Abstract
Gregory the Great is quite generally regarded as one of the greatest of all the Popes. It is fortunate, therefore, that the fourteen volumes of his collected letters provide a golden opportunity to learn much about the inner workings of his mind. However, despite the fact that Gregory was often - extremely self-revealing in his correspondence and his preaching, some difficulty arises in trying to ascertain the real personality of the man as distinguished from his ’’official personality” as Pope. For that reason it has seemed worthwhile to examine Gregory’s letters to private citizens to see what light, if any, these communications shed on the personality of this man. | Because of a possible ambiguity in the term, it will be necessary to define ’’private citizen” as used in this connection. Here it will mean people not holding important imperial offices, nor high in the army or navy, people not holding governorships in Italy or the provinces; people not connected with the courts in various surrounding kingdoms, and people not in Gregory’s employ, such as agents governing the patrimony, or priests and monks subject to him. | This limitation will eliminate many letters which are revealing for some of Gregory’s closest friends were either churchmen or in the employ of the emperor. But these letters must be left to the examination and analysis of others.