CONCLUSION

Summary

Gregory's early influence lay in the dissemination of his most popular and practical works. The Dialogues were translated into Greek by Pope Zacharias (741–52) and became a standard work in monastic (and other) libraries in the East. The Regula Pastoralis was also translated into Greek, in Gregory's lifetime, by Anastasius of Antioch. Both works were rendered into English in King Alfred's day. From Spain to Rome in the seventh century came Taio, later bishop of Saragossa, in search of copies of Gregory's works; he knew of the Regula Pastoralis and the Moralia, which Gregory had sent to Spain; from what he found he made a collection of extracts. Taio perceived that the Moralia was full of teaching on doctrine as well as on behaviour, and he rearranged the material in an order which would make it more readily accessible to the reader who wanted help on a particular point. In a letter to Eugenius, bishop of Toledo, he describes his feelings on reading Gregory. He crept up to the door step by step, irresistibly drawn (in aestimabili accensus desiderio) and, like a bold explorator, he went in; he was struck by wonder at the sight of the profusion of beauty before him; he rushed about plucking the flowers in handfuls like a little child at play.