http://archive.org/stream/selectlettersofs00jerouoft/selectlettersofs00jerouoft_djvu.txtTHE LOEB L!""#!L L#B$!$% ETE& B% T. E. '!(E) L#TT.&. Lo*do* + + ,#LL#!- HE#.E-!.. .e/ %or0 + + + (. '1T.!-2" "O." B$ Hiero*3**is) "ai*t 4560 "elect letters of "t. 78- 7erome 49:: 'ri*ted i* (reat Britai* 1.#;E$"#T% O< TO$O.TO L#B$!$% L= !d Heliodorum Epitaphium .epotia*i (ra*des materias i*ge*ia parva *o* su>eru*t et i* ipso co*atu ultra vires ausa succum?u*t@ Aua*toAue mai*s fuerit) Auod dice*dum est) ta*to magis o?ruitur) Aui mag*itudi*em rerum ver?is *o* potest explicare. .epotia*us meus) tuus) *oster) immo hristi) et Auia hristi) idcirco plus *oster) reliAuit se*es et desiderii sui iaculo vul*eratos i*tolera?ili dolore co*fecit. Buem heredem puta+ vimus) fu*us te*emus. ui iam meum suda?it i*ge*ium C ui litterulae placere gestie*t C 1?i est ille Dp3o"i,ETfFG *oster et c3g*eo ca*ore vox dulcior C "tupet a*imus) ma*us tremit) caliga*t oculi) li*gua ?al?utit. BuidAuid dixero) Auia ille *o* audiet) G !t o*e time a mo*0) later a* oppo*e*t of hristia* asceticism. 'ammachius se*t a cop3 of his /or0 to 7erome at Bethlehem a*d 7erome2s a*s/er to it /as /ritte* i* :9:. 6HI LETTE$ L#; !.& LETTE$ L= 6H8 "ELET LE#TE$" O< "T. 7E$O-E mutum videtur. "tilus ipse Auasi se*tie*s et cera su?tristior vel ru?igi*e vel situ o?ducitur. Buo+ tie*scumAue *itor i* ver?a prorumpere et super tumulum eius epitaphii huius Jores spargere) totie*s co*ple*tur oculi et re*ovate dolore totus i* fu*ere sum. -oris Auo*dam fuit) ut super cadavera de+ fu*ctorum i* co*tio*e pro rostris laudes li?eri dicere*t et i*star lugu?rium carmi*um ad Jetus et gemitus audie*tium pectora co*citare*t : e* rerum i* *o?is ordo mutatus est et i* calamitatem *ostram perdidit sua iura *atura : Auod exhi?ere se*i?us iuve*is de?uit) hoc iuve*i exhi?emus se*es. 6. Buid igitur faciam C lu*gam tecum lacrimis C "ed apostolus prohi?et hristia*orum mortuos dormie*tes voca*s et domi*us i* eva*gelio : 2 .o* est)2 i*Auit) 2 mortua puella) sed dormit.2 LaKarus AuoAue) Auia dormierat) suscitatus est. Laeter et gaudeam) Auod 2 raptus sit) *e malitia i*mutaret me*tem eius)2 Auia placeret &eo a*ima illius C "ed i*vito et repug*a*ti per ge*as lacrimae Juu*t et i*ter praecepta virtutum resurrectio*isAue spem credulam me*tem desiderii fra*git afectum patriae magis Auaesisse i* 4 4 'eter) i. 6I. + f. p. IHI) *ote :. 696 LETTE$ L= /h3 do 3ou hesitateC # fear to come to the e*d) a+G though # could put o> his death a*d ma0e his life lo*ger. 2 !ll Jesh is as grass a*d all the glor3 of ma* as the Jo/er of grass.2 G ,here *o/ is that comel3 face) /here is that dig*iQed Qgure) /hich clothed his fair soul as /ith a fair garme*tC O griefL the lil3 GGSithered /he* the south /i*d ?le/) a*d the Riolet2s purple slo/l3 faded i*to pale*ess. He ?ur*ed /ith fever) a*d all the moisture i* his vei*s /as dried up /ith heat) ?ut gaspi*g a*d /ear3 he still tried to comfort his u*cle2s grief. His face /as ?right) a*d /hile all arou*d him /ept) he alo*e smiled.G "udde*l3 he Ju*g o> his cloa0 a*d