71. And certainly if they have ever found any consolation who have thought that death is the end of sensation and the failing of our nature, how much more must we find it so to whom the consciousness of good done brings the promise of better rewards! The heathen have their consolation, because they think that death is a cessation of all evils, and as they are without the fruit of life, so, too, they think that they have escaped all the feeling and pain of those severe and constant sufferings which we have to endure in this life. We, however, as we are better supported by our rewards, so, too, ought we to be more patient through our consolation, for they seem to be not lost but sent before, whom death is not going to swallow up, but eternity to receive.

72. My tears shall therefore cease, or if they cannot cease, I will weep for thee, my brother, in the common sorrow, and will hide my private groaning in the public grief. For how can my tears wholly cease, since they break forth at every utterance of thy name, or when my very habitual actions arouse thy memory, or when my affection pictures thy likeness, or when recollection renews my grief. For how canst thou be absent who art again made present in so many occupations? Thou art present, I say, and art always brought before me, and with my whole mind and soul do I embrace thee, gaze upon thee, address thee, kiss thee; I grasp thee whether in the gloomy night or in the clear light, when thou vouch-safest to revisit and console me sorrowing. And now the very nights which used to seem irksome in thy lifetime, because they denied us the power of looking on each other; and sleep itself, lately, the odious interrupter of our converse, have commenced to be sweet, because they restore thee to me. They, then, are not wretched but blessed whose mutual presence fails not, whose care for each other is not lessened, whose mutual esteem is increased. For sleep is a likeness and image of death.

73. But if, in the quiet of night, our souls still cleaving to the chains of the body, and as it were bound within the prison bars of the limbs, yet are able to see higher and separate things, how much more do they see these, when in their pure and heavenly senses they suffer from no hindrances of bodily weakness. And so when, as a certain evening was drawing on, I was complaining that thou didst not revisit me when at rest, thou wast wholly present always. So that, as I lay with my limbs bathed in sleep, while I was [in mind] awake for thee, thou wast alive to me, I could say, “What is death, my brother?” For certainly thou wast not separated from me for a single moment, for thou wast so present with me everywhere, that enjoyment of each other, which we were unable to have in the intercourse of this life, is now always and everywhere with us. For at that time certainly all things could not be present, for neither did our physical constitution allow it, nor could the sight of each other, nor the sweetness of our bodily embraces at all times and in all places be enjoyed. But the pictures in our souls were always present with us, even when we were not together, and these have not come to an end, but constantly come back to us, and the greater the longing the greater abundance have we of them.

74. So, then, I hold thee, my brother, and neither death nor time shall tear thee from me. Tears themselves are sweet, and weeping itself a pleasure, for by these the eagerness of the soul is assuaged, and affection being eased is quieted. For neither can I be without thee, nor ever forget thee, or think of thee without tears. O bitter days, which show that our union is broken! O nights worthy of tears, which have lost for me so good a sharer of my rest, so inseparable a companion! What sufferings would ye cause me, unless the likeness of him present offered itself to me, unless the visions of my soul represented him whom my bodily sight shows me no more!

75. Now, now, O brother, dearest to my soul, although thou art gone by too early a death, happy at least art thou, who dost not endure these sorrows, and art not compelled to mourn the loss of a brother, separation from whom thou couldst not long endure, but didst quickly return and visit him again. But if then thou didst hasten to banish the weariness of my loneliness, to lighten the sadness of thy brother’s mind, how much more often oughtest thou now to revisit my afflicted soul, and thyself lighten the sorrow which has its origin from thee!

76. But the exercise of my office now bids me rest awhile, and attention to my priestly duties draws my mind away; but what will happen to my holy sister, who though she moderates her affection by the fear of God, yet again kindles the grief itself of the affection by the zeal of her devotion? Prostrate on the ground, embracing her brother’s tomb, wearied with toilsome walking, sad in spirit, day and night she renews her grief. For though she often breaks off her weeping by speech, she renews it in prayer; and although in her knowledge of her Scriptures she excels those who bring consolation, she makes up for her desire of weeping by the constancy of her prayers, renewing the abundance of her tears then chiefly, when no one can interrupt her. So thou hast that which thou mayest pity, not what thou mayest blame, for to weep in prayer is a sign of virtue. And although that be a common thing with virgins, whose softer sex and more tender affection abound in tears at the sight of the common weakness, even without the feeling of family grief, yet when there is a greater cause for sorrowing, no limit is set to that sorrow.

