To John, Bishop of Syracuse, on the Complaints of Leontius

Gregory to John, and so on.

Our son the glorious former consul Leontius has made a serious complaint to us about our brother and fellow bishop Leo. His complaint has thoroughly disturbed us, since a bishop ought not to have acted so hastily and carelessly. We have entrusted this case to our defensor Romanus, to be looked into thoroughly when he comes to you. Further, the messenger whom Leontius sent complains about your fraternity: that in your defense of the illustrious physician Archelaus the interests of our brother and fellow bishop, the metropolitan Domitian, are suffering damage. And indeed your fraternity ought rightly to protect your sons, or, as it may be in this case, the interests of the holy church, and to give opponents no occasion for speaking evil. I do not doubt, however, even as I say this, that you do take care of this. Still, we have instructed the same Romanus, when he comes to you, to arrange with you what is right in this case too. [b]