stretched out his ha*ds) seei*g somethi*g that /as *ot revealed to others2 e3es) a*d raisi*g himself up as though to meet them he greeted those that /ere comi*g to him. %ou /ould have thought that he /as starti*g o* a jour*e3) *ot d3i*g) a*d that he /as excha*gi*g frie*ds) *ot leavi*g frie*ds ?ehi*d. The tears roll do/* m3 face) a*d though # steel m3 courage # ca**ot hide the pai* /hich # su>2er. ,ho /ould ?elieve that i* such a* hour he still remem?ered our frie*dship) a*d that /hile he /as struggli*g for life he still recalled the delights of stud3 C (raspi*g his u*cle2s ha*d he said : 2 "e*d this tu*ic /hich # /ore i* the service of hrist to m3 ?eloved frie*d) m3 father i* age a*d m3 ?rother i* o>ice) a*d a*3 a>ectio* due to 3our *ephe/ tra*sfer to him) /ho is as dear to 3ou as he is to me.2 ,ith these /ords he passed a/a3) his u*cle2s ha*d i* his) a*d thoughts of me i* his heart. # 0*o/ that 3ou /ere relucta*t to prove 3our people2s love at such a cost) a*d that 3ou /ould have preferred to RRi* 3our cou*tr32s a>ectio* u*der 69: "ELET LETTE$" O< "T 7E$O-E prosperis. "ed huiusce modi o>icium i* ?o*is iucu*dius est) i* malis gratius. Tota hu*c civitas) tota pla*xit #talia. orpus terra suscepit) a*ima hristo reddita est. Tu *epotem Auaere?as) ecclesia sacerdotem. 'raecessit te successor tuus. Buod tu eras) ille post te iudicio om*ium mere?atur. !tAue ita ex u*a dome duplex po*tiQcatus egressa est dig*itas : dum i* altero gratulatio est) Auod te*uerit) i* altero maeror) Auod raptus sit) *e te*eret. 'la+ to*is se*te*tia est om*em sapie*ti vitam medita+ tio*em esse mortis. Lauda*t hoc philosophi et i* caelum feru*t) sed multo fortius apostolus : 2 otidie)2 i*Auit) 2 morior per vestram gloriam.2 !liud est co*ari) aliud agere @ aliud vivere moriturum) aliud mori victurum. #lle moriturus ex gloria est@ iste moritur semper ad gloriam. &e?emus igitur et *os a*imo praemeditari) Auod aliAua*do futuri sumus et Auod T velimus *olimus T a?esse lo*gius *o* potest. .am si *o*ge*tos vitae excederemus a**os) ut a*te diluvium vive?at huma*um ge*us) et -athusalae *o?is tempora do*are*tur) tame* *ihil esset praeterita lo*gitudo) Auae esse desisset. Ete*im i*ter eum) Aui decem vixit a**os) et ilium) Aui mille) postAuam idem vitae Q*is adve*erit et i*recusa?ilis mortis *ecessitas) G 'lato) 'haedo) P4a) sajGs of the philosophic life : rj ov tovt2 av eiTM Ge=errj Oavdrov @ G 4 ori*thia*s) xv. :4 : vtj ttjv v*erepav Eavxrjaiv t7v e@GaM ev 69I LETTE$ L= happier circumsta*ces. But such dutiful atte*tio*s as /ere shoGRGl 3ou the*) /hile more pleasa*t i* prosperit3) are especiall3 grateful i* times of grief. !ll !lti*um) all #tal3 /ept for 3our *ephe/. The earth received his ?od3) his soul /as give* ?ac0 to hrist. %ou lost a *ephe/) the hurch a priest. He /ho should have follo/ed 3ou /e*t ?efore 3ou. ,hat vou /ere) he i* all me*2s judgme*t deserved to ?e. O*e household has had the ho*our of pro+ duci*g t/o ?ishops) the Qrst co*gratulated o* havi*g held o>ice) the seco*d lame*ted o* ?ei*g ta0e* a/a3 ?efore he