Letter 8: "Listen, my son, to the law of your father" [Proverbs 1:8] — that is, the faith of Augustine — "and do not reject...

Hear then, my son, the law of your father, that is, the faith of Augustine, and do not reject the counsels of your mother, since that name too the devotion of Augustine rightly claims for itself, who carried you, small as you were, in his bosom, and who, having from your earliest years nursed you on the first milk of worldly wisdom, now also yearns to suckle and nourish you for the Lord at spiritual breasts; for he sees you, grown in bodily age, still wailing in your spiritual cradle, still an infant in the word of God, scarcely yet creeping in Christ with your first steps and on a faltering foothold, if only the teaching of Augustine, like a mother's hand and a nurse's arm, may guide the unsteady little one. And if you would hear and follow him, so that I may once more entice you with the words of Solomon, my son, you shall receive a crown of graces upon your head. And then you will truly be that consul and pontiff, not dreamed up in a phantasm but formed by Truth itself, while Christ fills the empty images of false labor with the solid effects of his own working. For Licentius will truly be a pontiff and truly a consul, if you cling to the footsteps of Augustine, to the prophetic and apostolic disciplines, as blessed Elisha clung to the consecrated Elijah, as young Timothy clung to the illustrious apostle, undivided in your companionship along the divine paths, so that you may learn both to deserve the priesthood with a perfect heart and to take counsel for the peoples' salvation with a teacher's mouth. Enough of this for warnings and exhortation. For with little speech and labor I think you can be roused toward Christ, my Licentius, since from boyhood you have been kindled toward the pursuits of truth and wisdom, both of which truly are Christ, and toward the highest good of every good, set aflame by the spirit and mouth of the venerable Augustine. And if he availed too little with you on your behalf, what shall I, so far his inferior by such an interval and poor in all his riches, accomplish? But because, trusting both in the power of his ability and in the kindness of your talent, I hope for things in you more accomplished than yet to be accomplished, I have dared to open my mouth for a twofold reason: both that I might match that man in the love that is owed, in concern for you, and that I might be counted among those who love your salvation, by an affection openly attested; for I know that the result, in your perfecting, is a palm destined above all for Augustine. I fear, my son, that I may have offended your ears with the harshness of a rash speech, and that through your ears I may have inflicted on your mind too the wound of my tediousness. But your letter came to mind, by which I understood you to be familiar with musical modes. From which pursuit I myself, when I was of your age, did not once recoil. And so, recalling your letter, I found a remedy for soothing your mind toward you, if in anything I had chafed it, so that I might summon you by the measure of a song to the Lord, the artificer of harmony of every form. I beg you, that you hear with your ear and not spurn the cause of your own salvation in my words, but that you willingly receive even in despised speeches the pious care and fatherly mind, in which the implanted name of Christ, which is above every name, makes this reverence to be owed, so that it cannot be despised by one who believes. Wherefore come, break your delays and the clinging chains of the world, and do not fear the gentle yoke of the peaceful Lord. Fair indeed, but marvelous to wandering minds, is the present array of things, yet the wise spirit is not astonished at these. Now she solicits you with various shapes, that evil counselor, alas! Rome, mighty even to overturn the strong. But for you, my child, I