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| To Rusticiana, Patrician.
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Epistle XXVII.
To Rusticiana, Patrician1414
| 1414 Other letters
addressed to this patrician lady are IV. 46; VIII. 22; XI. 44; XIII.
22. She appears to have been a widow, no husband being alluded
to, who had migrated with her family from Rome to Constantinople (cf.
VIII. 22, and XIII. 22). She is spoken of in subsequent letters
as a person of slender frame and weak health, and subject to
gout. Her family, to whom greetings are always sent, being her
children either by birth or marriage, were Appio and Eusebia, Eudoxius
and Gregoria, the former, and perhaps the latter also, being a married
couple. Strategius also, a son of Appio and Eusebia, apparently a
child, has afterwards greetings sent to him. They had daughters
also, whose names are not given. | .
Gregory to Rusticiana, &c.
On receiving the epistle of your Excellency I was
relieved by the welcome news of your welfare, hoping that the
Lord in His mercy may protect and direct your
life and doings. But I wondered much why you have turned from
your intention and vow to accomplish a good work in respect of your
meditated journey to the holy places1415
| 1415 Two years later
(see IV. 46, Indict. XII. i.e. a.d.
593–4) she appears to have made a pilgrimage to Mount
Sinai. | , seeing that,
when anything good is by the gift of the Creator conceived in the
heart, it is needful that it be carried out with quick devotion, lest,
while the cunning plotter strives to ensnare the soul, he should
afterwards suggest impediments, whereby the mind, weakened by
occupations, may fail to carry its desires into effect. Whence it
is necessary that your Excellency should anticipate all impediments
that come in the way of pious designs, and gasp after the fruit of good
work with all the efforts of your heart, that so you may succeed in
living tranquilly in the present world and gaining possession of a
heavenly kingdom in the future. But as to what you have written
to us of Passivus having attempted to spread some calumnies against
you, consider, on the other hand, that the most pious emperors have not
only been unwilling to listen to them, but have also received the
author of them roughly; and turn the whole hope of your soul to Him Who
powerfully prevents men in this world from doing as much harm as they
long to do, that so He may beat back the wicked intentions of men by
the opposition of His arm, and Himself mercifully shatter their
attempts, as He has been wont to do. I entreat that the glorious
Lord Appio and the lady Eusebia, the
Lord Eudoxius and the lady Gregoria, be
greeted in my name through you.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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