Letter 3003: It's perfectly reasonable for you to demand frequent letters from me — but it's not reasonable to jump to dark...
Decet, nt litteras meas frequenter efflagites, nec tamen eonvenit, ut de silentio
grave qnidpiam Buspiceris. oblitum me tui, quod in hanc diem silueram, censuisti.
& an ita vel mei animi fides fclara est vel tui meriti angusta momenta sunt, ut huic
de me opinioni locus esse debuerit? quare amicitia communis plus accepit iniuriae ex
tua suspicione quam ex silentio meo. minus est enim necessitate officium deserere
quam voluntate praepropera iudicare. putas me sollemni genere defensionis levare 2
peccatum: ^diu afui, longa otia in secessu ruris exegi, tabellarii defuerunt'. haec
10 si vera plerumque sunt, tamen adsiduitate detrita in invidiam mendacii reciderunt.
^ meae occupationes ab usu remotae nihil mediocre protendunt, cuius rem familiarem
nova incessit adfinitas contra rationem legum felicitatem temporum consensum paren-
tum pacta maiorum. sed reprimam me neque his querellis ulterius inmorabor, quas
tabellariuB, si veritati amicus est, explicabit. ita fiet, ut et tibi cognitio gestorum
i^ plena proveniat, et ego excusationem meam potius indicasse videar quam dolorem.
V ante a. 388.
Related Letters
This letter (written like the preceding in 374 A.D.) is addressed by Jerome to three of his former companions in the religious life. It commends Bonosus (§3), asks guidance for the writer's sister (§4), and attacks the conduct of Lupicinus, Bishop of Stridon (§5). 1.
Even a fool, it is said, when he asks questions, is counted wise. But when a wise man asks questions, he makes even a fool wise. And this, thank God, is my case, as often as I receive a letter from your industrious self.
The labours of the field come as no novelty to tillers of the land; sailors are not astonished if they meet a storm at sea; sweats in the summer heat are the common experience of the hired hind; and to them that have chosen to live a holy life the afflictions of this present world cannot come unforeseen. Each and all of these have the known and ...
You know that our silence is an equal offense on both sides, and so the blame is unfairly placed on me alone for...
Without address. Concerning an afflicted woman. I consider it an equal mistake, to let the guilty go unpunished, and to exceed the proper limits of punishment.