pray, may father Augustine always meet you against all the enticements of the city. Gazing on him amid such perils of fragile life, and keeping him in your breast, you will be safe. This nevertheless, repeating it again and again, I will warn you, that you flee the slippery paths of harsh military service. A flattering name is honor, an evil servitude, a sickly end, what now it pleases to wish for, soon to have wished grieves. It pleases to climb the heights, but it is a terror to descend from the heights. If you stumble, the worse will you fall from the topmost citadel. Now false goods please you, now ambition seizes you with every breeze, and hollow fame bears you in its glassy bosom? But when the ruinous belt, bought at a great price, has girded you, and barren toil has thereafter broken you, late and in vain you will accuse your empty hopes, and the chains you now weave you will wish to break. Then you will remember, grieving, that in vain you despised the truth-telling warnings of father Augustine. Wherefore, if you are wise and if you are devout, my boy, hear, and take up the words of the fathers and the counsel of elders. "Why do you draw back your fierce neck from the yoke? My burden is light, sweet is the yoke"; this is the pious voice of Christ; believe God, and add your head to the yokes, give your face to the soft halters, and submit your lowered shoulders to the light burden. Now you can do this, while you act free, while no chains hold you back, no care of a marriage bed nor lofty honor. This is good liberty, to serve Christ and in him to be above all. Not to lords of men, not to vices does he serve, not to proud kings, he who has given himself only to Christ the Lord. Let not that nobility seem free to you, which now you behold borne aloft, the city astonished, which you discern to seem to itself of such great liberty, that it disdains to bend its neck to God. That man is wretched, a slave to many mortals, and even buys maidservants too, that he may have masters over himself. Those who have endured eunuchs and great palaces know, and whoever endures Rome of his own will, wretched, at what a price of sweat and at what loss of honor the chlamys costs him there, and this honor of office here. Nor yet is the man himself powerful, who has paid to be loftier than all, so as to serve no one, does he attain it. When he has well vaunted himself as lord through the whole city, he serves demons, if he worships idols. For sorrow! On account of these you linger in the city, Licentius, and you spurn the kingdom of Christ, in order to please these men? These you call lords, and with bent neck you salute, whom you behold to be slaves of wood and of stone? Under a divine name they venerate silver and gold, religion is what the disease of avarice loves. I curse him, that he may love these, who does not love Augustine, and that he may not worship Christ, to whom it pleases to worship these. Thence God himself says that two masters cannot be served, since one mind pleases God. One faith, one God, and the only Son from the Father, Christ, there is no twofold servitude to one Lord. For as great as is the distance between heaven and earth, so great is the distance of Caesar and of Christ in their concerns and dominions. Rise from the ground; but now, while the spirit governs these limbs, with your mind pierce the sky, the delay of the flesh does not stand in the way. Die even now to bodily deeds, and meditate beforehand with a clear mind on the good things of the heavenly life. You are a spirit, although you are held in a body, if now with a pious mind, victor, you slay the work of the flesh. These things I have written to you, dear boy, compelled by faithful love; if you receive them, you will be received by God. Believe that Augustine is now doubled in me; take two fathers together with one devotion. If we are spurned, you are dragged away with the greater grief of two; if