To Theodore, Curator of Ravenna, on the Lombard Peace

Gregory to Theodore, and so on. [a]

We have long heard from the report of our representative many things about you that gladden our heart. But now our son the abbot Probus, who has come back to us, has told us still more about the love of your glory, such things as it is fitting to tell of a truly good and most Christian son. And since he has told us of such kindness on your part, and such earnestness in arranging the peace as has not appeared even in our own citizens who were in your region before, we beg the mercy of heaven’s protection to repay you for it in body and in soul, both here and in the world to come, since you have not ceased to act for the good of many.

We inform you, then, that Ariulph has sworn to keep the peace, but not as his king swore. He swore on condition that no wrong at all should be done against himself, and that no one should march against the army of Arigis. Since this is altogether unfair and crafty, we take it as though he had not sworn. For in a way he will easily find himself an excuse for breaking it, and will deceive us all the more if we are not on our guard against him. [c] But Warnilfrid, on whose advice this same Ariulph acts in everything, has scorned to swear at all. So it has come about that from the peace we so much desired, we in this region can have hardly any relief, since we must still, and in the future, be on our guard against the same enemies we have been guarding against so far.

Further, let your glory know that the king’s men who have been sent here are pressing us to sign the treaty. But we remember the insults that Agilulf is said to have spoken to the most illustrious Basilius, to the injury of the blessed Peter through us, though Agilulf himself has flatly denied it. So we have still thought it prudent to hold back from signing. For we are petitioners and mediators between him and our most excellent son the lord exarch, and we do not want to find ourselves deceived in any way, in case something should perhaps be secretly withdrawn from the treaty and he should find an excuse for not agreeing to our petition. So we ask, as we have also asked our most excellent son, that your glory, with the love by which you are united to us, take steps so that, before these men come back from Arigis, the king may send them letters with all speed, to be handed on to us, however, ordering them not to call on us to sign. But if it serves the purpose, we will have our glorious brother, or one of the bishops, or at least an archdeacon, sign. [e]

As for Augustus, we thank you. We are seeing to it that he settles his case with his opponent fairly. We did not want the trouble of appearing before you to be laid on him, yet not so as to deny justice to his opponent. As for other matters, since it has not been in our power so far to thank you as we should, we will in future send you our representative, through whom, by God’s mercy, we may be bound more closely together in the love by which we are joined to each other. Moreover, the sorrow of your glory moves us greatly. But since a wise man knows everything that can be said by way of comfort, we leave off comforting you with words. Instead we attend you with our prayers, begging Almighty God to guard the life and health of you and all yours under the protection of his loving-kindness, and to console your heart in its affliction.