Keep Me In Your Hearts, Friends! Egeria' s last note home

 

Name:  Egeria Date:  4th century CE Region:  [modern Spain] Citation:   Journey Abroad 1.23.10

Egeria was a Christian woman from Spain who lived during the 4th century CE. The narrative of her pilgrimage is an important document, as it shows rare insight into the lives of women during that time period. She was not only able to travel to visit holy sites in Constantinople, Jerusalem, and other holy places, she was also literate and able to write of her experiences to the women in her social circle, who were presumably also literate.   Ladies, light of my life, even though I have already given this update from [Constantinople] to give you cheer, I am headed towards Asia (specifically, Ephesus) in the name of Jesus Christ our God, for prayer and reverence of the sacred and blessed St. John. When I get back to our church, if I can think of other places in my travels, I will tell you of my continued adventures either in person (God willing!) or if not, in a letter. But you, ladies, light of my light, please keep me in your hearts, whether I am physically with you or not*. * in corpore can refer to either her physical body or the symbolic church / congregation

De quo loco, dominae, lumen meum, cum haec ad vestram affectionem darem, iam propositi erat in nomine Christi Dei nostri ad Asiam accedendi, id est Ephesum, propter martyrium sancti et beati apostoli Iohannis gratia orationis. Si autem et post hoc in corpore fuero, si qua praeterea loca cognoscere potuero, aut ipsa praesens, si Deus fuerit praestare dignatus, vestrae affectioni referam aut certe, si aliud animo sederit, scriptis nuntiabo. Vos tantum, dominae, lumen meum, memores mei esse dignamini, sive in corpore sive iam extra corpus fuero.

 

Roman Masculinity and BABIES, squee! Fronto, Ad Amicos 1.12.1-2

Fronto Fawns Over His Grandbabies!

Name:  Fronto and Marcus Aurelius Date:  100 – 170 CE Region:  Cirta [modern Algeria], Rome [modern Italy] Citation: Fronto, Letters to Friends 1.12.1-2

From: Fronto

To: Aufidius Victorinus

Hello, Son-in-Law!

[First Part of Letter is Missing]...In due course the gods will honor my daughter / your wife and our entire family with more children and grandchildren, and, since you'll be their dad, they will grow up to be just like you. Not a day goes by that I don’t have little mini-baby-talk conversations or hear mini-tantrums with our either our Victorinus, Jr, or our Fronto, Jr.  Whereas you never seek a reward or bribes from your words or deeds, our little Fronto doesn’t babble any other word more frequently than “da.” [“Give!”]  And so I give the little guy whatever is at hand—either a little scrap of paper or a writing tablet, things I hope he’ll want one day. But there are some signs he’s just like me, his grandpa: he really, really, really likes grapes. It was his first solid food, and all day he would lick them, or savor them in his lips, or nom-nom on them with his little baby gums [1]. He also really, really likes little birds: he really delights watching baby birds, little baby chicks, baby doves, and baby sparrows. I heard from my nurses and teachers that I always did the same when I was a kid...

---

[1] Please do not give uncut grapes to small children. They are a choking hazard. Thank you.

 

Fronto Fawns Over His Grandbabies!

Fronto Aufidio Victorino genero salutem.

<...> meremur et mihi filiam et tibi uxorem, ut recte proveniat, favebunt et familiam nostram liberis ac nepotibus augebunt et eos, qui ex te geniti sunt eruntque, tui similes praestabunt.Cum isto quidem sive Victorino nostro sive Frontone cotidianae mihi lites et jurgia intercedunt. Cum tu nullam unquam mercedem ullius rei agendae dicendaeve a quoquam postularis, Fronto iste nullum verbum prius neque frequentius congarrit quam hoc ‘da’. Ego contra quod possum aut chartulas ei aut tabellas porrigo, quarum rerum petitorem eum esse cupio. Nonnulla tamen et aviti ingeni signa ostendit: Uvarum avidissimus est. Primum denique hunc cibum degluttivit nec cessavit per totos paene dies aut lingua lambere uvam, aut labris saviari ac gingivis lacessere ac ludificari. Avicularum etiam cupidissimus est: Pullis gallinarum, columbarum, passerum oblectatur, quo studio me a prima infantia devinctum fuisse saepe audivi ex his, qui mihi eductores aut magistri fuerunt...