we are heard, you will be a sweet pledge to two. In you the glad care of two fathers has labored with sweat, and for you it is a great honor to have gladdened two. But when I couple myself with Augustine, I do not boast myself the equal of his merits; by love alone for you do I compare. For what should I pour out, dripping to you in a poor stream? Beyond me you will be washed by a twin river: Alypius is your brother and Augustine your master, the one a sharer of your blood, the other the begetter of your genius. With so great a brother you are strong, and with such a teacher, Licentius, and do you hesitate to follow the stars on such wings? Whatever you do, for the world should not hope you its friend, you will not be given to the earth, a soul owed to Christ. Though you now meditate on marriage chambers and lofty honors, one day you will be restored to your Lord. I believe two just men will conquer one sinner, and your brotherly prayers, well-known, will drive off your debts. Therefore return; by which voice your parent, by which blood your brother, both priests, bid you to come back. They draw you back to your own, for now you seek after what is foreign; these things rather, which retain the kingdom, are your own, your own. Seek these things again, gape after these; do not waste your time on foreign things. If you will not have your own, will anyone give what is foreign? You will not be your own self, and sent far through foreign parts, alas! you will pass your life an exile from the senses of your own breast. These things, anxious enough, a parent has sung to his son, while for you I both wish and fear the things I do for my own self. These things, if you receive them, this page will one day bring you life; if you refuse, this same page will be a witness. May Christ grant you safe to me, my dearest son, and grant you to himself as a servant forever. Live, I pray, but live for God; for to live for the world is the work of death, but to live for God is to live a living life.

VIII. [LICENTIO CARISSIMO FILIO PAVLINVS.] Audi ergo, fili, legem patris tui id est fidem Augustini et noli repellere consilia matris tuae, quod aeque nomen in 8] Terent. Adelph. us. 96 sq. 17] (Prou. 1, 8). i 1 pernitiam P 2 de** (bu eras.) y buccellato C, bucellato FPUc, bucillsuto Mcp, buccillato rccyrJfh 3 epeditionis y prociutu U, procincturn a 4 tibi pariter nostro add. in mg. F pariter] partem f et filio om. FPU 5 nostro] tuo in ras. a misimus post panes l. 4 ponit h N potuimus enim FPU a - cuvimus om. c 6 discernere M eodem y 8 scriptum esse FPU 8 est om. FPU echino a 9 micio cceycp, initio CUr, initio cet . quid rcydfh, quid de cet. (sed de inras . «) uel cum C 10 possumus f 11 quo FPUcf, quod cet . 12 est xps est F, est Christus Col . incolomem ytp1, incolum Cc\', incolumen P, incolu c1 13 cum tota domo habeamus et (ut F) cupimus FPU, habeamus et cupimus cum toto domu tua M 14 donine r, dno a honorautissime (e ex e cp) CMrJhcp, honoratissime f desideratissime PU CrFMPUacydfh<p . — eiusdem ad licentium -VIII- prosa et uersibus M, epistola sancti paulini ad licentium, ubi eum plurimum hortatur ad audiendum et opere complendum doctrinam et disciplinam beati augustini episcopi et suam; et quod musicis strumentis quibus multum deditus te Augustini pietas iure sibi uindicat, qui te tantillum sinu gestauit suo et a paruulis primo lacte sapientiae saecularis inbutum nunc etiam spiritalibus lactare et enutrire domino gestit uberibus, quoniam te adultum aetate corporea in spiritalibus adhuc cunabulis uagientem uidet, adhuc infantem uerbo dei, uixdum in Christo primis passibus et uestigio titubante repentem, si tamen Augustini doctrina tamquam manus matris et ulna nutricis instabilem regat paruulum. quem si audias et sequaris, ut rursum te sermone Salomonis adliciam, fili, coronam accipies gratiarum tuo uertici. et tunc uere eris ille non phantasmate somniatus, sed ab ipsa ueritate formatus consul et pontifex uacuas imagines falsi operis inplente Christo solidis suae operationis effectibus. uere enim pontifex et uere consul Licentius erit, si Augustini uestigiis, propheticis et apostolicis disciplinis, ut sacrato beatus Elisaeus Eliae, ut inlustri apostolo Timotheus adolescens, adhaereas indiuulso per 9] Prou. 1, 9 sec. 70. 