77. The means of consolation, then, are wanting since excuses abound. For thou canst not forbid that which thou teachest, especially when she attributes her tears to devotion, not to sorrow, and conceals the course of the common grief for fear of shame. Console her, therefore, thou who canst approach her soul, and penetrate her mind. Let her perceive that thou art present, feel that thou art not departed, that having enjoyed his consolation of whose merit she is assured, she may learn not to grieve heavily for him, who warned her that he was not to be mourned for.

78. But why should I delay thee, brother, why should I wait that my address should die and as it were be buried with thee? Although the sight and form of thy lifeless body, and its remaining comeliness and figure abiding here, comfort the eyes, I delay no longer, let us go on to the tomb. But first, before the people I utter the last farewell, declare peace to thee, and pay the last kiss. Go before us to that home, common and waiting for all, and certainly now longed for by me beyond others. Prepare a common dwelling for him with whom thou hast dwelt, and as here we have had all things in common, so there, too, let us know no divided rights.

79. Do not, I pray thee, long put off him who is desirous of thee, expect him who is hastening after thee, help him who is hurrying, and if I seem to thee to delay too long, summon me. For we have not ever been long separated from each other, but thou wast always wont to return. Nor since thou canst not return again, I will go to thee; it is just that I should repay the kindness and take my turn. Never was there much difference in the condition of our life; whether health or sickness, it was common to both, so that if one sickened the other fell ill, and when one began to recover, the other, too, was convalescent. How have we lost our rights? This time, too, we had our sickness in common, how is it that death was not ours in common?

80. And now to Thee, Almighty God, I commend this guileless soul, to Thee I offer my sacrifice; accept favourably and mercifully the gift of a brother, the offering of a priest. I offer beforehand these first libations of myself. I come to Thee with this pledge, a pledge not of money but of life, cause me not to remain too long a debtor of such an amount. It is not the ordinary interest of a brother’s love, nor the common course of nature, which is increased by such an amount of virtue. I can bear it, if I shall be soon compelled to pay it.

71. Certe si illi sibi aliqua solatia repererunt, qui finem sensus, defectumque naturae mortem arbitrati sunt; quanto magis nos, quibus meliora post mortem praemia bonorum factorum conscientia pollicetur! Habent gentiles solatia sua, quia requiem malorum omnium mortem existimant: et ut vitae fructu carent, 1312C ita etiam caruisse se putant omni sensu et dolore poenarum, quas in hac vita graves et assiduas sustinemus. Nos vero ut erectiores praemio, ita etiam patientiores solatio esse debemus; non enim amitti, sed praemitti videntur, quos non assumptura mors, sed aeternitas receptura est.

72. Cessabunt ergo lacrymae: aut si cessare non poterunt, in communibus lamentis flebo te, frater, et sub dolore publico domesticos gemitus 1133 tegam. Nam cessare qui poterunt, cum ad omnem sonum nominis tui lacrymae subrepant, vel cum usus ipse recordationem excitat, vel cum affectus imaginem repraesentat, vel cum recordatio dolorem renovat? Quando enim dees, qui tantis officiis repraesentaris? Ades, inquam, et semper offunderis, et toto te animo 1312D ac mente complector, aspicio, alloquor, osculor, comprehendo vel in ipsa quiete nocturna, vel in luce clara; cum revisere et consolari dignaris moerentem. Denique ipsae jam noctes, quae quasi molestiores, vivente te, videbantur; quod mutui conspectus 1313A copiam denegarent: ipse jam somnus colloquiorum nostrorum dudum interruptor inamabilis, dulcis esse jam coepit; quia te mihi reddidit. Non igitur miseri, sed beati; quorum nec praesentia deficit, nec cura minuitur, et augetur gratia. Etenim somni similis imago mortis.

73. Quod si in quiete nocturna vinculis adhuc corporeis inhaerentes, et quasi inter carceraria religatae claustra membrorum; possunt tamen animae altiora et discreta perspicere: quanto magis spectant haec, cum jam puro aethereoque sensu nulla corporeae labis impedimenta patiuntur! Meritoque mihi conquerenti, vergente quodam jam in occasum die, quod non reviseres quiescentem, totus omni tempore individuus adfuisti; ita ut illo perfusus sopore membrorum, 1313B cum ego vigilarem tibi, tu viveres mihi, dicerem: Quid est mors, frater? Nam certe nullis a me separabare momentis; ita enim ubique praesto eras, ut quam in istius vitae usu habere nostri copiam nequibamus, nunc nobis semper et ubique praesto sit. Nam tunc utique omnia praesto esse non poterant; nec enim complexiones nostrae, conspectusque et osculorum corporalium suavitates locis omnibus et omnibus temporibus suppetebant. Animorum imagines semper nobiscum erant, etiam quando non eramus una: quae ne nunc quidem occiderunt, assiduoque advolant, quo majore desiderio, eo majore copia.

