loss of property, the monasteries that receive soldiers could simply pay off their debts while retaining the men for the monastic life.
Since these matters weigh heavily on me, I have formally submitted my concerns to the Emperor. But I ask your Glory to find a favorable private moment to place my petition before him. I am reluctant to have it presented publicly through my representative, since the matter requires delicacy.
Book III, Letter 66
To Theodorus, Physician.
Gregory to Theodorus, etc.
What benefits I enjoy from Almighty God and my most serene lord the Emperor my tongue cannot fully express. For these benefits what return is it in me to make, but to love their footsteps sincerely? But, on account of my sins, by whose suggestion or counsel I know not, in the past year he has promulged such a law in his republic that whoever loves him sincerely must lament exceedingly. I could not reply to this law at the time, being sick. But I have just now offered some suggestions to my lord. For he enjoins that it shall be lawful for no one to become a monk who has been engaged in any public employment, for no one who is a paymaster , or who has been marked in the hand, or enrolled among the soldiers, unless perchance his military service has been completed. This law, as those say who are acquainted with old laws, Julian was the first to promulge, of whom we all know how opposed he was to God. Now if our most serene lord has done this thing because perhaps many soldiers were becoming monks, and the army was decreasing, was it by the valour of soldiers that Almighty God subjugated to him the empire of the Persians? Was it not only that his tears were heard, and that God, by an order which he knew not of, subdued to his empire the empire of the Persians?
Now it seems to me exceedingly hard that he should debar his soldiers from the service of Him who both gave him all and granted him to rule not only over soldiers but even over priests. If his purpose is to save property from being lost, why might not those same monasteries into which soldiers have been received pay their debts, retaining the men only for monastic profession? Since these things grieve me much, I have represented the matter to my lord. But let your Glory take a favourable opportunity of offering him my representation privately. For I am unwilling that it should be given publicly by my representative (responsalis), seeing that you who serve him familiarly can speak more freely and openly of what is for the good of his soul, since he is occupied with many things, and it is not easy to find his mind free from greater cares. Do thou, then, glorious son, speak for Christ. If you are heard, it will be to the profit of the soul of your aforesaid lord and of your own. But if you are not heard, you have profited your own soul only.
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Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360203066.htm>.
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Gregory to Theodorus, Physician.
What benefits I enjoy from Almighty God and from my most serene lord the Emperor, my tongue cannot fully express. What return can I make for these blessings, except to love them sincerely? But, on account of my sins — by whose instigation or counsel I do not know — last year the Emperor promulgated a law in his realm that causes anyone who truly loves him to grieve deeply. I was unable to respond at the time, being ill. I have now submitted my concerns directly to the Emperor.
The law decrees that no one may become a monk who has held any public office, who has served as a paymaster, who has been marked on the hand, or who has been enrolled as a soldier — unless his military service is fully completed.
Those who know the old laws tell me that Julian was the first to promulgate such a decree — and we all know how opposed to God that man was.
If our most serene lord has done this because too many soldiers were becoming monks and the army was shrinking — consider this: was it by the valor of soldiers that Almighty God placed the Persian Empire under his power? Was it not rather that his tears were heard, and that God, by means the Emperor himself did not foresee, brought the Persian Empire under his dominion?
It strikes me as exceedingly harsh that he should bar his soldiers from serving the One who gave him everything and granted him authority not only over soldiers but even over priests.
If the purpose is to prevent the loss of property, the monasteries that receive soldiers could simply pay off their debts while retaining the men for the monastic life.
Since these matters weigh heavily on me, I have formally submitted my concerns to the Emperor. But I ask your Glory to find a favorable private moment to place my petition before him. I am reluctant to have it presented publicly through my representative, since the matter requires delicacy.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.