296 St. Jerome describes the scene at her departure with admiring eloquence. “Descendit ad portum fratre, cognatis, affinibus et quod majus est liberis prosequentibus, et elementissimam matrem pietate vincere cupientibus. Jam carbasa tendebantur, et remorum ductu navis in altum protrahebatur. Parvus Toxotius supplices manus tendebat in littore, Ruffina jam nubilis ut suas expectaret nuptias tacens fletibus obsecrabat. Et tamen illa siccos tendebat ad cælum oculos, pietatem in filios pietate in Deum superans. Nesciebat se matrem ut Christi probaret ancillam.”—_Ep._ cviii. In another place he says of her: “Testis est Jesus, ne unum quidem nummum ab ea filiæ derelictum sed, ut ante jam dixi, derelictum magnum æs alienum.”—Ibid. And again: “Vis, lector, ejus breviter scire virtutes? Omnes suos pauperes, pauperior ipsa dimisit.”—Ibid. 297 See Chastel, _Etudes historiques sur la Charité_, p. 231. The parents of St. Gregory Nazianzen had made this request, which was faithfully observed. 298 Chastel, p. 232. 299 See a characteristic passage from the _Life of St. Fulgentius_, quoted by Dean Milman. “Facile potest juvenis tolerare quemcunque imposuerit laborem qui poterit maternum jam despicere dolorem.”—_Hist. of Latin Christianity_, vol. ii. p. 82. _ 300 Ep._ xiv. (_Ad Heliodorum_). 301 St. Greg. _Dial._ ii. 24. 302 Bollandists, May 3 (vol. vii. p. 561). 303 “Hospitibus omni loco ac tempore liberalissimus fuit.... Solis consanguineis durus erat et inhumanus, tamquam ignotos illos respiciens.”—Bollandists, May 29. 304 See Helyot, _Dict. des Ordres religieux_, art. “Camaldules.” 305 See the charming sketch in the _Life of St. Francis_, by Hase. 306 The legend of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict, has been often quoted. He had visited her, and was about to leave in the evening, when she implored him to stay. He refused, and she then prayed to God, who sent so violent a tempest that the saint was unable to depart. (St. Greg. _Dial._ ii. 33.) Cassian speaks of a monk who thought it his duty never to see his mother, but who laboured for a whole year to pay off a debt she had incurred. (Cœnob. _Inst._ v. 38.) St. Jerome mentions the strong natural affection of Paula, though she considered it a virtue to mortify it. (_Ep._ cviii.) _ 307 Life of Antony._ See, too, the sentiments of St. Pachomius, _Vit._ cap. xxvii. 308 “Nec ulla res aliena magis quam publica.”—Tertullian, _Apol._ ch. xxxviii. 309 “Quid interest sub cujus imperio vivat homo moriturus, si illi qui imperant, ad impia et iniqua non cogant.”—St. Aug. _De Civ. Dei_, v. 17.