74. Teneo igitur te, frater, nec mihi te aut mors aut tempus avellet. Ipsae dulces lacrymae sunt, ipsi fletus jucundi, quibus restinguitur ardor animi, et 1313C quasi relaxatus evaporat affectus. Neque enim sine te esse possum, aut tui non meminisse umquam, aut meminisse sine lacrymis. O amari dies, qui interruptam copulam proditis! O flebiles noctes, quae tam bonum consortem quietis, et individuum mihi comitem perdidistis! Quas ederetis cruces, nisi se offunderet imago praesentis, nisi visiones animi repraesentarent, quem species corporis denegaret!

75. Jam jam, frater animo meo charissime, quamquam tu immaturo decesseris obitu; beatus tamen, qui ista non sustines, nec amissum fratrem moerere compelleris, quem absentem diu ferre non poteras, sed recursu celeri revisebas. 1134 Quod si tunc solitudinis meae taedia repellere, moestitiam fraternae mentis ablevare properabas; quanto nunc crebrius afflictum 1313D animum debes revisere, et ex te conceptum, per te lenire moerorem!

76. At mihi tamen dat aliquas officii usus inducias, et obsequii sacerdotalis intentio abducit animum: sanctae vero sorori quid fiet, quae licet divino 1314A metu pietatem temperet; rursus tamen ipsum pietatis dolorem studio religionis accendit, strata humi et totum gremio sui complexa tumulum, laborioso fessa incessu, tristis affectu, dies noctesque moerorem integrat? Nam licet fletum plerumque sermone suspendat, in oratione renovat: et quamvis Scripturarum memoria consolationes serentibus praecurrat; flendi tamen desiderium precandi assiduitate compensat, lacrymarum ubertatem tunc praecipue, quando nemo interrumpere possit, instaurans. Ita quod miserearis, habes: quod reprehendas, non habes; flere enim in oratione virtutis est. Et quamquam istud familiare virginibus, quibus mollior sexus, tenerior affectus, contuitu communis fragilitatis in lacrymas etiam sine domestici sensu doloris exuberat; tamen cum major 1314B causa moerendi est, finis moeroribus excluditur.

77. Deest igitur consolandi via, quia suppetit excusandi gratia. Neque enim possis prohibere, quod doceas; praesertim cum religionis astruat lacrymas, non doloris; et communis seriem deplorationis metu pudoris obtexat. Consolare ergo qui potes adire animum, penetrare mentem. Cernat te esse praesentem, sentiat non esse defunctum; ut cujus secura de merito, ejus functa solatio, discat pro eo non graviter dolere, qui se admonuerit non esse dolendum.

78. Sed quid ego te morer, frater? quid exspectem, ut nostra tecum commoriatur, et quasi consepeliatur oratio? Licet ipsa species et exanimis corporis forma soletur, oculosque manens gratia et permanens figura demulceat; nihil, inquam, moror, 1314C procedamus ad tumulum. Sed prius ultimum coram populo vale dico, pacem praedico, osculum solvo. Praecede ad illam communem omnibus et debitam, sed jam mihi prae caeteris desiderabilem domum. Para hospiti consortium; et quemadmodum hic omnia nobis fuere communia, ita illic quoque jus dividuum nesciamus.

79. Ne, quaeso, cupientem tui diu differas, properantem exspecta, festinantem adjuva, et si diutius morari tibi videbor, accerse. Neque enim umquam prolixius abfuimus a nobis, tu tamen solebas revisere. Nunc quoniam tu redire jam non potes, nos ad te ibimus: aequum est ut officium rependamus, subeamus vicem. Numquam nobis fuit vitae conditio discretior: semper aut sanitas aut aegritudo communis; 1314D ut cum alter aegresceret, alter in morbum incurreret: 1135 et cum alter revalesceret, uterque consurgeret. Quomodo jus nostrum amisimus? Et nunc consortium aegritudinis fuit, quomodo mortis consortium non fuit?

1315A 80. Tibi nunc, omnipotens Deus, innoxiam commendo animam, tibi hostiam meam offero: cape propitius ac serenus fraternum munus, 1136 sacrificium sacerdotis. Haec mei jam libamina praemitto, in hoc ad te pignore venio, non pecuniae, sed 1316A vitae pignore; ne me diutius residere facias tanti fenoris debitorem. Non mediocris est fraterni amoris usura, nec vilis naturae sors, quam cumulant incrementa virtutis. Possum ferre, si cito cogar exsolvere.