Letter 146: I thank you very much for your consideration in making me glad by a letter from you, and informing me of your welfare. May the Lord recompense you with those blessings by the possession of which you may be good for ever, and may live eternally with Him who is eternal, my lord greatly beloved, and brother greatly longed for. Although I do not ack...
1. I give the greatest thanks that you have deigned to gladden me with your letter and to assure me of your good health. May the Lord repay you with blessings through which you may always be good, and may you live eternally with him who is Eternal, my most beloved lord and most longed-for brother.
For my part, although I do not recognize in myself the praises of me which the letter of your Kindness contains, yet I cannot be ungrateful for the goodwill you show toward one so slight as I am; at the same time I would urge this: that you pray for me rather, that the Lord may make me into the sort of person you already suppose me to be.
(In another hand) Mindful of us, may you remain safe and pleasing to the Lord, my most beloved lord and most longed-for brother.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
EPISTOLA 146
Scripta a. 410.
DOMINO DILECTISSIMO, ET DESIDERATISSIMO FRATRI PELAGIO, AUGUSTINUS, IN DOMINO SALUTEM.
1. Gratias ago plurimum quod me litteris tuis exhilarare dignatus es, et certum facere de salute vestra. Retribuat tibi Dominus bona, quibus semper sis bonus, et cum illo aeterno vivas in aeternum, domine dilectissime, et desideratissime frater. Ego autem etsi in me non agnosco praeconia de me tua, quae tuae Benignitatis epistola continet; benevolo tamen animo erga exiguitatem meam ingratus esse non possum: simul admonens ut potius ores pro me, quo talis a Domino fiam, qualem me iam esse arbitraris. Et alia manu: Memor nostri, incolumis Domino placeas, domine dilectissime, et desideratissime frater
Revision history
- 2026-03-20v2.1.0-import
Initial corpus import from New Advent / NPNF.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.augustinus.it/latino/lettere/lettera_147_testo.htm
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May the Lord grant me once again in person to behold your true piety and to supply in actual intercourse all that is wanting in my letter. I am behindhand in beginning to write and must needs make many excuses. But we have with us the well beloved and reverend brother Sanctissimus, the presbyter.
1NN0CENTH 1'AP.B I to ALEXANDRUM ANTIOCHI £ EPISCLPUM.
1. The remonstrance which you have addressed to me in your letter is gratifying to me in proportion to the love which it manifests. If, therefore, I attempt to clear myself from blame in regard to my silence, the thing which I must attempt is to show that you had no just cause for being displeased with me.
The desire to strengthen your hallowed soul made me write to you in criticism of your excessive longing to be with me.
Consider Peter as well: the scourge of Pentapolis, a man who breaks its laws without method.