Letter 102: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Hormisdas to Bishop Germanus, the deacons Felix and Dioscorus, and the presbyter Blandus. The so long-continued silence of your affection saddens our hearts, as does your absence over so great a span of time, especially since the magnificent man, the patrician Symmachus, and the illustrious man, Romanus, master of the soldiers, the sons of our [son], promised us the return of your charity without delay; and we do not know whether the nature of the proceedings there, or perhaps some pretended deceit, detains you under the guise of necessity, for, although we bear our anxiety without ceasing and have questioned almost all the men of those parts, things differing and dissimilar are reported to us. And therefore, since you can better grasp and understand and recognize the causes of so great a delay, you ought to have signified to us these matters over which our spirit is tormented; or, if there is a sufficient cause for the delay, as was established, one of your number ought to have been sent to us. Hence, lest perhaps through cunning or some contrivance delay and impediments be created for you, write to us speedily, so that, under a reasonable arrangement, in accordance with your request, we may direct it to our son the most clement emperor. Therefore write back to us about everything fully and in detail, both concerning the persons and concerning the cause of the faith, for which you are long detained, as to what is being done, so that, with all things known, by the favor of our God we may treat how mercy may be able to come to the aid of your persons and of the very cause whose matter is being conducted. Given on the Ides of July, in the consulship of Rusticius, most distinguished man.

HORjnSDA GERMANO EPISCOPO FELICI ET DIOSCORO DIACONIS ET 5 BLANDO PRESBYTERO. Animos uostros tam diuturnum dilecti- onis uestrae silentium' ut tantorum temporum contristat absentia, praecipue cum uir magnificus patricius Symmachus et uir illustris Komanus magister militum filii nostri reditura apud nos caritatis uestrae sine dilatione promiserint, et lo ignoramus, utrum illic causarum qualitas an certe fraus aliqua simulata sub necessitate detineat, quia nobis sollicitudinem sine cessatione gerentibus et paene uniuorsos partium illarum 2 homines percontantibus diuersa et dissimilia nuntiantur. et ideo, quoniam causas tantae tarditatis uos melius deprehendere is et intellegere potestis atque cognoscere, significare nobis ista, de quibus noster cruciatur animus, debuistis, uel si est causa dilationis idonea, sicut constitutum est, aliquem de uestris 3 ad nos oportuerat destinari. unde ne forsitan per uersutias aut aliquam concinnationem uobis dilatio et impedimenta 20 generentur, sub celeritate nobis scribite, ut sub rationabili ordinatione pro uestra repetitione ad filium nostrum impera- 4 torem clementissimum dirigamus. ergo tam circa . personas quam de causa fidei, pro qua diu moramini, quid geratur, instructe atque plenissime nobis uniuersa rescribite, ut omnibus cognitis deo nostro fauente tractemus, quemadmodum personis uestris et causae ipsius, cuius res agitur, possit misericordia subuenire. Data Id. lul. Rusticio u. c. cons. 3 rustico V instruite 0' 28 ii ik rustico V Epist. CCXXVIll 2 — CCXXX 4. 695