11. He wept for what affected us, not Himself; for the Godhead sheds no tears; but He wept in that nature in which He was sad; He wept in that in which He was crucified, in that in which He died, in that in which He was buried. He wept in that which the prophet this day brought to our minds: “Mother Sion shall say, A man, yea, a man was made in her, and the Most High Himself established her.”6    Ps. lxxxvii. [lxxxvi.] 5. He wept in that nature in which He called Sion Mother, born in Judæa, conceived by the Virgin. But according to His Divine Nature He could not have a mother, for He is the Creator of His mother. So far as He was made, it was not by divine but by human generation, because He was made man, God was born.

12. But you read in another place: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.”7    Is. ix. 6. In the word Child is an indication of age, in that of Son the fulness of the Godhead. Made of His mother, born of the Father yet the Same Person was both born and given, you must not think of two but of one. For one is the Son of God, both born of the Father and sprung from the Virgin, differing in order, but in name agreeing in one, as, too, the lesson just heard teaches for “a man was made in her and the Most High Himself established her;”8    Ps. lxxxvii. [lxxxvi.] 5. man indeed in the body, the Most High in power. And though He be God and man in diversity of nature, yet is He at the same time one in each nature. One property, then, is peculiar to His own nature, another He has in common with us, but in both is He one, and in both is He perfect.

13. Therefore it is no subject of wonder that God made Him to be both Lord and Christ. He made Him Jesus, Him, that is, Who received the name in His bodily nature; He made Him of Whom also the patriarch David writes: “Mother Sion shall say, A man, yea, a man is made in her.” But being made man He is unlike the Father, not in Godhead but in His body; not separated from the Father, but differing in office, abiding united in power, but separated in the mystery of the Passion.

14. The treatment of this topic demands more arguments, by which to demonstrate the authority of the Father, the special property of the Son, and the Unity of the whole Trinity; but to-day I have undertaken the office of consolation, not of discussion, although it is customary in consoling to draw away the mind from its grief by application to discussion. But I would rather moderate the grief than alter the affection, that the longing may rather be assuaged than lulled to sleep. For I have no wish to turn away too far from my brother, and to be led off by other thoughts, seeing that this discourse has been undertaken, as it were, for the sake of accompanying him, that I might follow in affection him departing, and embrace in mind him whom I see with my eyes. For it gives me pleasure to fix the whole gaze of my eyes on him, to encompass him with kindly endearments; whilst my mind is stupefied, and I feel as though he were not lost whom I am able still to see present; and I think him not dead, my services to whom I do not as yet perceive to be wanting, services to which I had devoted the whole of my life and the drawing of every breath.

15. What, then, can I pay back in return for such kindness and such pains? I had made thee, my brother, my heir; thou hast left me as the heir; I hoped to leave thee as survivor, and thou hast left me. I, in return for thy kindnesses, that I might repay thy benefits, gave wishes; now I have lost my wishes yet not thy benefits. What shall I, succeeding to my own heir, do? What shall I do who outlive my own life? What shall I do, no longer sharing this light which yet shines on me? What thanks, what good offices, can I repay to thee? Thou hast nothing from me but tears. And perchance, secure of thy reward, thou desirest not those tears which are all that I have left. For even when thou wast yet alive, thou didst forbid me to weep, and didst show that our grief was more pain to thee than thine own death. Tears are bidden to flow no longer, and weeping is repressed. And gratitude to thee forbids them too, lest whilst we weep for our loss we seem to despair concerning thy merits.

16. But for myself at least thou lessenest the bitterness of that grief; I have nothing to fear who used to fear for thee. I have nothing which the world can now snatch from me. Although our holy sister still survives, venerable for her blameless life, thy equal in character, and not falling short in kindly offices; yet we both used to fear more for thee, we felt that all the sweetness of this life was stored up in thee. To live for thy sake was a delight, to die for thee were no cause of sorrow, for we both used to pray that thou mightest survive, it was no pleasure that we should survive thee. When did not our very soul shudder when a dread of this kind touched us? How were our minds dismayed by the tidings of thy sickness!

17. Alas for our wretched hopes! We thought that he was restored to us whom we see carried off, and we now recognize that thy departure hence was obtained by thy vows to the holy martyr Lawrence!9    On the subject of vows to the martyrs, comp. Exhort. Virg. III. 15; also see, De Viduis, ix. 55. And indeed I would that thou hadst obtained not only a safe passage hence, but also a longer time of life! Thou couldst have obtained many years of life, since thou wast able to obtain thy departure hence. And I indeed thank Thee, Almighty Everlasting God, that Thou hast not denied us at least this last comfort, that Thou hast granted us the longed-for return of our much loved brother from the regions of Sicily and Africa; for he was snatched away so soon after his return as though his death were delayed for this alone, that he might return to his brethren.