could hold it. There is a sa3i*g of 'lato that a /ise ma*2s /hole life should ?e a pre+ paratio* for death. G 'hilosophers praise the se*ti+ me*t a*d laud it to the s0ies) ?ut the apostle spea0s /ith a higher courage /he* he sa3s : 2 B3 m3 glor3 i* 3ou # die dail3.2 + #t is o*e thi*g to attempt) a*other to do @ o*e thi*g to hve so as to die) a*other to die so as to live. The sage passes from glor3 /he* death comes) the hristia* proceeds to glor3 /he* he dies. Therefore /e too ought to meditate ?eforeha*d) a*d to co*sider the fate /hich must o*e da3 come upo* us) a fate /hich) /hether /e /ish it or *ot) ca**ot ?e ver3 far dista*t. Eve* if /e lived for *i*e hu*dred 3ears a*d more) as me* did ?efore the Jood) eve* if the age of -ethuselah /ere gra*ted to us) that le*gth of time o*ce passed /ould ?e *othi*g /he* it had ceased to ?e. Bet/ee* the ma* /ho has lived for te* 3ears a*d the ma* /ho has lived for a thousa*d) there is *o di>ere*ce /he* o*ce the e*d of life has come to ?oth ali0e a*d death2s i*exora?le *ecessit3. The o*l3 poi*t is that vu2lv. But 7erome ta0es adva*tage of the ;ulgate versio* to pla3 o* the phrases per gloriam) ex gloria) ad gloriam. 698 "ELET LETTE$" O< "T. 7E$O-E tra*sactum om*e ta*tu*dem est) *isi Auod magis se*ex o*ustus peccatorum fasce proQciscitur. 2 Optima AuaeAue dies miseris mortali?us aevi 'rima fugit) su?eu*t mor?i tristisAue se*ectus Et la?or et durae rapit i*cleme*tia mortis)2 .aevius poeta 2 'ati)2 i*Auit) 2 *ecesse est multa mortalem mala.2 1*de et .io?am) Aui multum Jeverit i* lapidem et i* diversas ?estias Uco*versas alias et Hecu?am i* ca*emM commutatam Q*xit a*tiAuitas) et Hesiodus *atales homi*um pla*ge*s gaudet i* fu*ere) prude*terAue E**ius : 2 'le?es)2 ait) 2 i* hoc regio G a*tistat loco : licet Lacrimare ple?i) regi ho*este *o* licet.2 1t regi) sic episcopo) immo mi*us regi Auam episcopo. #lle e*im *ole*ti?us praeest) hie vole*ti?us @ ille terrore su?icit) hie servitute domi*atur @ ille corpora custodit ad mortem) hie a*imas servat ad vitam. #* te om*ium oculi dirigu*tur) domus tua et co*versatio Auasi i* specula co*stituta magistra est pu?licae discipli*ae. BuidAuid feceris) id si?i om*es facie*+ dum puta*t. ave *e committas) Auod aut) Aui reprehe*dere volu*t) dig*e lacerasse videa*tur aut) Aui imitari) coga*tur deli*Auere. ;i*ce Aua*tum potes) immo plus Auam potes) mo1itiem a*imi tui et u?ertim Jue*tes lacrimas reprime) *e gra*dis pietas i* *epotem apud i*credulas me*tes desperatio putetur i* &eum. &esidera*dus ti?i est Auasi G The ?est readi*g is regi. G ;irgil) Oeorgics) ###. (H. 6 E**ius) #phige*ia) fr. 5. 69H LETTE$ L= the older a ma* is) the heavier is the load of si* he ta0es /ith him o* his jour*e3. 2 O hapless me* L the ?rightest 3ears are Qrst To J3 : disease a*d age come o* us soo* !