Gregory of Tours: LIBRI HISTORIARUM

Anno igitur sexto regni sui Childeberthus rex, reiectam pacem Gunthchramni regis, cum Chilperico coniunctus est. Non post multum tempus Gogo moritur; in cuius locum Wandelenus subrogatur. Mummolus a regno Guntchramni fuga dilabitur et se infra murorum Avennicorum monitione concludit.

Therefore, in the sixth year of his reign, King Childeberthus, the peace of King Gunthchramn having been rejected, was conjoined with Chilperic. Not long after, Gogo dies; in whose place Wandelenus is subrogated. Mummolus slips away in flight from the realm of Gunthchramn and shuts himself up within the fortification of the walls of the Avennici.

Apud Lugdunum sinodus episcoporum coniungitur, diversarum causarum altercationis incidens neglegentioresque iudicio damnans. Sinodus ad regem revertitur, multa de fuga Mummoli ducis, nonnulla de discordiis tractans.

At Lugdunum a synod of bishops is convened, engaging in altercation over various causes and condemning by judgment the more negligent. The synod returns to the king, treating many matters about the flight of Duke Mummolus, and some about dissensions.

2. De legatis Chilperici ab Oriente reversis.

2. On the legates of Chilperic returned from the Orient.

Interea legati Chilperici regis, qui ante triennium ad Tiberium imperatorem abierant, regressi sunt non sine grave damno atque labore. Nam cum Massiliensim portum propter regum discordias adire ausi non essent, Agathae urbem, quae in Gothorum regno sita est, advenerunt. Sed priusquam litus attingerent, navis acta vento, inpulsa terris in frustra minuitur.

Meanwhile the envoys of King Chilperic, who three years earlier had gone to Emperor Tiberius, returned not without grave loss and toil. For since they did not dare to approach the port of Massilia on account of the discord of the kings, they came to the city of Agatha, which is situated in the kingdom of the Goths. But before they touched the shore, the ship, driven by the wind and dashed upon the land, was broken into fragments.

Legati vero cum pueris se in pericolo cernentes, arreptis tabulis, vix ripae relati sunt, multis puerorum amissis; sed plurimi evaserunt. Res autem, quas unda litoris invexerat, incolae rapuerunt; ex quibus quae melius fuit recipientes, ad Chilpericum regem retulerunt. Multa tamen ex his Agathensis secum retenuerunt.

Indeed the legates, seeing themselves with the boys in peril, having snatched up planks, were scarcely borne back to the shore, many of the boys having been lost; but very many escaped. The things which the wave had carried to the shore the inhabitants seized; of these, recovering what was better, they brought back to King Chilperic. Yet many of these the Agathensians retained for themselves.

Tunc ego Novigentum villa ad occursum regis abieram; ibique nobis rex missurium magnum, quod ex auro gemmisque fabricaverat in quinquagenta librarum pondere, ostendit, dicens: 'Ego haec ad exornandam atque nobilitandam Francorum gentem feci. Sed et plurima adhuc, si vita comis fuerit, faciam'. Aureus etiam singularum librarum pondere, quos imperatur misit, ostendit, habentes ab una parte iconicam imperatoris pictam et scriptum in circulo: Tiberii Constantini perpetui Augusti ; ab alia vero parte habentes quadrigam et ascensorem contenentesque scriptum: Gloria Romanorum . Multa enim et alia ornamenta, quae a legatis sunt exhibita, ostendit.

Then I had gone to the villa of Novigentum to meet the king; and there the king showed us a great missorium, which he had fashioned out of gold and gems, with a weight of fifty pounds, saying: 'I have made these things to adorn and to ennoble the nation of the Franks. But many more besides will I yet make, if life shall be kind.' He also showed gold pieces of a single-pound weight, which the emperor sent, having on one side the emperor’s iconic portrait painted and written in a circle: Tiberii Constantini perpetui Augusti ; but on the other side having a quadriga and a charioteer, and bearing the inscription: Gloria Romanorum . For he displayed many other ornaments as well, which were exhibited by the legates.

