Letter 2010: Ruricius, bishop, to his lord, his own soul, the Abbot Pomerius, to be cherished in Christ the Lord with deepest...

From: Ruricius, bishop of Limoges To: Pomerius, abbot (the famous rhetorician and theologian Julianus Pomerius) Date: ~500 AD Context: A profound letter on friendship and absence — Ruricius tells the famous abbot Pomerius that since parting from him he feels divided in two, and gives thanks to God for the mysterious gift by which the mind can travel freely where the body cannot. Ruricius, bishop, to his lord, his own soul, the Abbot Pomerius, to be cherished in Christ the Lord with deepest affection. The wise men of this world said that two friends have one soul. I confirm this to be true by the testimony of the church as well, which says: "The multitude of believers was of one heart and one soul" [Acts 4:32] — one, that is, in love, not in number; in the simplicity of faith, not in the singularity of person. This I declare and prove. For ever since I parted from your fellowship, I have felt myself divided. I know that a part of me has remained with you; I do not believe I am whole in your absence. And since I cannot find myself within myself, I look for myself with you when I return to you in thought — and there I see that I have left as much of myself with you as I have carried away of you with me. I give thanks to almighty God for this remarkable work of his: that he has deigned by his universal dispensation to grant that among those whom distances of place separate, the mind — free and enclosed by no laws of absence — may travel without hindrance. Nothing is so impenetrable that it does not lie open to the sight of the heart. Through the mind's gaze, friends who are dear to one another — with mutual grace flowing between them — see each other.

X. DOMINO ANIMAE SUAE ET IN CHRISTO DOMINO UISCERIBUS EXCOLENDO POMERIO ABBATI RURICIUS EPISCOPUS. Sapientes saeculi amicos duos unam animam habere dixerunt, quod ego etiam ecclesiastico testimonio uerum esse confirmo, quo ait: credentium autem erat anima et cor unum, unum utique caritate, non numero, et fidei simplicitate, non singularitate personae. hoc ergo praedico proboque. nam ex quo a uestra unanimitate discessi, diuisum esse me sentio partemque meam uobiscum resedisse cognosco nec absentibus uobis integrum esse me credo et, cum me in me non inueniam, apud uos me ad uos regressus inquiro atque ibidem quantum mei uobis reliquisse, tantum uestri mecum abstulisse conspicio. et omnipotenti deo gratias super tam admirabili facto eius refero, quod ita generali tribuere dispensatione dignatus est, ut inter eos, quos locorum interualla discriminant, liber ac nullis conclusus absentiae legibus animus commearet nihilque esset tam inpenetrabile, quod mentis aspectibus non 15] Act. 4, 82. S uerum] uestru S 4 indiuiduu S, in diuiduum v per] p S, om. v, redintegrationem mppl. Mommsenus 5 transmitat S 9 jtficerit S 11 sue S 12 aftbt rur eps S 18 unanima S, corr. v 15 quod v . 17 persone S 18 discensi S sencio S 22 mei v, me S Kr . relinquisse S 23 deo-consistit] cf. Fausti ep. X p. 215,19 sqq. et RtW. II 52 25 discrimant S 26 conclusabsentie S XXI. ftost. 26 pateret, sed per cordis intuitum inde se inuicem cari gratia intercurrente conspicerent, ubi caritas ipsa consistit. Et ideo salutem plenissimae erga me, quantum propria mente conicio, pietati uestrae deferens omni precum ambitione deposco, si nobis parem repensatis affectum, si simili nos caritate diligitis, si aliquid in uisceribus uestris amor noster operatur, si usque ad medullas cordis uestri dilectio nostra peruenit, si ita uos pro me, quam me pro uobis dulcedine potestatis edomuit, ut imperio ipsius nec possitis resistere nec uelitis, ad desiderantem fratrem [si] desiderans quantocius uenire festinato beneficio et promissum soluturus debitum et mutuum mitigaturus affectum, quia coram positi aequalem nobis gratiam de nostra contemplatione et conlocutione praestabimus tantumque, si, ut diligeris, diligis, a me retribuetur caritati tuae, quantum tu meae ipse detuleris. nec sane in ueniendo fatigationem poteris formidare, quia, ut ille dixit, uicit iter durum pietas, et iuxta apostolum nostrum caritas omnia sustinet, quae nec quaerit, quae sua sunt, nec umquam nouit excidere. oportune etiam desideranti uiatori autumnalis temporis congruit cum caritate temperies, si eam tamen praeteritae aestatis feruor accendat, non aduenientis hiemis algor extinguat