Letter 11010: I have already written to you on the matter of images, and yet I find I must write again.

The opening of your letter so clearly displayed the priestly goodwill that is in you that our joy concerning your brotherliness was made the greater. But the conclusion of those same letters showed all the more how incautious you are. For if you had carefully attended to the things of which we admonished you out of brotherly love, [...] you would by no means have suspended from communion. When, therefore, will you lead the straying sheep to the Lord's fold, you who are not strong enough to retain those you have? Therefore we exhort you that even now you take care to be vigilant, and that you restrain yourself from this presumption, and that the minds of those whom you had separated from your own [communion] [...]. [It was] to be shown by these admonitions that it is not permitted to adore anything made by hands, since it is written: 'You shall adore the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve' [Luke 4:8]; and then it was to be added that, because you had seen the painting of images, which had been made for the edification of an unlearned people so that those who do not know letters might, by gazing upon the story itself, learn what had been said, pass over into adoration, you were therefore moved, so that you ordered those images to be broken. And it was to be said to them: If you wish to have in the church, for this instruction for which images were anciently made, [them], I permit them by all means both to be made and to be had; and make known that it was not the very seeing of the story, which was being displayed by the witness of the picture, that displeased you, but that adoration which had been improperly offered to the pictures. And, soothing their minds with these words, recall them to concord with you. And if anyone wishes to make images, by no means forbid it; but avoid by all means the adoring of images. But let your brotherliness carefully admonish this: that from the sight of the deed done they may receive the ardor of compunction, and that they prostrate themselves humbly in the adoration of the one almighty holy Trinity. All these things we speak both out of love for the holy Church and for your brotherliness. Let him not, therefore, be broken from his zeal for rectitude by my rebuke, but rather be helped in his pursuit of pious dispensation. Moreover, it has come to us that your love willingly receives evil men into its fellowship, to such a degree that a certain presbyter who, after he had fallen and into his own [...] [it is fitting] not only to expel this man further from you, but also by your priestly zeal to cut away by all means his very excess; and as for the others, who are reported to be depraved, restrain them by paternal exhortation from their depravity, and strive to recall them to the way of rectitude. But if, which God forbid, you see that they profit in nothing by your wholesome admonition, you will take care to cast these too far away from you, lest their depravities, from the fact that they are received, seem by no means to displease, and lest not only do they themselves remain unamended, but also by their reception others be corrupted. And consider how both detestable to men and perilous before the eyes of God it is, if through him by whom crimes ought to be punished, vices appear to be nourished. These things, therefore, most beloved of brothers, attend to diligently, and strive so to act that you both wholesomely correct the depraved and bring no scandal from the society of evil men into the minds of your sons.