*d trou?le a*d the ruthless*ess of death.2 G "o the poet .aevius sa3s : 2 -ortals perforce must ma*v ills e*dure.2 Therefore a*tiAuit3 feig*ed that .io?e) ?ecause of her lo*g /eepi*g) /as tur*ed i*to sto*e) a*d that other /ome* /ere cha*ged i*to various 0i*ds of a*imals) Hecu?a) for example) i*to a dog. Hesiod too ?e/ails me*2s ?irthda3s a*d rejoices at their death) a*d E**ius /isel3 sa3s : 2 The mo? i* this outvies the 0i*gl3 state) troops of captives. !ra?ia) 'hoe*icia) 'alesti*e a*d Eg3pt i* their terror felt themselves alread3 e*slaved. O Had # a hu*dred to*gues) a hu*dred mouths) ! voice of ?rass) # could *ot tell the *ames Of all those pu*ishme*ts.2 G :X: "ELET LETTE$" O< "T. 7E$O-E .eAue e*im historiam proposui scri?ere) sed *ostras ?reviter Jere miserias. !lioAui* ad haec merito explica*da et Thuc3dides et "allustius muti su*t. 45. er ourselves or see our ?rothers su>er. !*d 3et /e msh to go o* livi*g) a*d thi*0 that those /ho have escaped from these evils are to ?e lame*ted rather tha* cou*ted happ3. e*ded Yvith us) ?ut /e do *ot tr3 to appease Him. #t is ?3 reaso* of our si*s that the ?ar?aria*s are stro*g) it is our vices that ?ri*g defeat to the armies of $ome @ a*d as if this /ere *ot e*ough of car*age) civil /ars have spilt almost more ?lood tha* the e*em32s s/ord. -isera?le /ere the #sraelites) i* compariso* /ith /hom .e?uchad*eKKar is called the serva*t of (od : G u*happ3 are /e) /ho have so displeased (od that His a*ger ve*ts its fur3 o* us ?3 the ?ar+ ?aria*s2 mad attac0s. HeKe0iah repe*ted) a*d o*e hu*dred a*d eight3+Qve thousa*d !ss3ria*s /ere destro3ed ?3 o*e a*gel i* a *ight.+ 7ehosa+ phat sa*g the praises of the Lord) a*d the Lord gave his /orshipper the victor3.G -oses fought agai*st !male0) *ot /ith the s/ord) ?ut +sG+ith pra3er.O #f /e /ish to ?e hfted up) let us Qrst prostrate our+ selves. "hame o* us /ho are too stupid for ?eliefL The soldiers of $ome) /ho o*ce su?dued a*d ruled the /orld) *o/ trem?le a*d shri*0 i* fear from me* /ho ca**ot /al0 o* foot a*d thi*0 themselves as good as dead if o*ce the3 are u*horsed.G ,e do *ot u*dersta*d the prophet2s /ords : 2 O*e thousa*d shall Jee at the re?u0e of o*e.2 Z ,e do *ot cut a/a3 :08 "ELET LETTE$" O< "T. 7E$O-E tamus causas mor?i) ut mor?us pariter auferatur) statimAue cer*amus G sagittas pilis) tiaras galeis) ca?allos eAuis cedere C 4P. Excessimus co*sola*di *iodu*i) et) dum u*ius mortem Jere prohi?emus) totius or?is mortuos pla*ximus. =erxes) ille rex pote*tissimus) Aui su?vertit mo*tes) maria co*stravit) cum de su?limi loco i*Q*itam homi*um multitudi*em et i**umera+ ?ilem vidisset exercitum) Jesse dicitur) Auod post ce*tum a**os *ullus eorum) Auos tu*c cer*e?at) superfuturus esset. O si possemus i* talem asce*dere speculam) de Aua u*iversam terram su? *ostris pedi?us cer*eremus L lam ti?i oste*derem totius mu*di rui*as) ge*tes ge*ti?us et reg*is reg*a co*lisa @ alios torAueri) alios *ecari) alios o?rui Jucti?us) alios ad servitutem trahi @ hie *uptias) i?i pla*ctum @ illos *asci) istos mori @ alios a[uere divitiis) alios me*dicare @ et *o* =erxis ta*tum exercitum) sed totius mu*di homi*es) Aui *u*c vivu*t) i* ?revi spatio defuturos. ;i*citur sermo rei *aag*itudi*e et mi*us est om*e Auod dicimus. 