Letter 5040: The Piety of my Lords in their most serene commands, while set on refuting me on certain matters, in sparing me has by no means spared me. For by the use therein of the term simplicity they politely call me silly. It is true indeed that in Holy Scripture, when simplicity is spoken of in a good sense, it is often carefully associated with prudenc...

Gregory to the Emperor Mauricius. The most serene commands of my Lords, while undertaking to correct me on certain points, have spared me in a way that is no kindness at all. By using the word "simplicity," you politely call me a fool. It is true that in Holy Scripture, when simplicity is spoken of favorably, it is always paired with prudence and uprightness. Of blessed Job it is written: "The man was simple and upright." The apostle Paul instructs us: "Be simple in evil and wise in good." And the Truth himself commands: "Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" -- showing that neither quality is of any use without the other. To make his servants fit for every situation, he wanted them to be both innocent as doves and wise as serpents, so that the serpent's shrewdness might sharpen the dove's innocence, and the dove's innocence might temper the serpent's shrewdness. Since I am denounced in my Lords' commands as simple without the addition of prudence -- as having been deceived by the cunning of Ariulph -- I am plainly called a fool. And I admit it. Even if your Piety said nothing, the facts speak for themselves. If I were not a fool, I would never have come to endure what I suffer here among the swords of the Lombards. Furthermore, because I reported that Ariulph was ready with all his heart to come to terms with the republic, and I am not believed, I am also accused of lying. But though I am not worthy of the name, I know what a grave injury it is to a priest -- a servant of truth -- to be thought deceitful. I have long been aware that Nordulph is believed before me, and Leo before me, and that those who appear to enjoy your confidence are readily credited over my own testimony. If the captivity of my land were not growing worse by the day, I would gladly pass over in silence the contempt and ridicule directed at me. But what afflicts me deeply is that my being branded a liar means Italy is dragged further under the Lombard yoke daily. While my reports go unbelieved, the enemy's strength grows enormously. I would suggest this to my most pious lord: think whatever you wish about me personally, but when it comes to the republic's advantage and the rescue of Italy, do not too readily lend your ear to anyone -- trust facts rather than words. And do not, my lord, by virtue of your earthly power, too hastily disdain priests. Rather, out of respect for the One whose servants they are, govern them in a way that also pays them the reverence they are owed. In Holy Scripture, priests are sometimes called gods and sometimes angels. Through Moses it is said of the one administering an oath: "Bring him to the gods" -- that is, to the priests. Again: "You shall not revile the gods" -- meaning the priests. And the prophet says: "The priest's lips shall guard knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth, for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts." Why, then, should it seem strange for your Piety to show honor to those whom God himself honors in his word, calling them angels and gods? Church history also records that when written accusations against bishops were brought before the Emperor Constantine of blessed memory, he accepted the documents but then summoned the accused bishops, burned the accusations before their eyes, and said: "You are gods, appointed by the true God. Go and settle your disputes among yourselves, for it is not fitting that we should judge gods." In that one statement, his humility conferred more honor on himself than his deference did on them. Before him, pagan rulers who knew nothing of the true God but worshipped idols of wood and stone still paid the highest respect to their priests. How much more fitting, then, that a Christian emperor should honor the priests of the true God, when pagan rulers knew how to honor priests who served gods of wood and stone? I raise these points to your Piety not on my own behalf, but on behalf of all priests. I am a sinful man. Because I offend Almighty God incessantly every day, I suspect it will count as some small atonement at the terrible judgment that I am struck down incessantly every day. I believe that the more severely you afflict me -- your poorly serving servant -- the more you please that same Almighty God. I had already received many blows, and when my Lords' commands arrived on top of them, I found consolation I had not expected. Let me briefly enumerate these blows, if I can. First, the peace I had negotiated with the Lombards in Tuscany -- at no cost to the republic -- was taken from me. Then, with the peace broken, the soldiers were withdrawn from Rome. Some were