Delphi Complete Works of Sidonius Apollinaris, page 108
[3] hoccine meruerunt inopia flamma, ferrum pestilentia, pingues caedibus gladii et macri ieiuniis proeliatores? propter huius tam 1 inclitae pacis expectationem avulsas muralibus rimis herbas in cibum traximus, crebro per ignorantiam venenatis graminibus infecti, quae indiscretis foliis sucisque viridantia saepe manus fame concolor legit? pro his tot tantisque devotionis experimentis nostri,1 quantum audio, facta iactura est?
[3] And this is to be our reward for braving destitution, fire, sword, and pestilence, for fleshing our swords in the enemy’s blood and going ourselves starved into battle. This, then, is the famous peace we dreamed of, when we tore the grass from the crannies in the walls to eat; when in our ignorance we often by mistake ate poisonous weeds, indiscriminately plucking them with livid hands of starvation, hardly less green than they. For all these proofs of our devotion, it would seem that we are to be made a sacrifice.
[4] pudeat vos, precamur, huius foederis, nec utilis nec decori, per vos legationes meant; vobis primum pax quamquam principe absente non solum tractata reseratur, verum etiam tractanda committitur, veniabilis sit, quaesumus, apud aures vestras veritatis asperitas, cui convicii invidiam dolor eripit, parum in commune consulitis; et, cum in concilium convenitis, non tam curae est 2 publicis mederi periculis quam privatis studere fortunis; quod utique saepe diuque facientes iam non primi comprovincialium coepistis esse, sed ultimi.
[4] If it be so, may you live to blush for a peace without either honour or advantage. For you are the channel through which negotiations are conducted. When the king is absent, you not only see the terms of peace, but new proposals are brought before you. I ask your pardon for telling you hard truths; my distress must take all colour of abuse from what I say. You think too little of the general good; when you meet in council, you are less concerned to relieve public perils than to advance private fortunes. By the long repetition of such acts you begin to be regarded as the last instead of the first among your fellow provincials.
[5] at quousque istae poterunt durare praestigiae? non enim diutius ipsi maiores nostri hoc nomine gloriabuntur, qui minores incipiunt non habere, quapropter vel consilio, quo potestis, statum concordiae tam turpis incidite. adhuc, si necesse est, obsideri, adhuc pugnare, adhuc esurire delectat, si vero tradimur, qui non potuimus viribus obtineri, invenisse vos certum est quid barbarum suaderetis 1 ignavi.
[5] But how long are these feats of yours to last? Our ancestors will cease to glory in the name of Rome if they have no longer descendants to bear their memory. Oh, break this infamous peace at any cost; there are pretexts enough to your hand. We are ready, if needs must, to continue the struggle and to undergo more sieges and starvations. But if we are to be betrayed, we whom force failed to conquer, we shall know beyond a doubt that a barbarous and cowardly transaction was inspired by you.
[6] sed cur dolori nimio frena laxamus? quin potius ignoscite afflictis nec imputate maerentibus. namque alia regio tradita servitium sperat, Arverna supplicium, sane si medicari nostris ultimis non valetis, saltem hoc efficite prece sedula, ut sanguis vivat, quorum est moritura libertas; parate exulibus terram, capiendis redemptionem, viaticum peregrinaturis. si murus noster aperitur hostibus, non sit clausus vester hospitibus, memor nostri esse dignare, domine papa.
[6] But it little avails to give the rein to passionate sorrow; you must make allowance for us in our affliction, nor too nicely weigh the language of despair. The other conquered regions have only servitude to expect; Auvergne must prepare for punishment. If you can hold out no help in our extremity, seek to obtain of Heaven by your unceasing prayers that though our liberty be doomed, our race at least may live. Provide land for the exile, prepare a ransom for the captive, make provision for the emigrant. If our own walls must offer an open breach to the enemy, let yours be never shut against your friends. Deign to hold me in remembrance, my Lord Bishop.
* Partly translated by Fertig, Part ii, p. 16.
Sidonius Domino Papae Euphronio salutem
VIII.
To the Lord Bishop Euphronius A. D. 472
[1] Quandoquidem me clericalis officii vincula ligant, felicissimum mediocritatis meae statum pronuntiarem, si nobis haberentur quam territoria vicina tam moenia, de minimis videlicet rebus coronam tuam maximisque consulerem, fieretque actionum mearum quasi cuiuspiam fluvii placidus 1 cursus atque inoffensus, si e tractatu 2 tuo veluti ex saluberrimo fonte manaret. procul dubio tunc ille non esset aut spumosus per iactantiam aut turbidus per superbiam aut caenosus per conscientiam aut praeceps per iuventutem, quin potius in illo squalidum si quid ac putre sorderet, totum id ad-mixta consilii tui vena dilueret.
