E05964: In the Whitby Life of *Gregory the Great (bishop of Rome, ob. 604, S00838), the author reports that the saint, through his tears, brought about the posthumous baptism of the emperor Trajan (ob. 117). Written in Latin by a monk or nun of Whitby (north-east Britain), 685/714, perhaps 704/14.
Creators: name: Bsavill
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: The Whitby Life of Gregory the Great (BHL 3637)<br><br>For an overview of this work, see $E05872.<br><br>Chapter 29<br>Quidam quoque de nostris dicunt narratum a Romanis, sancti Gregorii lacrimis animam Traiani imperatoris refrigeratam vel baptizatam, quod est dictu mirabile et auditu. Quod autem eum dicimus babtizatam, neminem moveat: nemo enim sine babtism Deum videbit umquam: cuius tertium genus est lacrimę. Nam die quadam transiens per forum Traianum, quod ab eo opere mirifico constructum dicunt, illud considerans repperit opus tam elemosinarium eum fecisse paganum ut Christiani plus quam pagani esse videret. Fertur namque contra hostes exercitum ducens propere pugnaturus, unius ad eum voce viduę misericorditer mollitus, substetisse totius imperator orbis. Ait enim illa, 'Domne Traiane, hic sunt homines qui filium meum occiderunt, nolentes mihi rationem reddere." Cui, "Cum rediero," inquit, "dicito mihi et faciam eos tibi rationem reddere." At illa, "Domine," ait, "si inde non venies, nemmo me adiuvet." Tunc iam concite reos in eam fecit coram se in armis suis subarratam ei pecuniam conponere quam debuerunt.<br><br>Hoc igitur sanctus inveniens Gregorius, id esse agnovit quod legimus, "Iudicate pupillo et defendite viduam et venite et arguite me, dicit Dominus." Unde per eum in se habuit Christum loquentem ad refrigerium animę eius quid implendo nesciebat, ingrediens ad sanctum Petrum solita direxit lacrimarum fluenta usque dum promeruit sibi divinitus revelatum fuisse exauditum, atque ut numquam de altero illud presumpsisset pagano.<br><br><br>'Some of our people tell a story related by the Romans of how the soul of Emperor Trajan was refreshed and even baptised by St Gregory's tears, a story marvellous to tell and marvellous to hear. Let no one be surprised that we say he was baptised, for without baptism none will ever see God; and a third kind of baptism is by tears. One day as he was crossing the Forum, a magnificent piece of work for which Trajan is said to have been responsible, he found on examining it carefully that Trajan, though a pagan, had done a deed so charitable that it seemed more likely to have been the deed of a Christian than of a pagan. For it is related that, as he was leading his army in great haste against the enemy, he was moved to pity by the words of a widow, and the emperor of the whole world came to a halt. She said, "Lord Trajan, here are the men who killed my son and are unwilling to pay me recompense." He answered, "Tell me about it when I return and I will make them recompense you." But she replied, "Lord, if you never return, there will be no one to help me." Then, armed as he was, he made the defendants pay forthwith with the compensation they owed her, in his presence.<br><br>When Gregory discovered the story, he recognised that this was just what we read about in the Bible, "Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord." Since Gregory did not know what to do to comfort the soul of this man who brought the words of Christ to his mind, he went to St Peter's Church and wept floods of tears, as was his custom, until he gained at last by divine revelation the assurance that his prayers were answered, seeing that he had never presumed to ask this for any other pagan.'<br><br>Text and translation: Colgrave, 1968, 126-9.