Saint Gregory the Great

The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great

Name: The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great
Author: Saint Gregory the Great

6th c.

Classic translation Public domain

Letters · English translation, 1890

Read in English

Title Page
Prefatory Note
Prolegomena
The Book of Pastoral Rule.
Preface
Part I.
Prologue
That the Unskilful Venture Not to Approach an Office of Authority
That None Should Enter on a Place of Government Who Practise Not in Life What…
Of the Weight of Government; and That All Manner of Adversity is to Be…
That for the Most Part the Occupation of Government Dissipates the Solidity of…
Of Those Who Are Able to Profit Others by Virtuous Example in Supreme Rule, but…
That Those Who Fly From the Burden of Rule Through Humility Are Then Truly…
That Sometimes Some Laudably Desire the Office of Preaching, While Others, as…
Of Those Who Covet Pre-eminence, and Seize on the Language of the Apostle to…
That the Mind of Those Who Wish for Pre-eminence for the Most Part Flatters…
What Manner of Man Ought to Come to Rule
What Manner of Man Ought Not to Come to Rule
Of the Life of the Pastor.
How One Who Has in Due Order Arrived at a Place of Rule Ought to Demean Himself…
That the Ruler Should Be Pure in Thought
That the Ruler Should Be Always Chief in Action
That the Ruler Should Be Discreet in Keeping Silence, Profitable in Speech
That the Ruler Should Be a Near Neighbour to Every One in Compassion, and…
That the Ruler Should Be, Through Humility, a Companion of Good Livers, but…
That the Ruler Relax Not His Care for the Things That Are Within in His…
That the Ruler Should Not Set His Heart on Pleasing Men, and Yet Should Give…
That the Ruler Ought to Be Careful to Understand How Commonly Vices Pass…
What the Ruler's Discrimination Should Be Between Correction and Connivance…
How Intent the Ruler Ought to Be on Meditations in the Sacred Law
How the Ruler, While Living Well, Ought to Teach and Admonish Those that are…
Prologue (i)
What Diversity There Ought to Be in the Art of Preaching
How the Poor and the Rich Should Be Admonished
How the Joyful and the Sad Are to Be Admonished
How Subjects and Prelates Are to Be Admonished
How Servants and Masters Are to Be Admonished
How the Wise and the Dull Are to Be Admonished
How the Impudent and Bashful Are to Be Admonished
How the Forward and the Faint-hearted Are to Be Admonished
How the Impatient and the Patient Are to Be Admonished
How the Kindly-disposed and the Envious Are to Be Admonished
How the Simple and the Crafty Are to Be Admonished
How the Whole and the Sick Are to Be Admonished
How Those Who Fear Scourges and Those Who Contemn Them Are to Be Admonished
How the Silent and the Talkative Are to Be Admonished
How the Slothful and the Hasty Are to Be Admonished
How the Meek and the Passionate Are to Be Admonished
How the Humble and the Haughty Are to Be Admonished
How the Obstinate and the Fickle Are to Be Admonished
How Those Who Use Food Intemperately and Those Who Use it Sparingly Are to Be…
How to Be Admonished Are Those Who Give Away What is Their Own, and Those Who…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Desire Not the Things of Others, but Keep…
How Those That Are at Variance and Those That Are at Peace Are to Be Admonished
How Sowers of Strifes and Peacemakers Are to Be Admonished
How the Rude in Sacred Learning, and Those Who Are Learned but Not Humble, Are…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Decline the Office of Preaching Out of Too…
How Those Are to Be Admonished With Whom Everything Succeeds According to Their…
How the Married and the Single Are to Be Admonished
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Have Had Experience of the Sins of the…
How They Are to Be Admonished Who Lament Sins of Deed, and Those Who Lament…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Abstain Not From the Sins Which They Bewail…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Praise the Unlawful Things of Which They Are…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Sin From Sudden Impulse and Those Who Sin…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Commit Very Small but Frequent Faults, and…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Do Not Even Begin Good Things, and Those Who…
How Those Are to Be Admonished Who Do Bad Things Secretly and Good Things…