Litterarum tuarum » primordia ita sacerdotalem in te esse benivolentiam ^ demon- strabant^, ut maior nobis fieret de fratemitate tua laetitia. Sed tanto* eorum^ finis te OTO. P. «) correptorem Pbl. correptione Phl. •) vita Phl. *) fort. ag. Pa2. XI, 10. Eaec ep. in cod. Ph2 prima est, in ceteris codd. P numero 53 signatur, deest in Q* 1; recepta est ettcmifn^. CXXXIX) in canonum collectionem, guae dicitur Uadriana aucta (cf. Maassen, 1. 1. p.454.461j, euius codieem Monacensem 14,008 (= M) rogatu meo contulit r. d. Keyssner. Etiam in indice Gregorius ante titidum exMbent Pal. Ph2.3; ad Sereno Ph2 in ind. opo Sereuo Pa2 — Massilionsis B 1. Q*2.3. q3; Maziliensis Phl.6; Maxiliensi Phl in ind. Ph2.3. Pal.2 in ind.; Maxilensi Pal; Massiliensi Pa2 — /n marg. add. rubro de imaginibus sc^m Bl. ») tuarum om. Bl.M. ^) inter Phl. ©) bonevolen- tiam Ql. d) demonstrarent Pa2. «) tanta P.M f) in earum (ita q 1. Pa2) corr. Ph2. «) de- sensit P. M. b) ged M. i) esse om. M. ^) quQ B 1. ^) dubitastis Pa 1. 3) Columbus presbyter etiam commemoratur in ep. V, 17 m f. XI, 10. De Sereno cf. ep. VI, 60 n. GREGORII I. REGISTBI quam sis incautus, apparuit. Nam si" diligenter ea quae fratemo amore monuimus *») iiiiiiiii mI /*«; c|UAHi Pbi: qui* 8i Pb^, M. ») adtendisse Pal. o) dabitasse PaL p) sed itm. Vh. M) do Va^. Fb^. 0 oportes et Pbl. •) Ciriacus PaL Pb2. *) quod B 1; am. f|iiofMlniii Pit; (luhlniii Ph. .1/. «) oxtat Pai. ▼) audire El; audiret q 1; averat Pal; ayertat Pa2. Ntiiflil iWiiN ntlU. /'. J/. ■) tu do oiud H t: iatud de eius q 1; istam de eius Q*2. qS; haecverba om. P.M. nn\\\\\n t*iiU. )ioii||Kinl ii I. cinitingit Pal. •) ut esses iam Pa2; ut et iam q*2. <) in fnfft. It /. M) Mrtttiii li /. /*fi/. .U. Hed. om. yerum etiam esses Pa2; esse pro esset B 1. i) add- NfMf Vtt I. qitoil iim. .1/. \) miii. roctitudinis Pa2. suBcensuB Pal. n) debeantur Pa2. *') HifiriliiKiiiiiN /7». PtrJ,M: iMintVingori* li t: coniitringeres Pal; confregeria q. q*2. p) add. si Bl. t> i|f(ii»N /7//. •) Hduniit» •) Yctusti Pa2; yetuisset^i. *) om. omnlno Pa2. «) om. dic W l*it ii V) i|iiii titotti A rit2: A quo facto faotum om. M. ^) yel diaoono factnm pro aliqnando Mfifllfiifii l',tj, •) Mt iiwi. /'. y) deit|>ectis H 1. q3; disp. eet. ») esse om.Q*2. ») ita M et ul hl i riiiilliliulN (» .1; onmIoihn ct (»• 2: criMlcri* ce/. ^) adorare picturam Pa2. «) add. per q. q\ Pa2. litNliiilMiii loiU, nnl vort\ I*b2, q uimI il. 0 adducere Pa. 8) ex picturis corr. pietnras i. i|iiii Vh J; f|ul l*aL 0 vldcnt om. /*«; videant H 1; videns if. iia B 1. q*2. Pb2.M; qaid sit 40 qiioil /'11; f|iil /7i /; fiuhl rr/. ») Ipiio /»iii. m) littera Pal; lite eras M. ») et add. q. ©) gent priutft. J*nJ, V) (|uo /Niy. u) a omi. P. ') te om. Pa2. ■) adtendi te quo erat Pal; adtende qno iirrHN J'a-J, qui uaiito // /. «») fonHuoribus Q 3. ▼) generaris Pal. B 1. q 1; generee Pa2. JraiiKo /'«/. «) iion um. Pal. J) Adom.Bl.Ql. Q*2.Pb2.M, sed eorr. Pb2. ■) et B 1. VMtiiHtiiiii M. 0 AntlMlt Pbl, K) diHcrotionis B 1. Pa2; discretiones Pal. ^) oondis snb Bl; iu/iiilidlHMuii Pa2: (MintondiHHOH M. ') Kino dubio etiam hio add. Q*2.3. ^) optineret if. ^) sed *m. I'a I, I") lUHporHiiin om. J\M. ^) intemeratus Pa2; iu te merito Ph.M. o) nomenqne q8; f«fiii(«riiM l'aU. V) oxcodorot Jt 1. <i) uunc Phl. ') ita B 1, q. q*. Pa; hinc Pb.M. ■) baec J*aU. iiioHutom JtJ; biuc autem q 1. q* 2, M; incautio Pa2. ^) ex ita vos eorr. q*2, ex nt et (o yiHi J*uj VI. U; ut nt voH Pal. ▼) Hoandalizasses Bl. M; scandalisasset Pal. ^) ex perbiberes eorr. q*2; l^fAiUitstii in rut. M. X) tua se om. I^a2, Jj J)e Oyryuj) Mate, qui m. lulio tnd. II. et ep. IX, 208 de eadem re ad Seremm acriptam et alias i^/itfiul/A0 m Uallian jttjttaverat, cf. ep. IX, 208 n. i; fartasae martuus est, antequam in Hiapamam venerat. communioiie suspenderet Quando ergo ad ovile dominicum errantes oves adducas', qui quas habes retinere* non praevales? Proinde hortamur, ut vel nunc studeas esse sollicitus^ atque ab hac® te^ praesumptione compescas et eorum animos^ quos a tua disiunctos® uni- moniis^ ostendendum, quia omnc manufactum adorare non liceatP, quoniam*^ scriptum est: 'Dominum Deum tuum adorabis et illi' soli servies'; ac" deinde subiungendum*, Lac. 4, . quia^ quoniam picturas'' imaginum, quae^ ad aedificationem imperiti populi factae fuerant', ut nescientes litteras ipsam historiam^ intendentes, quid' dictum sit% disce- 10 rent^, transisse in® adorationem videras, idcirco commotus es"^, ut eas imagines frangi® praeciperes^; atque eis dicendumfi^: Si ad hanc instructionem , ad quam imagines» anti- quitus