Letter 123: There are many who go halting upon both feet, and refuse to bend their heads even when their necks are broken, persisting in adherence to their former errors, even though they have not their former liberty of proclaiming them. Respectful salutations are sent to you by the holy brethren who are with your humble servant, and especially by your pio...

From Jerome to Augustine. There are those who limp along on both feet and refuse to bow their heads even when their necks are broken — clinging to their old errors even after they've lost the freedom to proclaim them openly. The holy brethren here with me send you their warmest regards, and especially your devoted and venerable daughters in the faith. I beg your Excellency to greet my lords Alypius and Evodius on my behalf. Jerusalem is held captive by Nebuchadnezzar [context: Jerome uses this as a metaphor for a community or person in spiritual bondage], and will not listen to the counsel of Jeremiah [context: the prophet who warned Jerusalem against trusting in Egypt] — preferring instead to gaze longingly toward Egypt, only to die at Tahpanhes [context: an Egyptian city where, according to Jeremiah, the Jewish refugees who fled there after Jerusalem's fall met their end in permanent exile] and perish there in everlasting slavery.

From Jerome to Augustine (A.D. 410) From Jerome to Augustine. There are many who go halting upon both feet, and refuse to bend their heads even when their necks are broken, persisting in adherence to their former errors, even though they have not their former liberty of proclaiming them. Respectful salutations are sent to you by the holy brethren who are with your humble servant, and especially by your pious and venerable daughters. I beg your Excellency to salute in my name your brethren my lord Alypius and my lord Evodius. Jerusalem is held captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and refuses to listen to the counsels of Jeremiah, preferring to look wistfully towards Egypt, that it may die in Tahpanhes, and perish there in eternal bondage.

EPISTOLA 123 Scripta autumno a. 410. Hieronymus Augustino quaedam de haereticis et de amplissimo quodam viro per aenigma renuntians. 1. Multi utroque claudicant pede, et ne fractis quidem cervicibus inclinantur, habentes affectum erroris pristini, cum praedicandi eamdem non habeant libertatem. Sancti fratres qui cum nostra sunt parvitate, praecipue sanctae ac venerabiles filiae tuae suppliciter te salutant. Fratres tuos, dominum meum Alypium, et dominum meum Evodium, ut meo nomine salutes, precor coronam tuam. Capta Ierusalem tenetur a Nabuchodonosor, nec Ieremiae vult audire consilia; quin potius Aegyptum desiderat, ut moriatur in Taphnes, et ibi servitute pereat sempiterna.