15] (IV. Reg. 2, 1). peruacabat tamquam rebus uanis et inutilibus omnino reiectis ad summi artificis dei armouica facta contemplanda consurgat, ubi etiam in fine eiusdem epistolae plurimos et peregregios uersus adnectit et in ipsis consummat epistolam U, ad licentium u; antecedentem epistulam sine isascriptione excipit octaua in CrPcy<?fh<p Col. nisi quod P m. 2 in mg. add.: epistola sancti paulini ad licentium. — 16 licentio carissimo filio Paulinus FPU, om. cet . 17 ergo om. FplU fides f1 18 et noli- p. 46,1.1 augustini om. M nomina FU 1 iure] in te M uendicat FMPU f\' h, uendicare f1 sinum U 2 singularis y 3 spiritualibus CFcS laetare in ras. C 4 quoniam] quam rJ te F s. I . adulta FPU corpora y spiritualibus Fa 5 adhuc cunabulis om. y alt . adhuc om. c uidit y 6 uix] ut f passionibus FPUcpl titubantem C 7 reppentem rJ, reptentem FPU doctrinam rJl tamque r1 munus rOFPUcyrJ, minus cp1 8 ulua f si om. f 9 rursus « Salomonis] sermonis C alliccuam (ci ex ct) <f lilii Uf 10 uertici tuo h uertice tp 11 fantasmate rFUySh 12 uacua FPU imaginis PU, ymaginis F falsis operibus implentem FPU 13 affectibus (a in ras. F) Fc 14 et om. yh 15 sacrato] sco M beatus om. h helisaeus Cf, heliseus ..VPacy4hcp, helizeus F heliae TC alacydh, haeliae cp, helie FPUf 16 thimoteus FPU adulescens c, adholescens C adhereat ra indiuiso C itinera diuina comitatu, ut et sacerdotium corde perfecto discas mereri et populis ad salutem magistro ore consulere. Sat hoc monitis et hortatui. modico enim sermone et labore te arbitror, mi Licenti, ad Christum posse incitari, iam a pueris ad studia ueritatis et sapientiae, quod utrumque uere Christus est, et omnis boni summum bonum uenerabilis Augustini spiritu et ore flammatum. qui si parum apud te pro te ualuit, quid ego tanto interuallo posterior et omnium illius opum pauper efficiam? sed quia et illius facultatis potentia et toi ingenii humanitate confisus pleniora atque maiora in te spero elaborata quam elaboranda, ausus sum hiscere duplici gratia, ut et illi uiro debita caritate conpararer in sollicitudine tui et inter eos qui salutem tum diligunt uel contestato numerarer affectu., nam effectus in tui perfectione palmam Augustino potissimum destinatam scio. Vereor, fili, ne aures tuas asperitate temerarii sermonis offenderim et per aures animo etiam tuo taedii mei uulnus intulerim. sed in mentem uenit epistolae tuae, qua te musicis familiarem modis intellexi. a quo studio ego aeui quondam tui non abhorrui. itaque mihi ad tuam mentem, si in aliquo exulcerassem, deliniendam remedium litteras tuas recordatus 18] Quaest. gramm. cod. Bobiensis, Hageu Anecd. Helu. p. 173, 4: sed in mentem uenit epistolae tuae 1 ut om. y, ad r ut ad (om. et) <f perfecta (° fl.. 2) cp discat ra 2populi f magistri h consulueris F, consuleris PU 3 sat est CMhtp*, satem (uel sateni) (p1, ad FPU hortatui c et labore te om. FPU 5 puero M 6 chnstus est IU, est Christus Col . sunu a bonum om. ayh 7 spiriti U qui si] quasi FPU, quis y 8 ergo y in tanto FPU 9 operum C illis C1 potentiam FPU 10 tui om. FPU, tu c 11 quam eleboranda c, que laboranda FPU uisus FU hiscere] inscire V, instare F 12 uiros c1, uero FPU deuita yh, de uita et CMtp, dubita U, deuincta Rosw . compararet c, compareret f sollicitatione (tatione in mg. m. rec.) C 13 contestatu U 14 nam affectus CF PUif per affectionem y 16 filii U temerarii om. FPU 17 per OWl. r tedii TFMPUchtp 18 ueniat f epistola tua kepi, epistolae tuae memoria M, epistole tue ratio if 19 a] e y quondam aeui U, aeui quodam Cytp1 21 deleniendam fc, diliniendam <f repperi, ut te ad dominum harmoniae omniformis artificem