[1] I AM now held in the bonds of my clerical duty, but I should regard my undistinguished position as a veritable blessing if only the walls of our cities were as near as the borders of their territories. If that might only be, I should consult your holiness on all things small and great; my activities would flow like a placid and untroubled stream, could they but rise from your converse as from a life-giving spring. They should never know the froth of vain conceit, or the turbid course of pride, or the muddiness of a bad conscience, or the falls of headstrong youth; if defilement and corruption were found in them, they should be washed clean by the clear vein of your counsel.
[2] sed quoniam huiuscemodi votis spatia sunt longa interposita praepedimento, sedulo precor, ut consulentem de scrupulo incursae ambiguitatis expedias et, quia Simplicium, spectabilem virum, episcopum sibi flagitat populus Biturix ordinari, quid super tanto debeam negotio facere, decernas. huius es namque vel erga me dignationis vel erga reliquos auctoritatis, ut si quid fieri voles (voles autem quicquid aequissimum est), non suadere tam debeas quam iubere.
[2] But alas! the distance that divides us prevents the fulfilment of these desires; I therefore beg you to send a representative to advise on a perplexing question which has arisen here. The inhabitants of Bourges demand the consecration of the admirable Simplicius as their bishop; I want your decision in the matter. Your consideration for me, and your authority over others, are such that you need never press your views; you have simply to indicate your will, which is sure to coincide with justice.
[3] de quo tamen Simplicio scitote narrari plurima bona, atque ea quidem a plurimis bonis, quae testimonia mihi prima fronte conloquii non satis grata, quia satis gratiosa, iudicabantur. at postquam aemulos eius nihil vidi amplius quam silere, atque eos maxume, qui fidem fovent Arianorum, neque quippiam nominato, licet necdum nostrae professions, inlicitum opponi, animum adverti exactis-simum virum posse censeri, de quo civis malus loqui, bonus tacere non posset.
[3] I must tell you that of Simplicius all good is spoken, and by the best men in the city. At first I was inclined to view this testimony with little favour; it seemed to me to suggest favouritism. But when I observed that his rivals could find nothing better to do than to hold their tongues, especially those of the Arian persuasion; when I saw that no irregularity could be alleged to his discredit, though he is only a candidate and not yet in orders, I came to the conclusion that a man against whom the bad citizen could say nothing and on whose behalf the good could never say enough must be regarded as almost a perfect character.
[4] sed cur ego istaec 1 ineptus adieci, tamquam darem consilium qui poposci? quin potius omnia ex vestro nutu arbitrio litterisque disponentur sacerdotibus, popularibus manifestabuntur. neque enim ita desipimus in totum, ut evocandum te primum, si venire possibile est, deinde, si quid sequius, 2 certe consulendum decerneremus, nisi in omnibus obsecuturi. memor nostri esse dignare, domine papa.
[4] But how foolish I am to make these comments, as if I were giving advice in place of asking it! The clergy will act in accordance with the decision contained in your letter; the people will acclaim it in the same spirit. We are not altogether irrational; we should not have decided to secure, if possible, your present aid, or if not, your advice, unless we had made up our minds to follow your counsel in all things. Deign to hold me in remembrance, my Lord Bishop.
Sidonius Domino Papae Perpetuo salutem
IX.
To the Lord Bishop Perpetuus* A. D. 472
[1] Desiderio spiritalium lectionum, quarum 3 tibi tam per authenticos quam per disputatores byblio-theca fidei catholicae 4 perfamiliaris est, etiam illa, quae maxume 5 tuarum scilicet aurium minime digna sunt occupare censuram, noscere cupis; siquidem iniungis, ut orationem, quam 1 videor 2 ad plebem Biturigis in ecclesia sermocinatus, tibi dirigam; cui non rhetorica partitio, non oratoriae minae,3 non grammaticales figurae congruentem decorem disciplinamque suppeditaverunt.
[1] YOUR ardour for religious books has given you a most intimate acquaintance with everything written for the Catholic faith, whether by the Canonical authors or by the controversialists. You are even curious about productions unworthy the honour of your attention; for instance, you now wish me to send a copy of my public address delivered in the church at Bourges, an oration without the orthodox rhetorical divisions, or emphasis, or figures of speech to lend it a proper style and dignity.
