Letter 13019: My dear Julianus, I have learned something that surprised and saddened me: you have been concealing your poverty out...

To Julianus. He complains that the poverty he concealed out of modesty [was hidden from him]. For the construction of a monastery at Catana he grants ten solidi yearly. Gregory to Julianus. Receiving the writings of your Glory, I opened them gladly to read them, but I folded them up again in sorrow once I had read them through. For in them it was said that, for shame's sake, you had for a long time kept silent before me concerning the things that ought to have been said. And it is certain that he is loved less who still feels ashamed in one's presence. And I was altogether saddened, [...] because I have learned from you that I am loved less than I had reckoned. In this matter, however, you greatly restrain me, if you zealously and constantly demand that the occasions for [my heavenly] reward be provided for me. Nor ought it to be a cause of shame for you to say anything about almsgiving, even importunately, to one who, it is agreed, holds not his own goods but those of the poor for distribution. And so concerning the occasions of [such] reward you ought to have dealt freely with the bishop, even if you did not know what manner of disposition existed in me toward love of you. For since we for our part wholly love your Glory, and since we hold the place of a steward over the goods of the poor, as you know, your modesty, I confess, was greatly to be blamed. And it is for this reason that I pursue it by rebuking it with so many words: that I may drive it utterly from your heart, and that in matters of [my] reward I may have great solace from your provision. And so to your monastery, which has been built by you in the city of Catana, we have, through Adrianus the notary and rector of the patrimony, by issuing a written precept, appointed ten solidi to be given yearly; which we ask you to receive without offense, since this offering is made to you not by us, but by the blessing of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles.

AD JULIANUM. Dissimulatam ab illo ex verecundia inopiam queritur, Cons!ructlo Catane monasterio dat so0lidos anunues Gregorius Juliano. Gloriz vesire scripta 8uscipiens, legenda lztus aperui, sed tristis perlecta replicavi. In eis quippe dicebatur quod pudoris causa fuerit mibij vos ea que dicenda erant tempore longo tacuisse. Et certum est quia minus amatur qui adhuc erubescitur. Atque omnimodo contristatus sum, 1 YZY quia we a vo- bis comperi minus quam zslimayerim amari. [n hoc autem valde * me continetis, si mercedis causas mihi assidue providendas sludiese requiritis, Nec vo- bis debet esse verecundiz ei aliquid de eleemosynis importune dicere, quem constat non res $uas, ed ad dispensandum res pauperum habere. De causis itaque > mercedis apud episcopum libere agere de- buislis, etiamsi meum animum qualis in amore ve- stro existeret nesciretis. Postquam enim et nos om- nino gloriam vesiram diligimus, et dispensatoris locum in rebus, sicut scitis, pauperum tenemus, ve- s$tra, ſateor, verecundia valde accusabilis ſuit. Quam ideo tot verbis increpando insequor, ut hanec a corde vestro ſunditus repellam, et in mercedis causis ma- gnum $0latium vesirz provisionis habeam. Monasle- rio ilaque vestro, quod a vobis in Catanensi urbe constructum «<©5st, per Adrianum notarium et rectorem patrimonii, emissa precepli pagina, decem annuos s0lidos dari deputavimus, quos petimus sine injuria SuSCipi, quia non bac vobis nostra oblatio, sed san- cti Petri apostolorum principis benedictio offer- tur ©.