W/W: Sweeter Than Honey: A Medieval Love Letter

 

Sweeter Than Honey: A Medieval Nun to Her Girlfriend

Name:    Unknown Date:     prior to 1179 / 1186 CE Region:  [western Europe] Citation:      MGH Volume 8: Liebesbriefe 7 [1]

To C, beyond sweeter than honey and honeycomb

From B, whatever love means to a lover.

O unique and special girl,

Why do you stay so far away, and for so long?

Why do you wish for your one and only love to perish,

Who loves you (as you already know) body and soul?

Who longs for you, like a parched little bird,

Hopes for you at all hours?

From the moment when I was apart from your sweetest presence

I didn’t want to see or hear another person,

But instead, like a turtledove, when its mate is dead,

Remains perched forever upon a barren branch.

Like this sad little bird, I’ll lament without end

Until once more I can enjoy your company.

I look around, and cannot find my lover

Or any word of consolation.

Instead, I happily run through my mind

The sweetness of your words and beauty,

Undone by my grief,

For I cannot find any such relief.

What can I compare to your love?

It is sweeter than honey and honeycomb,

Even gold and silver is dull in comparison!

Why go on?

In you, is every sweetness and kindness,

And so my spirit wanes in your absence.

You lack even an ounce of the bitterness of infidelity,

You are sweeter than milk and honey.

You are the one I’ve chosen out of thousands of others—

I love you more than everyone!

You alone are my love and my desire

You are the sweet refuge of my soul.

I find no enjoyment in anything else without you.

Everything that is sweet for me by your side

Is tedious and terrible without you here.

And so I want to tell you candidly,

If it were possible for me to afford a life by your side, I wouldn’t hesitate to do so.

Because you alone are the woman I chose in my heart.

And so, I pray to God,

May bitter death not take me away

Before I may enjoy looking at you,

My beloved and dearest one.

Goodbye.

Hold dear the faith and love I bear you,

And accept these words which I write to you,

As well as my still-loyal heart.

---

[1] Piechl,Helmut and Bergmann, Werner. Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Vol. 8: Die Tegernseer Briefsammlung des 12. Jahrhunderts, 354. 

Sweeter Than Honey: A Medieval Nun to Her Girlfriend

C super mel et favum dulciori

B. quidquid amor amori.

O unica et specialis,

cur tamdiu in longinquo moraris?

Cur unicam tuam perire vis,

quae anima et corpore te diligit, ut ipsa scis?

Et quae more aviculi esurientis

te suspirat omnibus horis atque momentis.

Ex quo enim dulcissima tua presentia contigit me carere

nolui hominem ulterius audire nec videre

sed quasi tutur, perdito masculo

semper in arido residet ramusculo

ita lamentor sine fine

donec iterum fruar tua fide.

Circumpspicio et non invenio amantem

ne in uno verbo me consolantem

dum enim iucundissimae

allocutionis ac visionis tuae

dulcedinem revolvo in animo

dolore comprimor nimio

nam nil invenio tale.

Quid velim tuae dilectioni comparare,

Quae super mel at favum dulcescit

Et in cuius comparatione auri et argenti nitor vilescit?

Quid ultra? In te omnis suavitas et virtus:

idcirco de absentia tua meus semper languet spiritus.

Omnis perfidiae cares felle

dulcior es lacte et melle

electa es ex milibus

te diligo prae omnibus

tu sola amor et desiderium

tu dulce animi mei refrigerium

nil mihi absque te iucundi

In latitudine totius mundi.

Omne quod tecum erat mihi suave

sine te laboriosum est et grave.

Unde dicere volo veraciter

si fieri posset quod vitae pretio te emerem--non segniter.

Quia sola es quam elegi secundum cor meum.

idcirco semper obsecro Deum

ne prius me mors preveniat amara

quam visione tua fruar optata et care.

Vale

quae sunt omnia fidei et dilectionis de me habe.

Quem transmitto accipe stilum

et adhuc animum meum fidum.  