Concerning the Exhortation to Be Addressed Many at Once, That It May So Aid the…
Of the Exhortation to Be Applied to One Person, Who Labours Under Contrary…
That Sometimes Lighter Vices Are to Be Left Alone, That More Grievous Ones May…
That Deep Things Ought Not to Be Preached at All to Weak Souls
Of the Work and the Voice of Preaching
How the Preacher, When He Has Accomplished All Aright, Should Return to…
Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great.
The Month of September, Indiction IX., Being the First Year of His Ordination.
To All the Bishops of Sicily
To Justinus, Prætor of Sicily
To Paul, Scholasticus
To John, Bishop of Constantinople
To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor
To Narses, Patrician
To Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch
To Peter the Subdeacon
To Bacauda and Agnellus, Bishops
To Clementina, Patrician
To John, Bishop of Urbs Vetus (Orvieto)
To Severus, Bishop of Aquileia
To All the Bishops of Italy
To Peter the Subdeacon (xiv)
To Natalis, Bishop of Salona
To Honoratus, Deacon of Salona
To Natalis, Bishop of Salona (xvii)
To John, Bishop of Constantinople, and the Other Patriarchs
To Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch (xix)
To Anastasius, Archbishop of Corinth
To Sebastian, Bishop of Rhisinum [In Dalmatia]
To Aristobulus, Ex-Prefect and Antigraphus
To Romanus, Patrician, and Exarch of Italy
To Venantius, Ex-Monk, Patrician of Syracuse
To Peter, Bishop of Terracina
To Peter the Subdeacon (xxvi)
To Anthemius, Subdeacon
To Peter, Subdeacon
To Anthemius, Subdeacon (xxix)
To Leander Bishop of Hispalis (Seville)
To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily
To Peter the Subdeacon (xxxii)
To Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate (Arles) and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia…
To Theodorus, Duke of Sardinia
To Honoratus, Deacon
To Anthemius the Subdeacon
To Symmachus the Defensor
To Peter, Subdeacon (xxxviii)
To Severus, Bishop
To Arsicinus Duke, the Clergy, Nobility, and Common People (Ordini Et Plebi) of…
To Gennadius, Patrician and Exarch of Africa
To Januarius, Archbishop of Caralis (Cagliari) in Sardinia
To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari) in Sardinia
To Felix, Bishop of Messana (Messene)
To Peter, Subdeacon (xlv)
To Peter, Subdeacon (xlvi)
To Gennadius, Patrician and Exarch of Africa (xlvii)
To Gennadius, Patrician, and Exarch Throughout Africa
To All the Bishops of Numidia
To Leo, Bishop in Corsica
To Martinus, Bishop in Corsica
To the Clergy and Nobles of Corsica
Book II.
To Velox, Magister Militium
To the Neapolitans
To Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse
To the Neapolitans (iv)
To Paulus, Bishop of Naples
To Castorius, Bishop of Ariminum
To Paul, Bishop
To Natalis, Bishop of Salona (viii)
To All the Bishops of Dalmatia
To Antoninus, Subdeacon
To All the Bishops of Illyricum
To John, Bishop
To John, Bishop (xiii)
To Rusticiana, Patrician
To Maurilius and Vitalianus
To Maurilius and Vitalianus (xvi)
To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily (xvii)
To Justinus, Prætor
To Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse (xix)
To the Abbot Eusebius
To John, Bishop of Squillacium (Squillace, in Calabria)
To Castorius, Bishop
To Luminosus, Abbot
To John, Bishop (xxiv)
To Dominicus, Bishop
To Columbus, Bishop
To Januarius, Archbishop
To All Bishops
To Natalis, Bishop
Here Follows the Epistle of Saint Licinianus, Bishop, Concerning the Book of…
Book III.
To Peter, Subdeacon (i)
To Paulus, Bishop
To John, Abbot
To Peter, Subdeacon (iv)
To John, Bishop (v)
To John, Bishop (vi)
To Natalis, Archbishop
To Antoninus, Subdeacon (viii)
To Savinus, Subdeacon
To Maximianus, Bishop
To Scholasticus, Judge
To Antoninus, Subdeacon (xii)
To the Presbyters and Clergy of Mediolanum (Milan)
To John, Subdeacon
To Romanus, Patrician
To Honoratus, Archdeacon
To Dynamius, Patrician
To Peter, Subdeacon (xviii)
To Sabinus, Guardian (Defensorem)
To Libertinus, Præfect
To Andrew, Bishop
To John, Bishop (xxii)
To the Clergy of the Church of Salona
To Columbus, Bishop (xxiv)
To Adeodatus, Bishop
To Maximianus, Bishop (xxvi)
To John, Bishop (xxvii)
To John, Bishop (xxviii)
From John, Bishop of Ravenna to Pope Gregory
To Secundinus, Bishop
To Italica, Patrician
To Mauricius Augustus
To Theodorus, Physician
To Domitian, Metropolitan
Book IV.
To Constantius, Bishop
