Letter 124: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[Heading] Likewise, a rescript of the Senate of the city of Rome to Anastasius Augustus, by the hands of Theopompus and Severianus, men of clarissimus [most distinguished] rank. [Editorial summary] That they have willingly obeyed his commands, with Theodoric assenting, so that the pope might be asked on behalf of peace. How great a zeal for peace the embassy displayed. How unjust it would be, for the sake of one man, Acacius, to withdraw from charity (sec. 1). Finally, that the Senate exhorts the emperor himself, as one who is procuring the unity of the churches (sec. 2). 1. If devotion, when examined by those who govern peoples, is always reckoned of first importance, unconquered emperor; if the favor of lords alone is won by obedience: you will recognize without doubt with how great rejoicing the oracles of your sacred command were received by your senate, especially since to this there was added the will of our lord, the most invincible king Theodoric, your son, enjoining obedience to your commands [...]; and so we were then raised up the more above all your benefits, than [...] you have believed those to whom command ought to be given. Soon, therefore, [zealous] to fulfill the desire of your sacred command, we believed that the most blessed pope Hormisdas should be entreated; of whom it is too little to say that he yielded to the prayers of the suppliants out of his kindness; but he even joined his own prayers with ours, that what you urge might come to pass, showing forth his will by asserting it with evangelical testimonies, [...] that above the multitude of his own sins he was [grieved] by the scandals, since this is the voice of the Lord: Woe to the world because of scandals [Matt. 18:7]; [...] for men to cut off the offending part of the members [Matt. 18:8], so that, by not renouncing scandals, they be not sent into eternal fire. But after this he showed, by examples of the divine reading, how good are the fruits of peace, when he said: that even the apostle Paul, full of the grace of God, nevertheless found nothing better, among the things he rightly desired, which he might wish, than that the peace of God, which is above all excellence, should abound in our hearts [Phil. 4:7]; and that in the Gospel of the Lord there is this voice of the one who says: For the peacemakers shall be called the sons of God [Matt. 5:9]. And again, returning to that same teacher of all the Scriptures, he showed how much greater charity is than the very faith by which we lay claim to the heavenly kingdoms and by which, in believing, we are saved from the torments of sins, adding this testimony: Hope, faith, charity, but the greatest of all is charity [1 Cor. 13:13]. The same Spirit, by the gift of the divine grace, empties charity of all the virtues, not [1 Cor. 13:1] possessing them. Therefore, if we both avoid scandals because of the punishment, and pursue peace because of the goods of peace, and if Christ, who is charity, exhorts us to charity, what is it then that holds back those who hasten with catholic ardor? What is it that hinders, in the person of the offending Acacius, those who wish to see Christ? What is it that those who are free are burdened by another's error? Although these matters have been more fully set forth in the rescripts of the venerable pope, nevertheless we believed that, out of the obedience of our devotion, they should be set down, lest we be thought not to have asked, by hiding away the answer which we received as we entreated. 2. Accordingly, most pious emperor, the Senate, provoked by the clemency of your serenity, has added these things in its own name: that you may be known to be as kindly in disposition toward the restoring of the unity of the Church as you were toward the harmonizing of both commonwealths. For just as that peace of kingdoms is known to profit only the subjects, so this peace of religion profits the ruler together with his people. For indeed, who would not judge that the followers of perfidious heresies have sinned more (a. 516) than those very authors themselves who erred? Who, after the gibbet of the cross, would not condemn those who again divide the members of Christ? Would that this cause had already begun while you were reigning, so that growing evils might be more easily checked than full-grown ones! For who would doubt that that error could not have existed, whose correction he would have seen brought about in his own times?