M/M: Two Hearts Melting into One, Synesius 152

A Christian Author Using Plato’s Myth of Soulmates

Name:   Synesius of Cyrene Date:   373 – 414 CE Region:   Cyrene [modern Libya] Citation:     Letter 151

Plato’s imagery of soulmates had such a strong impact on Greco-Roman literature that seven hundred years later, a Christian bishop used it to describe his relationship with Pylaemenes.

 

When I put my arms around you,  Pylaemenes, I feel like my soul is embracing your soul. I can’t express in words how much my heart gushes on and on about you, and I can’t even understand the depths of my feelings for you. But one person can—Plato the Athenian, the relationship expert, in his book on Love [Symposium]. He cleverly researched and eloquently described what a person in love wants to happen when they find their soulmate. Therefore, let Plato’s words count as mine: he said that a soulmate would want Vulcan to melt them both down and fuse them together, creating one person out of two.

 

Οΐου με περιπτύσσεσθαι Πυλαιμένην, αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχήν, αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῇ. Ἀπορῶ λόγων οἷς ἐκχέοιτο ὅσον ἐστὶ τῆς γνώμης μου τὸ βουλόμενον. μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτό μου τὸ πάθος, ὅ τί ποτέ ἐστι τὸ περὶ σέ μου τῆς ψυχῆς ἐξευρίσκω. Ἐγένετο δὲ τις ἀνὴρ δεινὸς τὰ ἐρωτικὰ, Πλάτων ὁ ̓Αρίστωνος Ἀθηναῖος, εὔπορος εὑρεῖν εὔκολος εἰπεῖν ἐραστοῦ φύσιν, καὶ δὴ καὶ ὅ τι αὐτῷ γενέσθαι περὶ τὰ παιδικὰ βούλεται. καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τοίνυν ἐξευρηκώς τε ἔστω καὶ εἰρηκώς. Βούλοιτ ἂν οὖν φησὶ, Ηφαίστου τέχνῃ συντακῆναί τε καὶ συμφυῆναι, καὶ ἔν ἄμφω γενέσθαι.

Pylaemenem me puta, ipsum animum animo ipso complecti. Desunt mihi verba quibus quanta est voluntatis animi mei vis effundatur, vel potius ne ipse quidem affectus cuiusmodi erga te in animo meo insit, invenio. Sed homo quidam exstitit amatoriarum rerum peritus, Plato Aristonis filius Atheniensis in amatoris natura, eoque quod circa delicias suas sibi accidere vellet, inveniendo solers, in explicando disertus ac facilis. Quare is pro me istud et inveniat et dicat. Vellet igitur, ait ille, Vulcani quadam arte colliquari et coalescere, unumque ex ambobus effici. Translated into Latin by Jacques-Paul Migne

Synesius of Cyrene [373 – 414 CE, modern Libya] was a Greek writer and statesman from Cyrene. He is known as one of Hypatia’s most famous students. His education took him to both Alexandria, Egypt and Athens, Greece; he spent many years in Constantinople advocating on behalf of his community. His letters are still extant, and provide us with unique insights into this time period.

Christianizing the Myth of Achilles & Patroclus: Synesius to His Friend Troilus, Ep. 123

Name:   Synesius of Cyrene Date:   373 – 414 CE Region:   Cyrene [modern Libya] Citation:     Letter 123

 Roman men often had deep, loving and affectionate friendships with their peers. There was no shame or stigma in expressing love and support to one another.

Dear Troilus,

Even if death erases the memory of our souls,

I will still be able to remember you there, dear friend!

This is a quote of Homer, but I don’t know if they were written more for Achilles and Patroclus than for us, dear friend! May God above, Whom wisdom cherishes, bear witness that the image of your sacred and most precious spirit is fixed deep within my heart, and even now, the words of your wisdom-instilled voice still resonate in my ears. When I returned home from Egypt, I read the letters you’d written me for the past two years and I wept profusely. Your letters didn’t cause me happiness, but rather grief, for as I read them, I recalled from spending time with you in real life, and now it seems I’m mourning the loss of a friend, even a parent, with your absence—even through you are still alive! I’ll proudly do my duty and undertake serious challenges for my country, if only I can find an opportunity to leave it. When will I enjoy seeing your face again, dearest Father? When will I wrap my arms around your sacred neck? When will I spend time with you again? If this ever should happen, I would be like what they say about Aeson from Thessaly, and become young again.