killed by the enemy; others were stationed at Narni and Perugia. Rome was left undefended so that Perugia could be held. After that came an even heavier blow: the arrival of Agilulph himself, and I saw with my own eyes Romans led away with ropes around their necks like dogs, to be sold in Gaul. Because we who remained inside the city escaped his hands under God's protection, grounds were then sought to make us appear guilty -- namely, that the grain supply ran short, which as I have explained more fully elsewhere cannot be stockpiled in large quantities in this city for any length of time. On my own account I was not at all disturbed. My conscience bears me witness: I was prepared to endure any hardship, so long as I emerged from it all with my soul intact. But I have grieved deeply for the distinguished men Gregory the prefect and Castorius the military commander, who neglected nothing that could be done and endured the severest toil in watching and defending the city during the siege -- only to be struck afterward by the heavy displeasure of my Lords. I understand clearly that it is not their conduct but my person that weighs against them. Having labored alongside me through trouble, they now share in trouble after their labor. As for my Lords' invocation of the fearful and terrible judgment of Almighty God over me, I beg you by that same Almighty God: do this no more. We do not yet know how any of us will stand in that place. Paul, that preeminent preacher, says: "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the purposes of the heart." I will say only this briefly: sinner that I am, I place more trust in the mercy of Jesus when he comes than in the justice of your Piety. There is much about that judgment of which we are ignorant, for perhaps he will condemn what you praise and praise what you condemn. In the face of all these uncertainties, I return to tears alone, praying that Almighty God may guide our most pious lord by his hand and find him free from all fault at that terrible judgment. And may he grant me so to please others as not to offend against his eternal grace.

Book V, Letter 40 To Mauricius Augustus. Gregory to Mauricius, etc. The Piety of my Lords in their most serene commands, while set on refuting me on certain matters, in sparing me has by no means spared me. For by the use therein of the term simplicity they politely call me silly. It is true indeed that in Holy Scripture, when simplicity is spoken of in a good sense, it is often carefully associated with prudence and uprightness. Hence it is written of the blessed Job, The man was simple and upright Job 1:1. And the blessed Apostle Paul admonishes saying Be simple in evil and prudent in good Romans 16:19. And the Truth in person admonishes saying, Be prudent as serpents, and simple as doves Matthew 10:16; thus showing it to be very unprofitable if either prudence should be wanting to simplicity, or simplicity to prudence. In order, then, to make His servants instructed for all things He desired them to be both simple as doves, and prudent as serpents, that so both the cunning of the serpent might sharpen in them the simplicity of the dove, and the simplicity of the dove temper the cunning of the serpent. I therefore, who am denounced in the most serene commands of my Lords as simple without the addition of prudence, as having been deceived by the cunning of Ariulph, am plainly and undoubtedly called silly; which I also myself acknowledge to be the case. For, though your Piety were silent, the facts cry out. For, if I had not been silly, I should by no means have come to endure what I suffer in this place among the swords of the Lombards. Moreover, in what I stated about Ariulph, that he was prepared with all his heart to come to terms with the republic, seeing that I am not believed, I am reproved also as having lied. But, although I am not a priest , I know it to be a grave injury to a priest that, being a servant of the truth, he should be believed to be deceitful. And I have been for some time aware that Nordulph is believed before me, and Leo before me, and that now easy credence is given to those who seem to be in your confidence more than to my assertions. And indeed if the captivity of my land were not increasing day by day, I would gladly pass over in silence contempt and ridicule of myself. But this does afflict me exceedingly, that from my bearing the charge of falsehood it ensues also that Italy is daily led captive under the yoke of the Lombards. And, while my representations are in no wise believed, the strength of the enemy is increasing hugely. This however I suggest to my most pious lord, that he would think anything that is bad of me, but, with regard to the advantage of the republic and the cause of the rescue of Italy, not easily lend his pious ears to any one, but believe facts rather than words. Moreover, let not our lord, in virtue of his earthly power, too hastily disdain priests, but with excellent consideration, on