3. De legatis Childeberthi ad Chilpericum.

3. On the legates of Childebert to Chilperic.

Denique cum apud eandem villam commoraretur, Egidius Remensis episcopus cum primis Childeberthi proceribus in legationem ad Chilpericum regem venit; ibique conlocutione facta, ut, ablato Gunthchramni regis regno, hi se coniungere debeant in pace, ait Chilpericus rex: 'Filii mihi, peccatis increscentibus, non remanserunt, nec mihi nunc alius superest heres nisi fratris mei Sygiberthi filius, id est Childeberthus rex, ideoque in omnibus quae laborare potuero hic heres existat; tantum dum advixero liceat mihi sine scrupulo aut disceptatione cuncta tenere'. At illi gratias agentes, pactionibus subscriptis, ea quae locuti fuerant firmaverunt et ad Childeberthum cum magnis muneribus sunt regressi. Quibus discedentibus, Chilpericus rex Leudovaldum episcopum cum primis regni sui dirixit. Qui, data susceptaque de pace sacramenta pactionibusque firmatis, munerati regressi sunt.

Finally, while he was staying at the same villa, Aegidius, bishop of Reims, came with the foremost nobles of Childebert on an embassy to King Chilperic; and there, a colloquy having been held, to the effect that, the kingship of King Gunthchramn having been removed, these should join themselves together in peace, King Chilperic said: 'My sons, as sins increase, have not remained to me, nor does any other heir now remain to me save the son of my brother Sigebert, that is King Childebert; and therefore in all things wherein I shall be able to labor let this man be heir; only, so long as I shall live, let it be permitted to me to hold all things without scruple or disputation'. But they, giving thanks, the pactions having been subscribed, confirmed the things they had spoken and returned to Childebert with great gifts. As they were departing, King Chilperic sent Leudovaldus the bishop with the foremost men of his realm. They, the oaths concerning peace having been given and received and the pactions having been ratified, returned rewarded.

4. Qualiter Lupus a regno Childeberthi fugatus est.

4. How Lupus was driven from the kingdom of Childeberthus.

Lupus vero dux Campanensis, cum iam diu a diversis fategaretur et spoliaretur assiduae et praesertim ab Ursione et Berthefredo, ad extremum conventione facta ut occideretur, commoverunt exercitum contra eum. Quod cernens Brunichildis regina, condolens fidelis sui insecutiones iniustas, praecingens se viriliter, inrupit medios hostium cuneos, dicens: 'Nolite, o viri, nolite malum hoc facere, nolite persequere innocentem; nolite pro uno hominem committere proelium, quo solatium regionis intereat'. Haec illa loquente, respondit Ursio: 'Recede a nobis, o mulier. Sufficiat tibi sub viro tenuisse regnum; nunc autem filius tuus regnat, regnumque eius non tua, sed nostra tuitione salvatur.

But Lupus, duke of Champagne, since for a long time he was harried by various parties and plundered continually, and especially by Ursio and Berthefred, at last, a compact having been made that he should be killed, they set an army in motion against him. Seeing this, Queen Brunichildis, grieving at the unjust persecutions of her faithful one, girding herself manfully, burst into the midst of the enemy ranks, saying: 'Do not, O men, do not do this evil, do not pursue the innocent; do not for one man join battle, whereby the solace of the region would perish'. As she was saying these things, Ursio replied: 'Withdraw from us, O woman. Let it suffice for you to have held the kingdom under your husband; now, however, your son reigns, and his kingdom is preserved not by your protection, but by ours.

Tu vero recede a nobis, ne te ungulae equorum nostrorum cum terra confodiant'. Haec et alia cum diutissime inter se protulissent, obtenuit reginae industria, ne pugnarent. Tamen ab illo loco discedentes, inruerunt in domibus Lupi, et derepto omne praesidio, fingentes se illud in thesauro regis recondere, suis eum domibus intulerunt, intendentes Lupo minas atque dicentes: 'Vivus virtute nostrae non evadit'. At ille cernens se in discrimine, tutatam infra urbis Lugduni Clavati murus coniugem suam, ad Guntchramnum regem confugit. A quo benigne susceptus, cum eo latuit, expectans, ut Childeberthus ad legitimam perveniret aetatem.