Troilo.

Quod si Erebo vita functorum oblivia tangant, 

illic vel chari potero meminisse sodalis.

Sunt illi quidem ab Homero versus scripti; sed eorum sensus nescio an ab Achille potius de Patroclo quam a me de te amicissimo, ac benefico capite, usurpari merito possit. quam eloquidem, ut testis est mihi Deus, quem philosophia colit, sacri tui ac suavisissimi animi infixam imaginem medio in corde circumfero, et auribus etiamnum illa sapientissimorum tuorum sermonum vox insonat. Cum autem ex Aegypto in patriam rediissem, ac duorum annorum simul epistolas legissem, magnam equidem in litteras vim lacrimarum profudi. Non tam enim, quod te per litteras quodammodo fruerer, mihi voluptatem afferebat, quam illud dolore afficiebat, cum ex scriptis tuis litteris praesentem ac vivam in animam consuetudinem revocarem; cuiusmodi scilicet et amico simul, et vere parente vivo essem orbatus. Libenter igitur graviora pro patria certamina subeam, mihi ut iterum profectionis occasio praebeatur. Num quando conspectu tuo perfruar, Pater vere germanissime? num quando sacrum tuum caput amplectar? num concilii propter te beati particeps ero?  Si enim ea mihi obtinere contigerit, efficiam profecto, ut iam fabula non sit, quod de Aesone Thessalo dicitur praedicant, cum ex sene repente esset iuvenis factus.

Translated by J. P. Migne (1864)

Synesius of Cyrene [373 – 414 CE, modern Libya] was a Greek writer and statesman from Cyrene. He is known as one of Hypatia’s most famous students. His education took him to both Alexandria, Egypt and Athens, Greece; he spent many years in Constantinople advocating on behalf of his community. His letters are still extant, and provide us with unique insights into this time period.

M/M: Winged Words: Julian's Letter to Eugenius, Ep. 60

Name:  Julian Date:     331 – 363 CE Region: Constantinople [modern Istanbul, Turkey] Citation:  Letter 60

To: Eugenius the Philosopher

From: Julian, Emperor of Rome

They say that Daedalos built wax wings for Icarus, daring to conquer Mother Nature with his talents. I praise his skill, but I question his wisdom, for he is the only person in human history who dared to entrust the safety of his son to soft wax. But if I could transform into a bird (as the poet Anacreon says), I wouldn’t fly to Olympus, not even to complain about Love. Instead, I would fly to the foot of your mountain, and embrace you, “my beloved” (as Sappho says). However, since Mother Nature has enclosed me in this human body, and it won’t let me lift off the ground, I can only fly to you and be with you the only way I can—in winged words. Homer knew what he was talking about when he called them “winged words,” for they flit about here and there like swift birds that swoop down wherever they want. Dear friend, write me back too! For your words are winged, too—even more so than mine—and can travel to your companions and cheer them up almost as if you’re here in person.