modulamine carminis euocarem. quaeso te, ut aure audias neque causam salutis tuae in uerbis meis spernas, sed piam curam et mentem paternam etiam in despiciendis sermonibus libenter accipias, quibus insitum Christi nomen, quod est super 5 omne nomen, hanc deberi uenerationem facit, ut non possit a credente contemni. Quare age rumpe moras et uincla tenacia saecli Nec metuas placidi mite iugum domini. Pulchra quidem sed mira uagis praesentia rerum Mentibus, at sapiens non stupet ista animus. Nunc te sollicitat uariis malesuada figuris Heu! ualidos etiam uertere Roma potens. Sed tibi, nate, precor, semper pater Augustinus Occurset cunctas urbis ad inlecebras. Illum tanta inter fragilis discrimina uitae Aspiciens et habens pectore tutus eris. Hoc tamen et repetens iterumque iterumque monebo, Vt fugias durae lubrica militiae. Blandum nomen honos, mala seruitus, exitus aeger, Quem nunc uelle iuuat, mox uoluisse piget. Scandere celsa iuuat, tremor est descendere celsis. Si titubes, summa peius ab arce cades. 5] Phil. 2, 9. us. 1] (Verg. Aen. IV 569; Georg. IV 412). us. 11] (Verg. Aeu. III 436). A i 1 hoc repperi FPUc adn5 P, a dñõ U, ad dñq F armoniae rC Mctcyahtp, armoniam FPU modulamini FU, modulaminis P 2 euocaremus y audias aure yh 4 at ex ad y et] et te FPU dispiciendis cy 5 accipe FPU supra CFMPUtp 6 omnem Cc ne possint f 7 contempni CMcydhcp; continuatur consequenti add. F m. 1 us . 2 ne f mitte Pc, micte U, mitem tp1 3 pulchra] plura U et nda mira (et in ras.) M 4 at] ut c, ad y 5 male suasa rJff{J 6 ualidus tl (u in i corr. m. 2) y 7 agustinus c 8 occursit y1, occurrat FPUh cunetas C, om. h 9 inter tanta ah 10 apiciens U 11 pr . itemmque] iterum (c s. i. na. 2) acfh 12 ut] et c ludicra h 18 blande yh honos] bonus y male (p1 14 nunc] nec h piger C 16 cadis raif, rues h Nunc tibi falsa placent bona, nunc rapit omnibus auris Ambitus et uitreo fert caua fama sinu? Ast ubi te magno damnosus cinxerit emptus Balteus et sterilis fregerit inde labor, Serus et in cassum spes accusabis inanes Et modo quae nectis rumpere uincla uoles. Tunc reminisceris frustra patris Augustini Contempsisse dolens ueridicos monitus. Quare si sapiens et si pius es, puer, audi Et cape uerba patrum consiliumque senum. "Quid retrahis fera colla iugo? mea sarcina leuis, Suaue iugum" Christi est uox pia, crede deo Et caput adde iugis, da mollibus ora capistris Demissosque leui subde humeros oneri. Nunc potes hoc, dum liber agis, dum nulla retentant Vincula, nulla tori cura nec altus honor. Haec bona libertas Christo seruire et in ipso Omnibus esse supra. non dominis hominum, Non uitiis seruit, non regibus ille superbis Tantum qui Christo se dederit domino. Nec tibi nobilitas uideatur libera, quam nunc Sublimem attonita conspicis urbe uehi, Quam cernis tanta sibi libertate uideri, Vt dedignetur flectere colla deo. Multis ille miser mortalibus et quoque seruis 28] (Matth. 11,30). 29] (Verg. Georg. III 188). 41] (Hor. C. I 24,9). 17 tunc f 18 fert caua] te fere f suau U 19 ast ex est M w. rec . emptus scripsi, emptor P, estu M, estu Ch<p-, esto tp1, emto eet. 20 et] eta tpl 21 incasum ip1 accusabius tf 22 et itt ras. y uectis f, noctis c rompere P 23 pautris U 24 ueredicos ytp1 27 qui f qui detrahis y cola FP me ytp lenis Mfhfp 28 credo ex sacra Pm.2 30 dimissosque rcyip, dimisos Cif, demissoque U et sub de 4 humeras (p1, umeros C, humeris y houeri rctp1 31 libet ages (es in ras.) f 32 thori rFMPUafhtp* onor C 34 esse] es y 35 non uitiis] conuitiis a post . non] nunc FPU superbus tf 36 qui tantum M 37 quem M 38 sublimen F, sullimen a 39 quem c liberate uideri* (m eras.) tf 41 ille] is « miser] liber « et] e y seruus y IIVllIl. Paul. Nol. epistulae. 