18. Now, I clearly have my pledge which no change can any more tear from me; I have the relics which I may embrace, I have the tomb which I may cover with my body, I have the grave on which I may lie, and I shall believe that I am more acceptable to God, because I shall rest upon the bones of that holy body. Would that I had been able in like manner to place my body in the way of thy death! Hadst thou been attacked with the sword, I would have rather offered myself to be pierced for thee; had I been able to recall thy life as it was passing away, I would have rather offered my own.

19. It profited me nothing to receive thy last breath, nor to have breathed into the mouth of thee dying, for I thought that either I myself should receive thy death, or should transfer my life to thee. O that sad, yet sweet pledge of the last kiss! O the misery of that embrace, in which the lifeless body began to stiffen, the last breath vanished! I tightened my arms indeed, but had already lost him whom I was holding; I drew in thy last breath with my mouth, that I might share thy death. But in some way that breath became lifegiving to me, and even in death diffused an odour of greater love. And if I was unable to lengthen thy life by my breath, would that at least the strength of thy last breath might have been transfused into my mind, and that our affection might have inspired me with that purity and innocence of thine. Thou wouldst have left me, dearest brother, this inheritance, which would not smite the affections with tears of grief, but commend thine heir by notable grace.

20. What, then, shall I now do, since all the sweetness, all the solace, in fine, all the charms of that life are lost to me? For thou wast alone my solace at home, my charm abroad; thou, I say, my adviser in counsel, the sharer in my cares, the averter of anxiety, the driver away of sorrow; thou wast the protector of my acts and the defender of my thoughts; thou, lastly, the only one on whom rested care of home and of public matters. I call thy holy soul to witness that, in the building of the church,10    Probably the Basilica built at Milan by St. Ambrose. I often feared lest I might displease thee. Lastly, when thou camest back thou didst chide thy delay. So wast thou, at home and abroad, the instructor and teacher of the priest, that thou didst not suffer him to think of domestic matters, and didst take thought to care for public matters. But I may not fear to seem to speak boastingly, for this is thy meed of praise, that thou, without displeasing any, both didst manage thy brother’s house and recommend his priesthood.

11. Ille nostro, non suo lacrymavit affectu; neque enim divinitas lacrymas habet: sed lacrymavit eo, quo tristis fuit (Matth. XXVI, 38): lacrymavit eo, quo crucifixus est, quo mortuus, quo sepultus est: lacrymavit in eo, de quo hodie nobis insinuavit propheta, dicens: Mater Sion dicet: Homo, et homo factus est in ea, et ipse fundavit eam Altissimus (Psal. LXXXVI, 5). Eo lacrymavit, quo matrem Sion dixit, genitus in Judaea, susceptus ex Virgine. Matrem autem secundum divinitatem habere non potuit, quia auctor est matris. Ille factus est non divina generatione, 1294B sed humana; quia homo factus est, Deus natus est.

12. Sic et alibi habes: Puer natus est nobis, Filius datus est nobis (Esai. IX, 6). In puero enim nomen aetatis, in Filio plenitudo divinitatis est. Factus ex matre, natus ex Patre; idem tamen et natus est et datus: non diversum, sed unum putes. Unus enim Dei Filius, et natus ex Patre, et ortus ex Virgine, distanti ordine, sed in unum concurrente nomine, sicut et praesens lectio docet, quia et homo factus est in ea, et ipse fundavit 1117 eam Altissimus (Psal. LXXXVI, 5), homo utique corpore, altissimus potestate. Et si Deus et homo diversitate naturae; idem tamen non alter in utroque. Aliud ergo speciale naturae suae, aliud commune nobiscum: sed in 1294C utroque unus, et utroque perfectus.

13. Non igitur mirandum est, quia et Dominum eum et Christum fecit Deus. Fecit ergo Jesum, eum utique qui ex corpore nomen accepit; fecit eum de quo etiam patriarcha scribit David: Mater Sion dicet: Homo, et homo factus est in ea. (Homo autem factus) dissimilis utique est non divinitate, sed corpore: nec discretus a Patre, sed exceptus in munere: manens in consortio potestatis, segregatus in mysterio passionis.

14. Plura loci hujus tractatus exposcit, quibus possimus ostendere auctoritatem Patris, proprietatem Filii, Trinitatis totius unitatem: sed consolandi hodie, non tractandi partes recepi; quamquam abducere a moerore animum intentione tractandi 1294D consolationis sit usus. Sed temperandus mihi magis 1295A moeror, quam alienandus affectus; ut mulceantur magis desideria, quam sopiantur. Non libet enim abire a fratre longius, et occupatione subduci; cum velut comitandi ejus gratia hic sermo susceptus sit, ut diutius sensu prosequar proficiscentem: et quem oculis teneo, mente complectar. In illo enim totam oculorum aciem figere libet, cum illo totis animorum officiis immorari, illum toto blanditiarum ambire obsequio; dum stupet animus, nec amissum credo, quem adhuc cerno praesentem: nec mortuum puto, cujus adhuc officia non requiro, quibus ego vitae meae usum et spirandi omne munus addixeram.

