Letter XXI. To Damasus In this letter Jerome, at the request of Damasus, gives a minutely detailed explanation of the parable of the prodigal son

Letter CX. From Augustine

Page 119 of 224

Augustine's answer to Letter CII. He now tries to soothe Jerome's wounded feelings, begs him to overlook the offence that he has committed, and implores him not to break off the friendly relations hitherto maintained between them. He touches on the quarrel between Jerome and Rufinus and sincerely hopes that no such breach may ever separate Jerome from himself. The tone of the letter is throughout conciliatory and is marked in places with deep feeling. More than once Augustine dwells on Jerome's words ("would that I could embrace you and that by mutual converse we might learn one from the other," Letter CII. §2) and speaks of the comfort which they have brought to him.

The date of the letter is 404 a.d.

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume 6, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (1890–1900). Public domain. Text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.