factae** sunt, habere vultis in ecclesia*, eas modis omnibus et fieri^ et haberi permitto^ atque™ indica, quod non tibi ipsa visio historiae, quae pictura" teste pande- batur, displicuerit, sed illa adoratio, quae picturis fuerat incompetenter exhibita°; 15 atque in his verbis eorum mentes demulcens eos ad concordiam tuam^ revoca. Et si quis imagines facere voluerit, minime prohibe, adorare vero imagines omnimodis*» de- vita. Sed hoc sollicite fraternitas tua ammoneat', ut" ex visione* rei gestae ardorem compunctionis percipiant" et in adoratione solius omnipotentis^ sanctae trinitatis'^ humi- liter prostemantur. 20 Cuncta vero haec et^ amore sanctae ecclesiae et tuae fratemitatis loquimur. Non^ ergo ex mea correptione" frangatur a zelo» rectitudinis, sed magis adiuvetur** in studio piae dispensationis. Praeterea® pervenit ad nos, quod dilectio^ tua libenter malos homines® in socie- tate sua recipiat', adeo ut presbyterum quendam», qui, postquam lapsus est et in suae** so BoUioitas tuque te om. R 1. alia M. ^) ut horum animas M. •) disionctas Fbt ^) caritate Pa2. 8) cum tota [pro paterna ad te) Pa2. ^) dulcine M. *) omnia Phl.M. k) omniaque Phl; add. et et om. verha omni ueque omnique Pa2. ^) iia P; diyersQ Rl.M; dispersi Q. Q** °*) om. filii M. ^) eius qui R 1. ^) testimooium R 1. Pa2, sed eorr. in testimonii Rl; testimonii Q 1. 35 «) qui ipro quia) Pal; quoniam om. codd. "^) pictura R 1. q. q*; picturas, ut videtur, Pal; picturae Ph. M. ^) quae om. Pa2. ») ita Pal. Pb.M; fuerant factae Rl.Ql; fuerant facta q*, sed in fuerat facta (ita q3) eorr. q*2; factae aunt Pa2. J) ex historias corr. R 1. ■) ito Pa; quo Pbl; quod Pb2.M; quia R 1. q. q*. ») est q3. *>) discerens M. c) que (pro in) Pa2. ^) commonemus Pa2; c est M. ®) verba frangi luque imagines om. Rl. ^ praeciperis q. q*2; preceperis q3; ^ praecipueras Pal; perciperes Pbl. 9) est ctdd. q3. ^) fectae Q 1. <) ecclesiis Pal. Ph. M. ^) offerri P.M. ^) promittas M; permittas cet. codd. n. — Hunc locum ita exhibet Pa2: eas imagines qnaa confregisti easdem in ecclesia et haberi et offerri permittas, sicut consuetudo est antiqua. >°) populo add. Pa2. °) scriptura Pa2. ^) exibeat Pal. P) tuam conc Pa2. <l) ita P.M; omnibus Rl; modis onmibus Q. q*. ') ammoveat Pbl. *) ut po$t. eupraacr. Ph2. ^) visionem (om. ex) Pa2. 4S «) adorationem in conpunctione aspiciat Pa2. ▼) et in a. soUicius omnipotens Pal; et oret sollicite omni- potentem Pa2; ei in adorationem {m. 2 supraecr.: unius, om. cet.) M. ^) et scae trinitati Pa2. >) et om. Pa2. y) nemo Pb; nemo enim (om. ergo) M. — Quod hic sequitur in Pa2 veitutate corruptum et po$i maxima ex parte alio folio absconditum eet correctione Rl. q1; corruptione M. *) zelus (om. a) Pa2; ad zelo, eed corr. q*2.3. *») adiuvet Pal. Pbl. «) propterea Pbl. ^) dilectione 50 Pbl; dilectatio M. «) mal. hom. lib. q*2. ^ ex tua recipias corr. R 1. 8) presbyter quQdam q1. ^) sua Pb.M. i) familiarem ita tecum Pbl; familiaritatem tecum Pb2.M ^) habeas R 1. q3. 1) verba quidem tuque quia om. Pa2. "^) tota M. ») scelere Pal. °) ab his M. P) verba yidetur usque vel om. Pal. <i) aUquis P6. if. ') haberetur P6. If. ") atque grate Pal; grate ^t98 h Pb; gratis q 1. M; gratus Q 3. ^) adserat Pb. M. GREGORII I. REGISTRl hunc a° te longius expellere, yerum etiam excessus^ ipsius sacerdotali te^ zelo modis omnibus convenit resecare*, alios vero, qui pravi^ esse memorantur, patema adhor- tatione a 8ua pravitate compesce* et ad viam» stude** rectitudinis revocare. Quod si, quod absit, salubri® monitu** eos videris in nullo* proficere, et hos quoque' curabis a» te procul abicere, ne pravitates eorum ex eo, quod recipiuntur, displicere** minime videantur et* non solum ipsi^ inemendati^ remaneant, sed etiam eorum" receptione'' alii corrumpantur. Et considera^, quam et hominibus execrabile et periculosum ante Dei sit oculos, si per^ eum a quo^ plectenda' sunt crimina" nutriri* vitia videantur. Haec igitur, dilectissime " fratrum^, diligenter attende et ita agere stude, ut et^ pravos salubriter corrigas et scandalum de malorum* societatey filiorum tuorum* animis' non inducas^.