seu ^^^ P* Besoriptum senatus urbis Bomae ad AnastaBium Angottu per Theopompum et Severianum viros olariflaimos. Jussis ejus Theotlorico annuente se Uhenter paruisse^ ut papam pro paee ^ caretur. Quantutn pacis studium prtte se tulerit litfrmistia, Quam iniqMMm pro unius Acticii memoria a caritate recetiere (n. 1). Denique senatus Am sium ipsum ati unitatem ecciesiarum procurantitun itortaiur («.2). 1. Si prima semper est, imperator invicte, a regentibQ8 plicum spectata devotio^ si sola gratia dominorum conciliatoi sequio; indubitanter agnosces^ sacrae jussionis oracula quantai tus vestri fuerint gratulatione suscepta, maxime quum ad b animus domini nostri invictissimi regis Theodorici filii vestri datomm vestrorum obedientiam praecipientis accederet *), et st super onmia beneficia vestra tunc magis nos erigi^ qunm creditiS; quibus debeat imperari. Mox igitur sacrae studio y implendae beatissimum papam Hormisdam credidimns deprec de quo parum est dicere^ quia vota supplicantium benignita cessit; sed et nobiscum suas preces, ut quod hortamini fiat, evangelicis volmitatem suam testimoniis adserendo, ostend^ dum supra multitudinem peceatorum suonim scandalis pl i^^**xQ tum, dum vox sit ista dominica: Vae mundo a scandalit, ^ Ed. unitas ... redtiite, Severianum, quos Anafitasius exeunto Julio mense anni 616 in Urlj fuiBse destinatam; 2. legatos illos, utpote iaicos ad eas res, prc spect^batur legatio, tractandas atque componendas minus idor ipse epist. 22 n. 2 notat exBtitisse; adeoque niliil fuisse, cur eoe mae diutius detineret. Qnocirca veri ost simillimum, eos eoden tinopolim remeasso: atque adeo epistolam hanc cum sequente, lata cst, i^etro consule, hoo est anno r>l(j post Augustum mer dam esse. 14 *) Ita G' c* c' c"'; at a' b praecipiantes asci*ndcrct. EPISTOLAE 13. 14. 769 K>rteTe homines scandalizantmm 'partem^) membrorum abscidere^{^.b\^.) utm ui m ignem non renuntiando scandalis mitianiur aetemtm. Sed i post haec divinae lectionis exemplis, quam boni sint fructus Gtcis^ ostendit quum diceret: et apostolum Paulum gratia Dei ple- uin, nihil tamen quibus bene cupiebat, quod optaret, melius inve- isse, nisi wi pax Dei, quae esi supra omnem excelleniiam, in ^orww Phil.4,7. msitnis abundarei; quodque^) in evangelio Domini sit vox ista di- eutis : Quoniam paciftci fiiii Dei vocabuntur, Et iterum ad ipsum ^^^^- lcripturarum omnium revertendo doctorem, quanto ipsa vel fide, qua t coelestia regna praesumimus et a peccatorum cruciatibus credendo lalvamur, caritas sit major, ostendit, testimonium tale subjicieus: ^pes, fides, cariias, major autem omnium cariias, Idem^) Spiritus, 13,13. ^atia donante divina, caritatem virtutibus omnibus evacuat non ^ ^^^- ' . 13 1 tiabentes. Ergo, si et propter poenam scandala declinamus, et pa- ' 3ein propter pacis bona sectamur, et ad caritatem nos, qui est cari- tas, Christus hortatur; quid est enim^), quod retinet catholico ardore festinos? Quid est, quod delinquentis^) Acacii impedit volentes Chri- stnm videre persona? Quid est, quod a suo liberi alieno gravantur errore? Haec quum venerabilis papae latius fuerint expedita rescri- ptis, pro nostrae tamen obsequio credidimus devotionis indenda, ne non rogasse putaremur recondendo") responsum, quod accepimus deprecantes. 2. Proinde, piissime imperator, haec suo iiomine senatus sere- aitatis tuae clementia^) provocatus adjunxit, ut animo quam benigno ^ utraque republica concordanda fuisti, tam esse pio in Ecclesiae J^^integranda unitate noscaris. Nam ut pax illa regnorum tantum scitur prodesse subjectis, sic^) haec religionis cuin populo suo pro- ^cit imperanti. Eteiiim quis non haeresum perfidarum sequaces plus ') b cc parles. Mox G' a' omitt. abscidere. Hic more veteribus satis usi- ^to (conf. Bupra epist. 8) particula potius reticetur. ') G* a* quamquam in. •) a* clemenliae. Mox h cc ut qui animo^ addito qui, quod elegantius abest |> G' a'. Uoc enim sibi vult: ut animo tam esse pio in Ecclesiae redintegranda nitaie noscaris, quam fuisti benigno in utraque republica concordanda, quum scili- et Theodorico pacem imperium inter et Italiae regnum petenti annuit. ») G' a' si hacc. Tum vocem pa.v. subaudiri nemo non advertit. KPI8TOIME ROMAN. PONTIF. I, 49 (a. 516.) quam ipsos deliquisse putet auctores? Quis non post patibulmn crucis dividentes iterum Christi membra condemnet? Utinam haec jam vobis reguantibus causa coepisset^ ut facilius mala reprimeren- tur nascentia quam provecta! Nam quis ambigat, non potuisse ejns exsistere, cujus corrigi temporibus videret errorem?'®)