The Presbyters Project

Letter 4 to Presbyter Augustine of Hippo

3. Si officium commune consideras, frater es; si maturitatem ingenii tui et sensuum, pater mihi es, etsi forte sis aeuo iunior.

Paulinus praises Augustine's books and intellect, and asks him to help him in his studies.

(ed. de Hartel 1894: 21)

Letter 4 to Presbyter Augustine of Hippo

3. If one thinks of the office we share, you are my brother. But if one considers your maturity of mind and thought, you are my father though you may be younger in years.

Paulinus praises Augustine's books and intellect, and asks him to help him in his studies.

(trans. Walsh 1966: 1.50)

Discussion:

Paulinus obtained some books written by Augustine from Bishop Alypius of Thagaste. He valued them extremely highly (see [2063]).

This letter was probably written in late 395. Augustine became a bishop at the time of writing of this letter or shortly thereafter (in 396). Paulinus acknowledges Augustine's ordination in Letter 7 to Romanianus.

Place of event:

Region

Italy south of Rome and Sicily
Latin North Africa

City

Nola
Hippo Regius

About the source:

Author: Paulinus of Nola
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Nola (Italy south of Rome and Sicily)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Paulinus of Nola (Pontius Metropius Paulinus) was born into a very affluent family ca 335. Although most of his estates were located near Bordeaux in Gaul, he was appointed the governor of Campania in his early twenties. He then returned to Gaul. In 389, after being baptized, Paulinus and his wife moved to Spain. They both started to follow a semi-monastic way of life. Following the death of his newborn son, Paulinus was ordered a presbyter at Christmas 394. In 395, Paulinus established a monastery in Nola in Campania. He served as a bishop of that city from 409 till his death in 431. Paulinus corresponded with many principal Christian intellectuals of the era, including Sulpicius Severus, Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, and Augustine of Hippo. Of this rich epistolographic corpus, however, only fifty-one letters survived. For the list of all letters Paulinus sent as a presbyter, and their addressees, see [2059].

Edition:

G. de Hartel ed., S. Pontii Meropii Paulini Nolani opera, vol. 1 Epistulae, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 29, Prague-Wien-Leipzig 1894.

Translation:

Letters of St. Paulinus of Nola, trans. P.G. Walsh, Ancient Christian Writers 35, New York 1966.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence

Described by a title - Titles of respect

PR169.

Relation with - Another presbyter

Described by a title - Pater

PR169.

Theoretical considerations - On church hierarchy

PR269.

Education - Theological interest

PR269.

Pastoral activity - Spiritual direction

PR169.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2066, https://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2066