Epistola 60 San Jeronimo

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http://archive.org/stream/selectlettersofs00jerouoft/ selectlettersofs00jerouoft_djvu.txt THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY EDITED BY T. E. PAGE, LITT.D. London - - WILLIAM HEINEMANN New York - - - G. PUTNAM'S SONS BR Hieronynnis, Saint 1720 Select letters of St. J5M Jerome 1933 Printed in Great Britain UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY LX Ad Heliodorum Epitaphium Nepotiani Grandes materias ingenia parva non sufferunt et in ipso conatu ultra vires ausa succumbunt; quantoque mains fuerit, quod dicendum est, tanto magis obruitur, qui magnitudinem rerum verbis non potest explicare. Nepotianus meus, tuus, noster, immo Christi, et quia Christi, idcirco plus noster, reliquit senes et desiderii sui iaculo vulneratos intolerabili dolore confecit. Quem heredem puta- vimus, funus tenemus. Cui iam meum sudabit ingenium ? Cui litterulae placere gestient ? Ubi est ille (pyoSiWKTf]^ noster et cygneo canore vox dulcior ? Stupet animus, manus tremit, caligant oculi, lingua balbutit. Quidquid dixero, quia ille non audiet,

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THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY

Transcript of Epistola 60 San Jeronimo

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=.