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| To Julian, a Deacon of Antioch.
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Letter VI. To Julian, a Deacon of Antioch.
This letter, written in 374 a.d., is chiefly interesting for its mention of
Jerome’s sister. It would seem that she had fallen into sin and
had been restored to a life of virtue by the deacon, Julian. Jerome
speaks of her again in the next letter (§4).
It is an old saying, “Liars are disbelieved even
when they speak the truth.”85
| 85 Aristotle is the author
of this remark. | And from the
way in which you reproach me for not having written, I perceive that
this has been my lot with you. Shall I say, “I wrote often, but
the bearers of my letters were negligent”? You will reply,
“Your excuse is the old one of all who fail to write.”
Shall I say, “I could not find any one to take my letters”?
You will say that numbers of persons have gone from my part of the
world to yours. Shall I contend that I have actually given them
letters? They not having delivered them, will deny that they have
received them. Moreover, so great a distance separates us that it will
be hard to come at the truth. What shall I do then? Though really not
to blame, I ask your forgiveness, for I think it better to fall back
and make overtures for peace than to keep my ground and offer battle.
The truth is that constant sickness of body and vexation of mind have
so weakened me that with death so close at hand I have not been as
collected as usual. And lest you should account this plea a false one,
now that I have stated my case, I shall, like a pleader, call witnesses
to prove it. Our reverend brother, Heliodorus, has been here; but in
spite of his wish to dwell in the desert with me, he has been
frightened away by my crimes. But my present wordiness will atone for
my past remissness; for, as Horace says in his satire:86
All singers have one fault among their friends:
They never sing when asked, unasked they never
cease.
Henceforth I shall overwhelm you with such bundles of
letters that you will take the opposite line and beg me not to
write.
I rejoice that my sister87
| 87 Mentioned again in
Letter VII., § 4. | —to you a daughter in
Christ—remains steadfast in her purpose, a piece of news which I
owe in the first instance to you. For here where I now am I am ignorant
not only as to what goes on in my native land, but even as to its
continued existence. Even though the Iberian viper88
| 88 The person meant is
uncertain. Probably it was Lupicinus, bishop of Stridon, for whom see
the next letter. | shall rend me with his baneful fangs, I
will not fear men’s judgment, seeing that I shall have God to
judge me. As one puts it:
Shatter the world to fragments if you will:
’Twill fall upon a head which knows not fear.89
| 89 Horace, C. iii. 3, 7,
8. |
Bear in mind, then, I pray you, the apostle’s
precept90
that we should make our work abiding; prepare
for yourself a reward from the Lord in my sister’s salvation; and
by frequent letters increase my joy in that glory in Christ which we
share together.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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