15. Quid enim referam tantae gratiae, tanto labori? Ego te, frater, haeredem feceram, tu me haeredem reliquisti: ego te superstitem optabam, tu me superstitem 1295B dimisisti. Ego pro muneribus tuis, ut compensarem beneficia, vota referebam: nunc et vota perdidi, sed tamen tua beneficia non amisi. Quid agam, mei successor haeredis? quid agam, meae vitae superstes? quid agam exsors hujus, quod capio luminis? quas grates, quae munera referam tibi? Nihil a me praeter lacrymas habes. Aut fortasse securus meriti tui, quas solas superstites habeo lacrymas, non requiris. Nam etiam cum adhuc viveres, flere prohibebas: moeroremque magis nostrum, quam tuam mortem tibi esse testabaris dolori. Prohibent ulterius prodire lacrymae, 1118 fletusque revocant. Prohibet etiam tui gratia; ne dum nostra deflemus, de tuis meritis desperare videamur.

16. At certe nobis tu etiam moeroris istius minuis 1295C acerbitatem: non habeo quod timeam, qui timebam tibi; non habeo quod mihi jam mundus eripiat. Etsi sancta supersit soror, integritate venerabilis, aequalis moribus, non impar officiis; tibi tamen ambo plus timebamus, in te vitae hujus jucunditatem repositam putabamus. Propter te vivere delectabat, propter te mori non pigebat; te enim ambo superstitem precabamur, tibi nos supervivere non juvabat. Quando non cohorruit animus, cum metus hujusmodi titillaret? Quomodo consternata mens erat aegritudinis tuae nuntio!

17. Vae miserae opinioni! Putabamus redditum, 1296A quem videmus dilatum; tuis enim votis apud sanctum martyrem Laurentium impetratum esse nunc cognoscimus commeatum. Atque utinam non solum commeatum, sed etiam prolixum vitae tempus rogasses! Potuisti annos plurimos impetrare vivendi, qui potuisti commeatum impetrare veniendi. Et quidem tibi, omnipotens aeterne Deus, gratias ago, quod vel haec nobis suprema solatia non negasti, quod amantissimi fratris ex Siculis Africanisve regionibus exoptatum nobis reditum contulisti; ita enim mature, postquam venit, ereptus est; quasi propter hoc solum videretur esse dilatus, ut ad fratres rediret.

18. Habeo plane pignus meum, quod nulla mihi peregrinatio jam possit avellere: habeo quas complectar, 1296B reliquias: habeo tumulum, quem corpore tegam; habeo sepulcrum, super quod jaceam; et commendabiliorem Deo futurum esse me credam, quod supra sancti corporis ossa requiescam. Utinam sic potuissem adversus mortem quoque tuam meum corpus objicere! Si gladiis petitus esses, me pro te potius suffigendum dedissem: si exeuntem potuissem revocare animam, meam potius obtulissem.

19. Nihil mihi profuit ultimos hausisse anhelitus, nihil flatus in os inspirasse morienti; putabam enim quod aut tuam mortem ipse susciperem, aut meam vitam in te ipse transfunderem. O infelicia illa, sed tamen dulcia suprema osculorum pignora! O amplexus miseri, inter quos exanimum corpus obriguit, halitus supremus evanuit! Stringebam quidem brachia, 1296C sed jam perdideram, quem tenebam; et extremum spiritum ore relegebam, ut consortium mortis 1119 haurirem. Sed nescio quomodo vitalis ille mihi halitus factus est, et majorem gratiam in ipsa morte redolebat. Atque utinam si tuam nequivi meo spiritu vitam producere, vel ultimi anhelitus tui vigor transfundi potuisset in meam mentem, et illam tui animi puritatem atque innocentiam noster spirasset affectus! Hanc mihi haereditatem, frater charissime, reliquisses, quae non lacrymabili dolore percuteret affectum, sed memorabili gratia commendaret haeredem.

1297A 20. Quid igitur nunc agam, cum omnes vitae istius suavitates, cuncta solatia, cuncta denique ornamenta amiserim? Tu enim mihi unus eras domi solatio, foris decori: tu, inquam, in consiliis arbiter, curae particeps, deprecator sollicitudinis, depulsor moeroris: tu meorum assertor actuum, cogitationumque defensor: tu postremo unus, in quo domestica sollicitudo resideret, publica cura requiesceret. Testor sanctam animam tuam, me in fabricis Ecclesiae id saepe veritum esse, ne displicerem tibi. Denique ubi rediisti, objurgasti moram: ita domi forisque eruditor quidam et arbiter sacerdotis, ut domestica cogitare non sineres, publica curare censeres. At non verear, ne videar arroganter dicere; haec enim laudis tuae portio est, quia sine offensione 1297B ulla et gubernasti fratris domum, et commendasti sacerdotium.