49. $edeamus igitur ad *os et Auasi e caelo desce*de*tes paulisper *ostra videamus. "e*tis*e) o?secro te) Aua*do i*fa*s) Aua*do puer) Aua*do iuve*is) Aua*do ro?ustae aetatis) Aua*do se*ex factus sis C otidie morimur) cotidie commutamur et tame* aeter*os esse *os credimus. Hoc ipsum) Auod dicto) Auod scri?itur) Auod relego) Auod eme*do) G cer*imus : Hil?erg. G That is to sa3) the e*em3 /eapo*s /ould give /a3 to the $oma*. W Herodotus) ;##. I8. :0H LETTE$ L= the causes of our malad3) a*d there?3 remove the malad3 itself. The* /e should see arro/s give /a3 to javeli*s) caps to helmets) a*d *ags to chargers.G # have passed ?e3o*d the limits of co*solatio*) a*d i* for?iddi*g 3ou to /eep for o*e ma*2s death # have mour*ed for the dead of the /hole /orld. That might3 0i*g =erxes) /ho overthre/ mou*tai*s a*d tur*ed the sea i*to solid grou*d) /he* from his high place he loo0ed upo* his i*Q*ite multitudes a*d his cou*tless host of me*) is said to have /ept at the thought that *ot o*e of those /hom he sa/ /ould i* a hu*dred 3ears ?e alive.+ Oh) if /e could asce*d i*to such a /atch+to/er as /ould give us a vie/ of the /hole /orld spread ?e*eath our feet L The* # /ould sho/ 3ou a u*iverse i* rui*s) peoples /arri*g agai*st peoples) a*d 0i*gdoms shattered o* 0i*gdoms. %ou /ould see some me* ?ei*g tortured) some 0illed) others dro/*ed at sea) others dragged o> to slaver3 @ here a /eddi*g) there lame*tatio* @ some ?ei*g ?or*) others d3i*g @ some livi*g i* a[ue*ce) others ?eggi*g their ?read @ *ot merel3 =erxes2 arm3) ?ut the i*ha?ita*ts of the /hole /orld *o/ alive desti*ed soo* to pass a/a3. ,ords fail @ for la*guage is i*adeAuate to the great+ *ess of this theme. Let us retur* the* to ourselves) a*d comi*g do/* from the s0ies co*sider for a mome*t our o/* posi+ tio*. !re 3ou co*scious *o/) pra3) of the time /he* 3ou /ere a* i*fa*t) or of the stages 3ou have passed from ?o3hood to ma*hood) from maturit3 to old age C Ever3 da3 /e die) ever3 da3 /e are cha*ged) a*d 3et /e ?elieve ourselves to ?e eter*al. This ver3 act of dictatio*) RGTiti*g) revisi*g a*d :05 x6 "ELET LE2rrEll" O< "T. 7E$O-E de vita mea trahitur. Buot pu*cta *otarii) tot meorum dam*a su*t temporum. "cri?imus atAue rescri?imus) tra*seu*t maria epistulae et Qde*te sulcos cari*a per si*gulos Juctus aetatis *ostrae mome*ta mi*uu*tur. "olum ha?emus lucri) Auod hristi *o?is amore sociamur. 2 aritas patie*s est) ?e*ig*a est @ caritas *o* Kelatur) *o* agit perperam) *o* i*Jatur) om*ia susti*et) om*ia credit) om*ia sperat) om*ia patitur@ caritas *umAuam excidit.2 Haec semper vivit i* pectore @ o? ha*c .epotia*us *oster a?se*s praese*s est et per ta*ta terrarum spatia divisos utraAue co*plectitur ma*u. Ha?emus mutuae o?sidem caritatis. lu*gamur spiritu) stri*ga+ mur afectus vel maeror avu*culi vel desiderium mariti tempera*dum fuit et pro diversitate perso*arum diversa de scripturis adhi?e*da medici*a. 6. #* praese*tiarum tradis mihi icilius adroga*tia Auam auro caremus et gemmis. His e*im a?iectis i*terdum gloriosis tumemus sordi?us et ve*di?ilem paupertatem populari aurae Letter ===#=. G Letter L=.