[2] neque enim illic, ut exacte perorantibus mos est, aut pondera historica aut poetica schemata scintillasve controversalium clausularum libuit aptari. nam cum me partium seditiones studia varietates in diversa raptarent, sic dictandi mihi materiam suggerebat iniuria, quod tempus occupatio subtrahebat. etenim tanta erat turba competitorum, ut cathedrae unius numerosissimos candidatos nec duo recipere scamna potuissent, omnes placebant sibi, omnes omnibus displicebant.
[2] It has none of the qualities of a finished eloquence; the weight of historical allusion, the enrichment of poetical quotation, the sparkling points of dialectic had all to be abandoned. I was distracted by the rancorous intrigues of the various factions; my mission occupied all my time; the abuses before my eyes were the one and only subject for my pen. So great was the company of the competitors, that two benches would not have held the candidates for the single vacant throne. And every one of these was as pleased with himself as he was critical of all his rivals.
[3] neque [enim] 4 valuissemus aliquid in commune consulere, nisi iudicii sui faciens plebs lenita iacturam sacerdotali se potius iudicio subdidisset, presbyterorum sane paucis angulatim fringultientibus, porro autem palam ne mussitantibus quidem, quia plerique non minus suum quam reliquos ordines pertimescebant. igitur, dum publice totos singuli cavent, factum est, ut omnes non aspernanter audirent quod deinceps ambienter exponerent. 1
[3] If the people had not grown reasonable, and subordinated their judgement to that of the bishops, there would have been little chance of effecting anything. As it was, one saw small groups of priests whispering together in corners, though not a word was uttered openly, most of them being just as afraid of their own order as of every other. The result was that every one was suspicious of his neighbour; all were induced to hear our proposals without too much difficulty, and afterwards to explain them in their turn to others.
[4] itaque paginam sume subditis voluminibus ad-iunctam, quam duabus vigiliis unius noctis aestivae Christo teste dictatam plurimum vereor ne ipsi amplius lectioni, quae hoc de se probat, quam mihi credas, memor nostri esse dignare, domine papa. CONTIO
[4] Here, then, I append the address. It was written in two vigils of a single summer night, under no eyes but those of Christ; my haste is, I fear, too obvious from internal evidence for you to need my assurance that it existed.
ADDRESS.*
[5] Refert historia saecularis, dilectissimi, quendam philosophorum discipulis advenientibus prius tacendi patientiam quam loquendi monstrasse doctrinam et sic incipientes quosque inter disputantium consectaneorum cathedras mutum sustinuisse quinquennium, ut etiam celeriora quorumpiam ingenia non liceret ante laudari quam deceret agnosci. ita fiebat, ut eosdem post longam taciturnitatem locutos quisque audire coeperat, non taceret 2 quia, donec scientiam natura combiberit, non maior est gloria dixisse quod noveris quam siluisse quod nescias.
[5] Secular history relates, beloved brethren, that a certain philosopher used to teach new pupils the discipline of keeping silence before the art of speaking. They had to sit through five mute years listening to the disputations of their fellow students echoing all round them, and not even the quickest brains were allowed to anticipate the proper hour of recognition. When, after that long repression these pupils spoke at last, the audience could not repress applause; for until the mind is steeped with knowledge there is less credit in displaying what you know than in holding your peace on things of which you are ignorant.
[6] at nunc mediocritatem meam manet longe diversa condicio, cui per suspiriosas voragines et flagitiorum volutabra gradienti professionis huiusce pondus impactum est; et prius quam ulli bonorum reddam discentis obsequium, cogor debere ceteris docentis officium, adicitur huic inpossibilitati pondus pudoris, quod mihi peculiariter paginae decretalis oblatu pontificis eligendi mandastis arbitrium coram sacrosancto et pontificatu maximo dignissimo papa; qui cum sit suae provinciae caput, sit etiam mihi usu institutione, facundia privilegio, tempore aetate praestantior, ego deque coramque metropolitano verba facturus, et provincialis et iunior, pariter fero inmeriti verecundiam, procacis invidiam.
[6] Far other is the position of the indifferent orator who now addresses you. While he yet walked among lamentable pitfalls and wallowing-places of sin, the heavy charge of the sacred calling was laid upon him; and without ever having himself rendered a disciple’s duty to a master of repute, he has himself to play the teacher of other men. That task is in itself impossible enough; it is made heavier by the diffidence which I feel at having been selected by your decretal letter to choose you a bishop, while all the time I see before me a saintly prelate worthy of the highest of pontifical thrones, one who stands at the head of his province, and is my superior in everything, in experience, in training, in eloquence, in prestige, in seniority, and in years. Speaking thus as a junior and provincial bishop, before one metropolitan on the election of another, I am doubly embarrassed by my lack of qualification, and by the odium of presumption which I may well incur.
