Letters, Part 2
Letters, Part 2
continued
Letters 81-91 — LETTER LXXXV.
1 S. Ambrose thanks Siricius for sending him letters by the Presbyter Syrus, whose speedy return he promises. AMBROSE TO SIRICIUS. 1. I am always pleased to receive a letter from you, but when you also send to me some of our fellow servants, as |474 you have now given our brother and co-presbyter Syrus a letter to me, my joy is doubled. I would however that this pleasure had been more lasting; for as soon as he had arrived he thought he must return, and this diminished my regret and added greatly to my estimation of him. 2. For I love those presbyters and deacons who when they have performed their mission will not allow themselves to remain absent any longer from their duties. For the prophet says, I have not been weary in following thee. And who can be weary in following Jesus, when He Himself says, Come unto Me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Let us therefore never cease from following Jesus, which if we do we shall never fail, for He gives strength to them that follow Him. The more nearly you approach to the Source of power the stronger you will be.
2 3. Often, while we are thus following Him, the adversaries say to us, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now. But let us not grow weary in following Him, let us not be turned aside by meeting with this crafty question. It was said to the prophet, when he was thrown into prison, when he was cast into the pit of mire, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now. But he followed him so much the more, and therefore attained the prize, and received the crowd; for following Jesus he was not weary; for there is no weariness in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be in Israel. Farewell; love me, for I love one who loves me, and whom I regard as a father.
Letters 81-91 — LETTER LXXXVI.
S. Ambrose speaks briefly in praise of Priscus. AMBROSE TO SIRICIUS. 1. When Priscus, my friend and co-equal in age, was coming here, you gave him a letter to me, and now that |475 he is returning I give him the reply which I send both to duty and affection. By this service he has recompensed us both, for he has given me yours, and you mine, and therefore ought to reag the reward of this his service by an increase of favour. Farewell, my brother; love me, for I love you.
Letters 81-91 — LETTER LXXXVII.
1 A Letter of commendation. AMBROSE TO BISHOPS SEGATIUS AND DELPHINUS. 1. My son Polybius, on his return from Africa, where he discharged the duties of the proconsulship with credit, passed some days with us, and inspired my heart with singular affection towards him. 2. Then, when he wished to go from hence, he requested me to write to both of you. I promised to do so, and having dictated a letter delivered it to him superscribed with both your names. He asked for another; but I said that I had directed this to both of you according to our custom and usage, forasmuch as your holy minds are gratified not by the number of letters but by the association of names, and that, united as you were in feeling, you would not allow yourselves to be separated in name; farther, that to employ this compendious form of love was a prescribed part of my duty.
2 3. Why need I say more? He asked for another, and I gave it, but so as neither to deny him what he asked, nor to change my accustomed mode of action. Thus he has a letter to deliver to each of you, for this was all he put forward, his having nothing for one, when he had delivered his letter to the other. And this office of undivided affection I may render to you without any danger of offence, or thought of division; especially since this form of writing is Apostolical, so that either one may write to many as Paul to the Galatians, or two to one, as we read, Paul a |476 Prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon. Health to you; love me and pray for me, for I love you.
Letters 81-91 — LETTER LXXXVIII.
A friendly letter of commendation of Priscus. AMBROSE TO ATTICUS. 1. You entrusted my friend Priscus with a letter, which he delivered to me, and I now give mine in turn to Priscus. Continue to love Priscus, as you do, and even more than before; this I advise, because I also value my Priscus highly. For I feel towards him that ancient love, which from our childhood upwards has grown together with our years; but it is long since I saw him before, so that not only in name but from so long an interval of time he came to me as truly Priscus. Farewell: love me your lover, for I also love you.
Letters 81-91 — LETTER LXXXIX.
A brief acknowledgement of letters. AMBROSE TO ALYPIUS. 1. Antiochus, a man of consular rank, delivered to me your Excellency's letter; nor did I neglect to reply to it; for I sent you a letter by my own messenger, and another occasion having offered, I sent, if I mistake not, a second. But since the offices of friendship are rather, I think, to be added to than balanced; it became my duty, especially on his return who had laid upon me such a debt of obligation by your letters, to make some return in the way of my own correspondence, that so I might stand clear with both of you, and he with you, bound as he was to bring you back what he had brought from you. Farewell; love me, who love you. |477
Letters 81-91 — LETTER XC.
1 S. Ambrose dwells on the mutual love of himself and Antonius. AMBROSE TO ANTONIUS. 1. You never are silent in regard of me, nor ought I ever to complain of being neglected by your silence, knowing that I am not absent from your thoughts. For since you bestow that which is the most precious, how can you withhold that which many others receive, not so much from any habitual affection as from an interchange of civility. 2. And even from my own feelings I can judge in turn of yours, and these lead me to believe that I am never absent from you, nor you from me, so closely are our souls united. Nor do I feel as if we ever required each others' letters, for I daily converse with you as if present in body, turning towards you my eyes, my affections, and all my regards. 3. In such things as these I delight to cope with you; for, to speak openly with one who is inseparable from my heart, your letters make me ashamed. I beg therefore that you will cease to be always returning me thanks, for my services to you have their highest reward, if I may believe I have not been wanting in my duty towards you.
2 Farewell; love me, for I also love you.
Letters 81-91 — LETTER XCI.
A graceful letter of affection. AMBROSE TO HIS BROTHER CANDIDIANUS. 1. Great is the beauty of your language, but that of your love is still more apparent, for your letters manifest to me the bright colours of your mind, blessed and most dear brother. The Lord give you His Grace and Blessing, |478 for in your letters I recognize your good wishes rather than my good deserts. For what merits of mine can equal such commendations as yours? Love me, my brother, for I love you. [Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered. Marginal biblical references and running headings omitted] 1. It seems necessary to the sense here to insert 'quae' before 'obtexerent.' 2. v. c. here is an abbreviation for vir clarissimus, a title of official rank, see note in p. 101. 3. laetus