account of Him whose servants they are, so rule over them as also to pay the reverence that is due to them. For in Holy Writ priests are sometimes called gods, and sometimes angels. For even through Moses it is said of him who is to be put upon his oath, Bring him unto the gods Exodus 22:8; that is unto the priests. And again it is written, You shall not revile the gods (Ib. 28), to wit, the priests. And the prophet says, The priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth; for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts Malachi 2:7. Why, then, should it be strange if your Piety were to condescend to honour those to whom even God Himself in His word gives honour, calling them angels or gods? Ecclesiastical history also testifies that, when accusations in writing against bishops had been offered to the Prince Constantine of pious memory, he received indeed the bills of accusation, but, calling together the bishops who had been accused, he burnt before their eyes the bills which he had received, saying, You are gods, constituted by the true God. Go, and settle your causes among you, for it is not fit that we should judge gods. Yet in this sentence, my pious Lord, he conferred more on himself by his humility than on them by the reverence paid to them. For before him there were pagan princes in the republic, who knew not the true God, but worshipped gods of wood and stone; and yet they paid the greatest honour to their priests. What wonder then if a Christian emperor should condescend to honour the priests of the true God, when pagan princes, as we have already said, knew how to bestow honour on priests who served gods of wood and stone? These things, then, I suggest to the piety of my Lords, not in my own behalf, but in behalf of all priests. For I am a man that is a sinner. And, since I offend against Almighty God incessantly every day, I surmise that it will be some amends for this at the tremendous judgment, that I am smitten incessantly every day by blows. And I believe that you appease the same Almighty God all the more as you more severely afflict me who serve Him badly. For I had already received many blows, and when the commands of my Lords came in addition, I found consolations that I was not hoping for. For, if I can, I will briefly enumerate these blows. First, that the peace which without any cost to the republic I had made with the Lombards who were in Tuscany was withdrawn from me. Then, the peace having been broken, the soldiers were removed from the Roman city. And some indeed were slain by the enemy, but others were placed at Narnii and Perusium (Perugia); and Rome was left, that Perusium might be held. After this a still heavier blow was the arrival of Agilulph, so that I saw with my own eyes Romans tied by the neck with ropes like dogs, to be taken to France for sale. And, because we who were within the city under the protection of God escaped his hands, a ground was thence sought for making us appear culpable; to wit, because grain ran short, which cannot by any means be kept in large quantities for long in this city; as I have shown more fully in another representation. On my own account indeed I was in no wise disturbed, since I declare, my conscience bearing me witness, that I was prepared to suffer any adversity whatever, so long as I came out of all these things with the safety of my soul. But for the glorious men, Gregory the præfect, and Castorius the military commander (magistro militum), I have been distressed in no small degree, seeing that they in no way neglected to do all that could be done, and endured most severe toil in watching and guarding the city during the siege, and, after all this, were smitten by the heavy indignation of my Lords. As to them, I clearly understand that it is not their conduct, but my person, that goes against them. For, having with me alike laboured in trouble, they are alike troubled after labour. Now as to the Piety of my Lords holding out over me the formidable and terrible judgment of Almighty God, I beseech you by the same Almighty God to do this no more. For as yet we know not how any of us will stand there. And Paul, the excellent preacher, says, Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts 1 Corinthians 4:5. Yet this I briefly say, that, unworthy sinner as I am, I rely more on the mercy of Jesus when He comes than on the justice of your Piety. And there are many things that men are ignorant of with regard to this judgment; for perhaps He will blame what you praise, and praise what you blame. Wherefore among all these uncertainties I return to tears only, praying that the same Almighty God may both direct our most pious Lord with His hand and in that terrible judgment find him free from all defaults. And may He make me so to please men, if need be, as not to offend against His eternal grace. About this page 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/360205040.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.