Letter CCLXIX.

To Nobilius, My Most Blessed and Venerable Brother and Partner in the Priestly Office, Augustin Sends Greeting.

So important is the solemnity at which your brotherly affection invites me to be present, that my heart’s desire would carry my poor body to you, were it not that infirmity renders this impossible. I might have come if it had not been winter; I might have braved the winter if I had been young: for in the latter case the warmth of youth would have borne uncomplainingly the cold of the season; in the former case the warmth of summer would have met with gentleness the chill languor of old age. For the present, my lord most blessed, my holy and venerable partner in the priestly office, I cannot undertake in winter so long a journey, carrying with me as I must the frigid feebleness of very many years. I reciprocate the salutation due to your worth, on behalf of my own welfare I ask an interest in your prayers, and I myself beseech the Lord God to grant that the prosperity of peace may follow the dedication of so great an edifice to His sacred service.1598    This letter, probably one of the latest from the pen of Augustin, is the last of his letters in the Benedictine edition; the only remaining one, the 270th, was not written by Augustin, but addressed to him by an unknown correspondent.

EPISTOLA CCLXIX . Augustinus Nobilio episcopo, significans ad dedicationem novae fabricae se venire non posse.

Beatissimo ac venerabili fratri et consacerdoti NOBILIO, AUGUSTINUS.

Tanta est solemnitas ad quam me affectus tuae Fraternitatis invitat, ut corpusculum meum ad vos traheret voluntas, nisi teneret infirmitas. Possem venire si hiems non esset; possem hiemem contemnere, si juvenis essem: aut enim ferret rigorem temporis fervor aetatis, aut temperaret frigus aetatis fervor aestatis. Nunc hieme iter tam prolixum non suffero cum annositate algida quam mecum fero, domine beatissime, sancte ac venerabilis frater ac consacerdos. Salutationem debitam reddo meritis tuis: salutem vero meam commendo precibus tuis, poscens et 1094 ipse a Deo Domino ut dedicationem tantae fabricae pacis prosperitas prosequatur.