Letter 11034: A report has reached me, which I received with such shame that I could not record it without distress, that you have...

When many good things had been reported to us concerning your studies, such joy was born in our heart that we would by no means allow ourselves to refuse those things which your Fraternity had requested to be granted to you. But after this it came to us, what we cannot recall without shame, that your Fraternity expounds grammar to certain persons. This matter we took so ill, and we have so vehemently spurned it, that we turned into groaning and sadness the things that had been said before, because the praises of Christ have no place in one and the same mouth together with the praises of Jupiter. And consider for yourself how grave and abominable it is for a bishop to chant that which is not even fitting for a religious layman. And although our most beloved son Candidus the presbyter, coming afterward, when questioned closely about this matter, denied it and tried to excuse you, nevertheless it has not yet departed from our mind, because, by as much as it is execrable that this should be related of a priest, by so much it ought to be ascertained, by strict and truthful satisfaction, whether it is so or not. Hence, if after this it should be plainly proclaimed that these things which have been brought to us are false, and it should be established that you do not devote yourself to trifles and secular letters, then we both give thanks to our God, who did not permit your heart to be defiled by the blasphemous praises of abominable men, and we will, now secure and without any hesitation, treat of granting the things you ask. As for the monks whom we have sent to you together with our most beloved son Laurence the presbyter and Mellitus the abbot, to our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Augustine, we commend them to you in all things, so that, with your Fraternity giving them comfort, no delay may be able to hinder them from setting out.

Cum multa* nobis bona de vestris fuissent studiis nuntiata, ita cordi nostro est nata laetitia, ut negare ea quae sibi fratemitas vestra eoneedenda poposcerat minime pateremur** Sed post hoc pervenit ad nos, quod sine verecimdia memorare non possumus, fraternitatem tuam grammaticam quibusdam exponere. Quam rem ita mo- leste suscepimus^ ac sumus vehementius aspemati, ut ea quae prius dicta fuerant in gemitu et tristitia verteremus*', quia in uno se ore cum lovis** laudibus Christi laudes non capiunt. Et quam grave nefandumque sit episcopo® canere, quod nec laico reli- gioso conveniat, ipse considera. Et quamvis dilectissimus filius noster Candidus pres- byter' postmodum veniens hac de re suptiliter requisitus negaverit atque vos conatus fuerit excusare, de nostris tamen adhuc animis non recessit, quia quanto execrabile est hoc de sacerdote enarrari', tanto», utrum ita necne^ sit, districta et veraci oportet satisfactione cognosci. Unde si* post hoc evidenter haec quae^ ad nos perlata sunt^ falsa esse clamerint" neque vos nugis et° saecularibus litteris studere constiterit, et Deo nostro gratias agimus**, qui cor vestmm maculari blasfemis nefandomm laudibus non per- misit, et de^ concedendis quae poscitis*i securi iam et sine aliqua dubitatione tractabimus'. Monachos vero quos una cum dilectissimo filio nostro' Laurentio presbytero* et Mellito abbate * ad reverentissimum fratrem et coepiscopum nostrum Augustinum trans- misimus vobis in omnibus commendamus, ut fraternitate vestra solaciante nulla illos ad proficiscendum mora valeat impedire. XI, 34 in Utulo: Galliaue R 1. *) uiulta om. Rl. vel pateretur mproicr. q3. c) ex Tertemus corr. Rl. lobis Rl. ^) ita Rl; episcopis Q.Q*. 0 narrari Rl. 8) tanta q1.q*1; tantom q*2.3. ^) Ha qS; atrum nc (om. ita nec) Rl; utrum ita uecesse Q*.Ql. ^) ai om. Rl. XI, 34 una cerU cum seguentibus ep. tranmma per Augustini mdnachos. De Desiderio, ep. Viennensi, cf. ep. VI, 62 n. LL. III, 1 Conc. Merov. p. 178. 1) Be qua petitione agatur, ignoramtis; 9ed de paUii guadam concessione cogitari non posse censeo: cf. ep. IX, 220 n. 2. 2) Cf. ep. V, 63^ p. 357 n. 6. Adde Gregorovius 1. 1. II* p. 88 88. et Ebert, Oeseh. d. chri8(l.'lat. Literatur I p. 626, qui no8tr% et TertuUiani opiniones confert; affert etiam didL II, 1: scienter nesciua etc. 3) De Candido, rectore patrimonii GaUid, cf. ep. V, 31 p. 311 n. 3. VI, 10 n. In OaUiam non muUo post rerersus est: cf. ep. XI, 43 s. 4) Laureniius et Petrus monachus ab Augustino Eomam mtwt erant, postquam ab episcopo Arelatensi consecrattis erat, ut refert Beda, h. e. 1, 27: ef. ep. VIU, 29 n. 4; Laurentius a. 606 Augustino episcopus successit: cf. Bed. II 11 c. 4. Adde ep.8ei.Hep. XI, 41.48. 6) Bed. h.e. I^ 29: misit cum praef^tis legatariis suis plures cooperatoret ac verbi miiiiitm, in qnibiis priini et praedpni erant Mellitus, lustus, Paulinus, RufiniannB; et per eoe genenlitar «fli^flna, qiue ad cnltnm erant ac ministerium ecclesiae necessaria etc. MMio naeter ep» Z{ MMltm Augustinus a. 604 episcoputn LundomenaeM eonamrmit: ^ XI, 41. 48.