4 Seruit et ancillas, ut dominentur, emit. Norunt eunuchos et magna palatia passi Et quisquis Romam sponte miser patitur, Quanto sudoris pretio damnoque decoris Constet ibi chlamydis, hic honor officii. Nec tamen ipse potens, qui celsior omnibus esse Emerit, ut nulli seruiat, adsequitur. Cum bene se tota dominum iactauerit urbe, Seruit daemoniis, si simulacra colit. Pro dolor! hos propter remoraris in urbe, Licenti, Et regnum Christi spernis, ut his placeas? Hos uocitas dominos, curua et ceruice salutas, Quos ligni seruos conspicis et lapidis? Nomine diuino argentum uenerantur et aurum, Religio est quod amat morbus auaritiae. Imprecor hos ut amet qui non amat Augustinum, Non colat et Christum cui placet hos colere. Inde ait ipse deus dominis non posse duobus Seruiri, quoniam mens placet una deo. Vna fides, deus unus et unicus e patre Christus, Haud duplex uni seruitus est domino. Quanta etenim caelo ac terris distantia, tanta est Caesaris et Christi rebus et imperiis. Tollere humo, sed nunc dum spiritus hos regit artus, Mente polum penetra, nil mora carnis obest. Corporeis iam nunc morere actibus et bona uitae 59] Matth. 6, 24. 61] Eph. 4, 5. 65] (Verg. Aen. IV 336). 42 dominentur Ma f, dominetur cet . 43 eunuchus et FU, eunuchi, sed f, eunuchi et h magra C passim f 45 decori coni. Sacch . 46 tibi F clamidis w honore refici y 50 seruit ex ser y m. 2 doemoniis tp, demouiis Cach si] et c s. I. m. 2, ac h 51 proh FMPUftp* os c remearis y 52 spernis c s. 1. m. 2 53 domino FPU et om. yh 55 numine f 56 quod amat] quedam at aflf morbi C 57 hos ut] hec sibi FPU ut amet c s. I. m. 2 amat] amet f, amant y 58 quo latet (p1 59 unde Maf dominus fl 60 seruire FPUtp mens om. c 61 ex Mh, a FPU f, 3 y pater y 62 haut Uh, aut rFPyip1 uui] dni y 63 enim FP ac] a FPU, et a 66 nil hora yhtp1, nichil ora C abest y 67 nunc] non h, n y merere r1 Caelestis liquido praemeditare animo. Spiritus es, quamquam tenearis corpore, si nunc Mente pia uictor carnis opus perimas. Haec tibi, care puer, fido conpulsus amore Scripsi; si recipis, suscipiere deo. Crede Augustinum tibi nunc in me geminatum, Sume duos una cum pietate patres. Spernimur, abstraheris maiore dolore duobus. Audimur, pignus dulce duobus eris. In te laeta patrum sudauit cura duorum, Et tibi magnus honos laetificasse duos. Sed me Augustino cum copulo, non meritorum Iacto parem, solo comparo amore tui. Nam quid ego adfundam rorans tibi paupere riuo? Me praeter gemino flumine prolueris: Frater Alypius est Augustinusque magister, Sanguinis hic consors, hic sator ingenii. Tanto fratre uales et praeceptore, Licenti, Et dubitas pennis talibus astra sequi? Quicquid agas — nam te nec speret mundus amicum — Non daberis terrae debita Christo anima. Tu thalamos licet et celsos mediteris honores Nunc, olim domino resituere tuo. Credo unum uincent iusti duo peccatorem Et tua fraternae nota preces abigent. Ergo redi; qua uoce parens, qua sanguine frater, Ambo sacerdotes te remeare iubent. Ad tua te retrahunt, nam nunc aliena petessis; 69 est rFUcyhcp1 70 premas y 71 fide y 72 recepis cf1 suseipere c 74 compietate F 75 abstraeris Cccp, abstrahere yh 77 sudabit FPUc 78 et] est M onos r, bonus y, honor C 79 concopulo com FPUf 80 par* (o eras.) cp, cumparo y tuo FPU 81 effuudam Pa, infundam M rorem Mcp pauperiorem (riuo om.) Mtpa, pauperio tpl 8\'2 a gemino cp 1 83 alippius U, alipius cet..84 consor r saltor U 86 pinnis c asta y 87 iam te non M sperat yh mundum C 91 crede If uicent tp1 92 tua] tu y ambigent C 93 redi] reli c, credi cp1 tquia-quia f 95 petessis cy1, petissis r, petisses r ô f, petescis M, petescis cp fla. 2, petisces h, petisti CFPUa 4* Haec mage, quae retinent regna tui, tua sunt. Haec repete, his inhia; externis ne contere tempus. Si tua nolueris, quisquam aliena dabit? Non eris ipse tuus, missusque per extera longe. Sensibus heu! proprii pectoris exul ages. Sollicitum satis haec nato cecinisse parentem, Dum tibi quae mihimet uel uolo uel metuo. Haec tibi, si recipis, feret olim pagina uitam; Si renuis, eadem haec pagina testis erit. Incolumem mihi te, fili carissime, Christus Annuat et seruum det sibi perpetuo. Viue precor, sed uiue deo; nam uiuere mundo Mortis opus, uiua est uiuere uita deo.