Letter 9098: Although from the report of our responsalis we have long heard many things of you to rejoice our heart, yet now our son the abbot Probus, who has returned to us, has reported still further such things of the charity of your Glory as it is becoming should be told of a really good and most Christian son. And, since he has told us of such kind feel...

Gregory to Theodore, Curator [chief civic official] of Ravenna. I have long heard good things about you from our representative, but now our son the abbot Probus has returned with even more encouraging reports of your Glory's charity -- the kind of things that should be said of a truly good and Christian son. He tells me of your kind spirit and your earnest work for peace -- more than we have seen even from our own people who have previously been in your region. I pray that heavenly grace may repay you for this, in body and soul, now and hereafter. You have not stopped working for the good of many. I must tell you, though, about the situation with the peace. Ariulf [a Lombard duke of Spoleto] has sworn to observe it -- but not on the same terms as his king [Agilulph]. He added conditions: that no aggression be committed against him, and that no one march against the forces of Aroges. This is unfair and evasive, and I treat it as if he had not sworn at all. He will easily manufacture pretexts for breaking the terms, and will deceive us all the more if we let down our guard. Worse, Warnilfrid -- Ariulf's chief advisor, who essentially controls his decisions -- refused to swear at all. So the peace we so desperately wanted has brought us almost no relief in this region. We must continue watching out for the same enemies as before. The king's representatives here are pressing me to sign the compact. But remembering the insults Agilulph is reported to have directed at the blessed Peter [through Gregory] -- though Agilulph himself denies it -- I have thought it prudent to hold off. I will not act rashly in this matter.

Book IX, Letter 98 To Theodore, Curator of Ravenna. Gregory to Theodore, etc. Although from the report of our responsalis we have long heard many things of you to rejoice our heart, yet now our son the abbot Probus, who has returned to us, has reported still further such things of the charity of your Glory as it is becoming should be told of a really good and most Christian son. And, since he has told us of such kind feeling on your part, and such earnestness in arranging the peace as has not appeared even in our own citizens who have previously been in your parts, we beg the mercy of heavenly protection to recompense you for this in body and in soul both here and in the world to come, seeing that you have not ceased to act advantageously for the good of many. We inform you therefore that Ariulf has sworn to the observance of the peace, not as his King swore , but under the condition that no excess should in any way be committed against himself, and that no one should march against the army of Aroges . This being altogether unfair and crafty, we take it as if he had not sworn — since to some extent he will easily find for himself an occasion of exceeding, and will deceive us the more if we are not on our guard against him. But Warnilfrid, according to whose advice this same Ariulf acts in all respects, has scorned to swear at all. And so it has come to pass that from the peace which we so much desired, we in these parts can have hardly any remedy, since we must still, and for the future, be on our guard against the same enemies that we have been on our guard against so far. Furthermore, be it known to your Glory that the King's men who have been sent hither press us to subscribe to the compact. But remembering the insults which, to the injury through us of the blessed Peter, Agilulph is said to have addressed to the most illustrious Basilius, though Agilulph himself has entirely denied this, we have still thought it prudent to abstain from subscription, lest we, who are petitioners and mediators between him and our most excellent son the lord Exarch, should find ourselves deceived in any respect, in case of anything being perchance secretly withdrawn (i.e. from the compact), and he should find an occasion of not assenting to our petition. And so we beg, as we have requested also of our aforesaid most excellent son, that your Glory, with the charity whereby you are united to us, would take measures to the end that, before these men return from Arogis, the king may send them letters posthaste, to be, however, handed on to us, ordering them not to call on us to subscribe. But, if it serves the purpose, we will cause our glorious brother, or one of the bishops, or at any rate an archdeacon, to subscribe. With regard to Augustus we thank you, and are giving attention to his settling his cause with his adversary in accordance with equity; having been unwilling that the trouble of putting in an appearance with you should be imposed upon him, yet so as not to deny justice to his adversary. With regard to other matters since it has not been so far in our power to thank you adequately, we will for the future send to you our responsalis, through whom, by the mercy of God, we may be the more bound together in the charity wherein we are knit to each other. Moreover, the sorrow of your Glory affects us exceedingly; but since a wise man knows all that can be said in the way of comfort, we omit comforting you with words; but we attend you with our prayers, beseeching Almighty God to guard the life and health of yourself and all yours under the protection of His loving-kindness, and to console your heart while in a state of affliction.