To Dynamius, Patrician.

Epistle XXXIII.

To Dynamius, Patrician.

Gregory to Dynamius, Patrician of Gaul.

He who administers faithfully what is other’s shews how well he dispenses what is his own.  And this your Glory makes manifest to us in that, intent on your annual offering, you have rendered the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, the fruits of his revenues.  In paying him what is his faithfully, you have made these gifts to him your own.  For indeed it becomes the glorious people of this earth who think of eternal glory so to act that in virtue of their excelling in temporal power, they may procure for themselves a reward that is not temporal.  Accordingly, addressing to you the greeting which we owe, we implore Almighty God both to replenish your life with present good, and to extend it to the lofty joys of eternity.  For we have received through our son Hilarus (al Hilarius) of the aforesaid revenues of our Church four hundred Gallican solidi ¹⁴⁸⁸ .  We now send you as the benediction of the blessed apostle Peter a small cross, wherein are inserted benefits from his chains ¹⁴⁸⁹ , which for a time bound his neck:  but may p. 131b they loose yours from sins for ever.  Moreover in its four parts round about are contained benefits from the gridiron of the blessed Laurence, whereon he was burnt, that it, whereon his body was consumed by fire for the truth’s sake, may inflame your soul to the love of the Lord.

Footnotes

130b:1488

As to Gallic money, cf. VI. 7, and note.

130b:1489

Cf. I. 26, note 3.