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
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
.
1488
As to Gallic
money, cf. VI. 7, and note.
1489
Cf. I. 26, note
3.