Letter 9003: Item ad Chilpericum et Fredegundem

More to Chilperic and Fredegund — Spring After Grief After storms and the turbid clouds of heaven — where the earth usually stiffens in hostile frost — after strong winters and the sad cold of deep winter, whether the south wind's blast weighs heavy on the fields, there come again the spring seasons to the world, and a welcome breeze beckons back the day after the ice. Again the fields are renewed with fragrant flowers; with leafy branches every grove turns green. The sweet-bending oak bows under its fruit; the vine hangs heavy with the clusters of Bacchus; the meadow laughs with flowers, the field shines with crops; the bee builds her honeycomb, filling the little cells with treasure. So after mourning, joy returns. After the bare branches of grief, the leaves come back. The world does not stay in winter, and neither does the heart. May this spring that has come back to Gaul come back also to your household. May the mercy of God — who brings the flowers back after the frost — bring back to you also the joy that was taken. May your home be full of living children, and your table full of their voices, and your hearts full of what replaces loss: gratitude for what was given, and hope for what is to come.

III Item ad Chilpericum et Fredegundem Post tempestates et turbida nubila caeli, quo solet infesto terra rigere gelu, post validas hiemes ac tristia frigora brumae, flamine seu rapidi rura gravante noti, succedunt iterum vernalia tempora mundo grataque post glaciem provocat aura diem. rursus odoriferis renovantur floribus arva, frondibus arboreis et viret omne nemus; dulce saporatis curvantur robora pomis, et redeunte sibi gramine ridet ager. sic quoque iam, domini, post tristia damna dolentes vos meliore animo laetificate, precor. ecce dies placidi revocant paschalia Christi, orbs quoque totus item per nova vota fremit. gaudia plus faveant per celsa palatia regum et per vos famuli festa beata colant. omnipotens nobis vestram addat in orbe salutem atque diu patriam culmina vestra regant.