[7] sed quoniam vestro sic libitum errori, ut ipse prudentia carens prudentem vobis, in cuiusque personam bona multa concurrant, sub ope Christi episcopum exquiram, noveritis huiusmodi assensu multum me honoris, plus oneris excipere, primore loco grandem publicae opinionis sarcinam penditote, quod iniunxistis incipienti consummata iudicia atque ab hoc rectum consilii tramitem postulatis,1 in quo recolitis adhuc nuper erratum, igitur quia vobis id fuit cordi, obsecro, ut quales nos fide creditis, tales intercessione faciatis atque dignemini humilitatem no- stram orationibus potius in caelum ferre quam plausibus.
[7] The responsibility, however, rests on you, since you have been rash enough to impose upon one deficient in wisdom the task of finding you, with God’s aid, a bishop wiser than himself, and combining in a single person a host of different virtues: you must be well aware that honourable though the task may be, it is yet more clearly onerous. I would have you in the first instance reflect to what a crushing burden of criticism you subject me, requiring a perfected judgement from a beginner, and right guidance from one who hitherto has shown you nothing but his fallibility. Since, however, this has been your will, I entreat your prayers, that I may really become all that you now suppose me to be, and that if I am to be exalted to the skies, it may be not by your plaudits but by your supplications.
[8] primum tamen nosse vos par est, in quas me obloquiorum Scyllas et in quos linguarum, sed humanarum, latratus quorundam vos infamare conantum turbo coniecerit. est enim haec quaedam vis malis moribus, .ut innocentiam multitudinis devenustent scelera paucorum, cum tamen e diverso bonorum raritas flagitia multorum nequeat excusare virtutibus communicatis.
[8] But first you ought to know on what Scylla-rocks of slander, on what barking mouths (alas! that they should be human) I have been driven by the tempestuous fury of those who seek to bring you into discredit. Evil manners have this power: they allow the offences of the few to disfigure the innocence of the multitude, whereas the good are too rare to communicate their virtues to the many, and so to palliate their crimes.
[9] si quempiam nomina-vero monachorum, quamvis illum, Paulis Antoniis, Hilarionibus Macariis conferendum, sectatae anachoreseos praerogativa comitetur, aures ilico meas incondita tumultu circumstrepitas 1 ignobilium pumilionum murmur everberat conquerentum: ‘hic qui nominatur,’ inquiunt, ‘non episcopi, sed potius abbatis complet officium et intercedere magis pro animabus apud caelestem quam pro corporibus apud terrenum iudicem potest.’ sed quis non exacerbescat, cum videat sordidari virtutum sinceritatem criminatione vitiorum?
[9] If I name a monk to you, were his austerities to rival those of a Paul, an Antony, a Hilarion, or a Macarius, my ears will at once be deafened by the confused outcries of ignoble pygmies who will object in these terms: ‘The man you nominate is trained not for a bishop’s but for an abbot’s work, and better fitted to intercede for souls before the celestial Judge than for their bodies before the judges of this world.’ Now who could keep his patience, hearing singleness of heart besmirched by such imputation of imaginary defects?
[10] si eligimus humilem, vocatur abiectus: si proferimus erectum, superbire censetur; si minus institutum, propter imperitiam creditur inridendus: si aliquatenus doctum, propter scientiam clamatur inflatus; si severum, tamquam crudelis horretur: si indulgentem, facilitate culpatur; si simplicem, despicitur ut brutus: si acrem, vitatur ut calidus; 1 si diligentem, superstitiosus decernitur: si remissum, neglegens iudicatur; si sollertem, cupidus: si quietum, pronuntiatur ignavus; si abstemium producimus, avarus accipitur: si eum qui prandendo pascat, edacitatis impetitur: si eum qui pascendo ieiunet, vanitatis arguitur.
[10] If we choose one distinguished for humility, he will be called an abject; if, on the other hand, we propose a man with self-respect, he will be set down as arrogant; if our choice be one of small learning, his ignorance will make him fair game; if he be erudite, he will be declared conceited. If he is austere, all will shrink from an inhuman creature; if indulgent, they will blame his lenience. If he is simple, he will be an oaf; if clever, a sly fellow. Is he diligent? he must be superstitious. Is he easy-going? he stands convicted of negligence. Does he love a quiet life? he is a coward. If our candidate is abstemious, he becomes a skinflint; if charitable with hospitality, a glutton; if with fasting, one vain of his austerities.