Εὐγενίῳ φιλοσόφῳ

Δαίδαλον μὲν Ἰκάρῳ φασὶν ἐκ κηροῦ πτερὰ συμπλάσαντα τολμῆσαι τὴν φύσιν βιάσασθαι τῇ τέχνῃ. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκεῖνον μὲν εἰ καὶ τῆς τέχνης ἐπαινῶ, τῆς γνώμης οὐκ ἄγαμαι: μόνος γὰρ κηρῷ λυσίμῳ τοῦ παιδὸς ὑπέμεινε τὴν σωτηρίαν πιστεῦσαι. εἰ δέ μοι θέμις ἦν κατὰ τὸν Τήιον ἐκεῖνον μελοποιὸν τὴν τῶν ὀρνίθων ἀλλάξασθαι φύσιν, οὐκ ἂν δήπου πρὸς Ὄλυμπον οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ μέμψεως ἐρωτικῆς, ἀλλ̓ εἰς αὐτοὺς ἂν τῶν ὑμετέρων ὀρῶν τοὺς πρόποδας ἔπτην, ἵνα σὲ τὸ μέλημα τοὐμόν, ὥς φησιν ἡ Σαπφώ, περιπτύξωμαι. ἐπεὶ δέ με ἀνθρωπίνου σώματος δεσμῷ κατακλείσασα ἡ φύσις οὐκ ἐθέλει πρὸς τὸ μετέωρον ἁπλῶσαι, τῶν λόγων οἷς ἔχω σε πτεροῖς μετέρχομαι, καὶ γράφω, καὶ σύνειμι τὸν δυνατὸν τρόπον. πάντως που καὶ Ὅμηρος αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἄλλου του χάριν ἢ τούτου πτερόεντας ὀνομάζει, διότι δύνανται πανταχοῦ φοιτᾶν, ὥσπερ οἱ ταχύτατοι τῶν ὀρνίθων ᾗ ἂν ἐθέλωσιν ᾄττοντες. γράφε δὲ καὶ αὐτός, ὦ φίλος: ἴση γὰρ δήπου σοι τῶν λόγων, εἰ μὴ καὶ μείζων, ὑπάρχει πτέρωσις, ᾗ τοὺς ἑταίρους μεταβῆναι δύνασαι καὶ πανταχόθεν ὡς παρὼν εὐφραίνειν.

Iulianus Eugenio Philosopho.

Daedalum narrant pennas Icario e cera finxisse, arteque naturam vincere tentasse: at ego illius quidem artem laudo, prudentiam tamen requiro: quippe cum solus ex omni memoria fit ausus cerae fluxae ac fragili salutem filii committere: ego tamen, si mihi esset integrum iuxta Teii illius lyrici votum, in avem mutari, non mehercule ad Olympum, neque ob amatorias aliquas querimonias, sed in ipsa montium vestrorum cacumina volarem, quo te meam (ut ait Sappho) curam amplecterer. Quoniam igitur natura me in hoc ergastulum corporis inclusit, neque in sublime verba mea explicare concedit, quibus possum alis te sequor, et scribo, et quo licet modo, tecum sum. Homerus certe non alia ex causa dixit verba alata, nisi quia omnem in partem ire possunt, ut velocissimae aves quocunque volunt, prosiliunt. Verumtamen tu quoque, amice, vicissim scribe. Name et tibi par est, vel maior in dicendo alarum copia, qua et amicos potes commovere, et varie, tamquam praesens esses, delectare.

Translated into Latin by Petrus Martinius Morentinus Navarrus (1583) [citing Sappho fragment 163]

Julian [Flavius Claudius Julianus; 331 – 363 CE; modern Turkey]. Also known as “Julian the Apostate,” Emperor Julian ruled the Roman empire from 361 to 363 CE. During that time, he advocated for the return of Rome’s polytheistic state religion. Numerous works of his are extant, including letters, speeches, and satires. These provide unique insight into the perspectives of Roman nobility during that time period.

Using Sappho's Words to Express His Love...for Books, Julian, Ep. 23

Name:  Julian Date:     331 – 363 CE Region: Constantinople [modern Istanbul, Turkey] Citation:  Letter 23.1

The Roman Emperor Julian quoted Sappho frequently in his works. In this letter, he uses the same priamel construction that Sappho used in Fragment 16 to showcase his love of books.

To Ecdicius, Prefect of Egypt, From Julian:

Some people love horses;

Others love birds;

Still others love animals.

But, from the time I was a child,

I have always burned for books.

 

ἄλλοι μὲν ἵππων, ἄλλοι δὲ ὀρνέων, ἄλλοι  θηρίων ἐρῶσιν, ἐμοὶ δὲ βιβλίων κλήσεως ἐκ παιδεαίς δεινὸς ἐντέτηκε πόθος.

Ecdicio Praefecto Aegypti Quidam equis, alii avibus, nonnulli feris delectantur: ego vero inde usque a pueritia librorum cupiditate arsi. Translated into Latin by Petrus Martinius

Julian [Flavius Claudius Julianus; 331 – 363 CE; modern Turkey]. Also known as “Julian the Apostate,” Emperor Julian ruled the Roman empire from 361 to 363 CE. During that time, he advocated for the return of Rome’s polytheistic state religion. Numerous works of his are extant, including letters, speeches, and satires. These provide unique insight into the perspectives of Roman nobility during that time period.