'But you, indeed, withdraw from us, lest the hoofs of our horses, together with the earth, dig you up.' When they had long cast forth these and other things among themselves, the queen’s industry prevailed, that they should not fight. Yet, departing from that place, they rushed upon the houses of Lupus, and, with all protection torn away, pretending that they were stowing that in the king’s treasury, they carried it into their own houses, directing threats against Lupus and saying: 'Alive he does not escape our prowess.' But he, seeing himself in peril, having made his wife safe within the walls of the city of Lugdunum Clavatum, fled for refuge to King Guntram. By whom kindly received, he lay hidden with him, awaiting until Childebert might arrive at lawful age.

5. Altercatio cum Iudaeo.

5. Altercation with a Jew.

Igitur Chilpericus rex, cum adhuc apud supradictam villam moraretur, inpedimenta movere praecipiens, Parisius venire disponet. Ad quem cum iam vale dicturus acciderem, Iudaeus quidam Priscus nomen, qui ei ad species quoemendas familiaris erat, advenit. Cuius caesariem rex blande adpraehensa manu, ait ad me, dicens: 'Veni, sacerdus Dei, et inponi manum super eum'. Illo quoque renitenti, ait rex: 'O mens dura et generatio semper incredula, quae non intellegit Dei filium sibi prophetarum vocibus repromissum, non intellegit eclesiastica mystiria in suis sacrificiis figurata'. Haec eo dicente, Iudaeus ait: 'Deus non egit coniugium neque prole ditatur neque ullum consortem regni habere patitur, qui per Moysen ait: Videte, videte, quia ego sum Dominus, et absque me non est Deus.

Therefore King Chilperic, while he was still staying at the aforesaid villa, ordering the baggage to be moved, planned to come to Paris. When I happened to come to him now about to say farewell, a certain Jew, by name Priscus, who was intimate with him for buying wares, arrived. The king, gently taking hold of his hair with his hand, said to me, saying: 'Come, priest of God, and lay a hand upon him.' And when he too resisted, the king said: 'O hard mind and generation always unbelieving, which does not understand the Son of God promised to it by the voices of the prophets, does not understand the ecclesiastical mysteries prefigured in its sacrifices.' As he said this, the Jew said: 'God did not contract marriage nor is he endowed with offspring nor does he allow any partner to have his kingdom, who through Moses says: See, see, that I am the Lord, and apart from me there is no God.

Ego occidam et ego vivere faciam; percutiam, et ego sanabo'. Ad haec rex ait: 'Deus ab spiritali utero Filium genuit sempiternum, non aetati iuniori, non potestati minori, de quo ipse ait: Ex utero ante lucifero genui te. Hunc ergo ante saecula natum in novissimis saeculis mundo misit sanatorem, sicut ait propheta tuus: Misit Verbum suum, et sanavit eos. Quod autem ais, quia ipse non generit, audi prophetam tuum dicentem ex voce dominica: Numquid ego, qui alius parere facio, ipse non paream? Haec enim de populo, qui in eum per fidem renascitur, ait'. Ad haec Iudaeus respondit: 'Numquid Deus homo fieri potuit aut de mulieri nasci, verberibus subdi, morte damnare?' Ad haec rege tacentem, in medio me ingerens, dixi: 'Ut Deus, Dei filius, homo fierit, non suae, sed nostrae necessitatis extetit causa.

'I will kill and I will make live; I will strike, and I will heal.' To these things the king said: 'God from a spiritual womb begot a Son sempiternal, not of a younger age, not of a lesser power, of whom he himself says: From the womb before the daystar I begot you. Therefore this one, born before the ages, he sent into the world in the latest ages as a healer, as your prophet says: He sent his Word, and he healed them. But as to what you say, that he himself does not beget, hear your prophet speaking in the Lord’s voice: Is it the case that I, who make others give birth, shall I myself not give birth? For he says these things about the people who are reborn into him through faith.' To this the Jew replied: 'Could God become man or be born of a woman, be subjected to beatings, be condemned to death?' At this, the king being silent, thrusting myself into the midst, I said: 'That God, the Son of God, became man was due not to his own, but to our necessity.'