To Constantius, Bishop (ii)
To Constantius, Bishop (iii)
To Queen Theodelinda
To Boniface, Bishop
To Cyprian, Deacon
To Gennadius, Patrician
To Januarius, Bishop
To Januarius, Bishop (ix)
To All the Bishops of Dalmatia (x)
To Maximianus, Bishop (xi)
To Januarius, Bishop (xii)
To Maurus, Abbot
To Maximus, Pretender (Præsumptorem)
To Venantius, Bishop
To Hospito, Duke of the Barbaricini
To Zabardas, Duke of Sardinia
To the Nobles and Proprietors in Sardinia
To Januarius, Bishop (xix)
To Januarius, Bishop (xx)
To Januarius, Bishop (xxi)
To Constantina Augusta
To Theodorus, Physician (xxiii)
To Narses the Patrician
To Anthemius, Subdeacon (xxv)
To Pantaleo, Præfect
To Victor and Columbus, Bishops
To Leo, Bishop
To Queen Theodelinda (xxix)
To Constantius, Bishop (xxx)
To Rusticiana, Patrician (xxxi)
To Sabinianus, Deacon
Book V.
To Felix, Bishop, and Cyriacus, Abbot
To Constantius, Bishop (ii, 2)
To Dominicus, Bishop (iii)
To Cyprian, Deacon (iv)
To John, Bishop (v, 2)
To John, Bishop (vi, 2)
To Cyprian, Deacon (vii)
To John, Bishop (viii)
To Sabinianus, Deacon (ix)
To Mauricius Augustus (x)
To Constantina Augusta (xi)
To Castorius, Notary
To Severus, Bishop (xiii)
To the People of Ravenna
To Vincomalus, Guardian (Defensorem)
To Mauricius Augustus (xvi)
To Severus, Scholasticus
To Anastasius, Bishop
To Mauricius Augustus (xix)
To Constantina Augusta (xx)
To Sebastian, Bishop
To Eulogius and Anastasius, Bishops
To Andrew, Scholasticus
To Leander, Bishop
To John, Archbishop
To Virgilius, Bishop
To All the Bishops of the Kingdom of Childebert
To King Childebert
To Marinianus, Bishop
To John, Bishop (xxx)
To All the Bishops Throughout Helladia
Book VI.
To Marinianus, Bishop (i)
To the Clergy and People of Ravenna
To Maximus of Salona
To Queen Brunichild
To King Childebert (v)
To Candidus, Presbyter
To the Bishops of Epirus
To Donus, Bishop
To Montana and Thomas
To the Count Narses
To John, Bishop (xi)
To Mauricius, Augustus
To Theotistus
To John, Bishop (xiv)
To Peter, Bishop
To Marinianus, Bishop (xvi)
To Maximus of Salona (xvii)
To the Salonitans
To the Clergy and People of Jadera
To Marinianus, Bishop (xx)
To Secundus
To Fortunatus, Bishop
To Castorius, Notary (xxiii)
To Anthemius, Subdeacon (xxiv)
To Columbus, Bishop (xxv)
To Venantius, Patrician
To John, Bishop (xxvii, 2)
To Felix, Bishop of Pisaurum (Pesaro)
To Urbicus, Abbot
To Palladius, Bishop
To Queen Brunichild (xxxi)
To the Brethren Going to England (Angliam)
To Pelagius and Serenus, Bishops
To Virgilius, Bishop (xxxiv)
To Desiderius and Syagrius, Bishops
To Protasius, Bishop
To Stephen, Abbot
To Arigius, Patrician
To Theodoric and Theodebert
To Brunichild, Queen of the Franks
To Eulogius, Bishop
To Castorius, Notary (xlii)
To Gennadius, Patrician (xliii)
To Mauricius, Emperor
To Athanasius, Presbyter
Book VII.
To Columbus, Bishop (i)
To Cyriacus, Bishop
To Cyriacus, Bishop (iii)
To Mauricius Augustus (iv)
To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius
To Rufinus, Bishop of Ephesus
To Respecta, Abbess
To Fortunatus, Bishop (viii)
To George, Presbyter
To Sabinianus, Bishop
To Marinianus, Archbishop
To the Clergy and People Ariminum
To Fortunatus and Anthemius
To Gregoria
To Theoctista, Patrician
To Anastasius, Bishop (xvi)
To Theodore, Physician
To Narses, the Religious (Narsæ Relegioso)
To Cyriacus, Bishop (xix)
To Anastasius, Presbyter
To Mauricius Augustus (xxi)
To Eulogius, Bishop (xxii)
To Dominicus, Bishop (xxiii)
To Donus, Bishop (xxiv)
To John, Bishop (xxv)
To Eulogius, Bishop (xxvi)
To Marinianus, Bishop (xxvii)
To Marinianus, Bishop (xxviii)
Book VIII.
To Peter, Bishop (i)
To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch
To Donus, Bishop of Messana (In Sicily)
To Various Metropolitans and Bishops
To Amos, Patriarch of Jerusalem
To Sabinianus, Bishop of Jadera
To Columbus
To Boniface, First Guardian (Defensorem)
To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna
To Maurentius
To Agnellus, Bishop of Terracina
To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna (xii)
To John, Bishop of Syracuse
To Rusticiana, Patrician (xiv)
To Fantinus, Guardian (Defensorem)
To Sabinianus, Bishop of Jadera (xvi)
To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria
To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria (xviii)
To Dominicus
To John Bishop of Scyllacium
To Leontius, Ex-Consul

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