Letters, Volume 6 (1*–29*)

Letter 29

LETTER 29* Introducti(Jn Paulinus of Milan is known almost exclusively as the biographer of Ambrose, bishop of Milan, Augustine's early inspiration and mentor. Apparently, he worked as a notarius for Ambrose in the latter's final years. Ambrose's successor, the neoplatonist philosopher-priest, Simplicianus , invited Paulinus to go to North Africa to supervise the property of the chun:h of Milan, presumably estates and plantations. He went and spent many years there. His letter to Augustine probably was written in Africa. Making his acquaintance, Augustine asked him to write about Ambrose. The usual date given for this biographical work is c. 422. What Paulinus is asking for is not entirely clear but it seems that the question involves a sort of "lives of the saints," i.e. martyrs, by Augustine. This is not as unusual as it may sound. After all, he also wrote a summary book of heresies when asked by Quodvultdeus (De haeresibus 428-429; d. ep. 221 of c. 42&-427). In this case, however, Augustine wisely declined. He had preached many sermons on the martyrs but he felt he could not match the powerful simplicity of the passiones themselves. His own contribution here lay primarily with theology and spirituality rather than hagiography and history. It is not clear what works of Ambrose he is referring to in ep. 29*.2, lines 1-4· Date On the presupposition that Paulinus' life of Ambrose was written c. 422, Divjak argues that this letter was written before that date. Duval argues, however. that this date is far too late and the date for the Vita should be 412-413. While he does not specify a date, he ventures the belief that this letter is posterior to the Vita. UGUSTINE SENDS GREETINGS III the Lord to his most beloved and most sincere son and fellow deacon, Paulinus : l I. On Paulinussee DPAC II, cols. 2607-08, M. G. Mara and E. Lamirande, Paulin de Milan et la 'Vita Ambrosii' (Montreal: Bellarmin, 1983)' 193 194 SAINT AUGUSTINE (1) I am not yet able to envision how I may comply with your wishes concerning an edition of the acts of the martyrs from my own pen even though I greatly desire such a project. I have read what you were good enough to send and I found certain things recounted in the words of others and certain other things expressed only in the public accounts which delighted me greatly. Accordingly, ifafterwards, I myselfshould try to write these things in which others have preceded us, I shall seem to be an unsuitable teacher or a useless worker. But if I should attempt to reteH those things which (are contained) only in the public accounts, I am afraid that I would not induce a feeling similar to that which they produced in me when I read them, unadorned as they were [****]. (2) In order that I bestir myself to do some such thing, when I spoke to your charity about this matter, some things concerning the martyrs written by Ambrose of venerable memory in his old age had delighted me. Compared to others whose writings on these matters I had read, I took him as a model; yet the elderly Ambrose especially told of things which could not be known from the public recoa-d. And so his work appeared to be not only not in the least superfluous hut even of the greatest necessity. Such also is that which is read concerning the most blessed martyr Cyprian, something from the pen of an unknown author.2 This recounts that when recalled to Carthage to suffer and while he was being held in his gardens in the Vicus Saturni and a great crowd of the brethren was spending the night outside his gates, Cyprian commanded that the young women be kept inside and other things of this type which cannot be found in the public record.s (3) But what am I to do, I who have no means of knowing what should be known about the martyrs beyond what is in the public record, except what I have read in those who preceded us in this work? As for what I have read in the public 2. The last moments of Cyprian as referred to here can be found in the so-called acta proconsularia. cf. H. Musurillo, ed., The Acts ot the Christian Martyrs, Oxford Early Christian Texts (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1972), pp. 168-t 75· 3. On Augustine...