Nam captivum peccato homine et diaboli servitute subiectum redemere non potuerat, nisi hominem adsumpsisset. Ego vero non de euangeliis et apostolo, quae non credis, sed de tuis libris testimonia praebens, proprio te mucrune confodiam, sicut quondam David Goliam legitur trucidasse. Igitur quod Deus homo futurus esset, audi prophetam tuum: Et Deus, inquid, et homo, et quis cognovit eum?

For the captive man, subjected to sin and to the servitude of the devil, could not be redeemed unless he had assumed man. But indeed, not from the Gospels and the Apostle, which you do not believe, but offering testimonies from your own books, with your own blade I will pierce you, just as once David is read to have slaughtered Goliath. Therefore, that God was going to be man, hear your prophet: “Both God,” he says, “and man; and who has known him?”

Et alibi: Hic Deus noster, et non repotabitur alius praeter eum; qui invenit omnem viam scientiae et dedit illam Iacob puero suo et Israhel dilecto suo. Post haec in terris visus est et cum hominibus conversatus est. Quod autem de virgine nascitur, audi similiter prophetam tuum dicentem: Ecce virgo in utero concipiet et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuhel, quod est interpraetatum: Nobiscum Deus.

And elsewhere: This is our God, and no other shall be accounted besides him; who found the whole way of knowledge and gave it to Jacob his servant and to Israel his beloved. After this he was seen on earth and conversed with men. But that he is born of a virgin, likewise hear your prophet saying: Behold, the virgin will conceive in the womb and will bear a son, and his name will be called Emmanuhel, which is interpreted: God with us.

Quod verberibus subdi, quod clavis adfigi deberit et aliis quoque iniuriis vel subiacere vel adfici, alius propheta ait: Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos; diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et citera. Et iterum: Dederunt in esca mea fel, et in siti mea potaverunt me aceto. Et quod per ipsum crucis patibulum labentem mundum et diaboli dicione subiectum restituerit in regno suo, idem David ait: Dominus regnavit a ligno.

That he should be subjected to beatings, that he should be affixed with nails, and also either be subjected to or affected by other injuries, another prophet says: “They dug my hands and my feet; they divided my garments among themselves, and the rest.” And again: “They gave gall for my food, and in my thirst they made me drink vinegar.” And that through the very gibbet of the cross he would restore, in his kingdom, the world slipping away and subjected to the dominion of the devil, the same David says: “The Lord has reigned from the tree.”

Non quod antea non regnaverit apud Patrem, sed super populum, quem a diabuli servituti liberaverat, rudem regnum accepit'. Iudaeos ad haec respondit: 'Quae Deo fuit necessitas, ut ista pateretur?' Cui ego: 'Iam dixi tibi, Deus hominem creavit innoxium, sed astu serpentis circumscriptus, praevaricatur praecepti factus est; et ideo a side paradisi eiectus, mundanis laboribus deputatus est. Qui mortem unigeniti Dei Christi Deo reconciliatus est Patri'. Iudaeos dixit: 'Non poterat Deus mittere prophetas aut apostulos, qui eum ad viam revocarent salutis, nisi ipse humiliatus fuisset in carne?' Ad haec ego: 'A principio genus semper diliquit humanum, quem numquam terruit nec submersio diluvii nec incendium Sodomae nec plagae Aegypti nec miraculum maris Iordanisque divisi; qui semper legi Dei restitit, prophetis non crededit, et non solum non crededit, verum etiam ipsos praedicatores paenitentiae interemit. Ideo nisi ipse eum discendisset redemere, haec explere non potuerat alter.

Not that previously he did not reign with the Father, but over the people whom he had freed from the servitude of the devil he received a new-made kingship'. The Jew in answer to these things replied: 'What necessity was there for God, that he should suffer these things?' To whom I: 'I have already told you, God created man innocuous, but, overreached by the cunning of the serpent, he became a transgressor of the precept; and therefore, cast out from the seat of paradise, he was assigned to worldly labors. He who by the death of the Only-begotten of God, Christ, was reconciled to God the Father'. The Jew said: 'Could not God send prophets or apostles who would recall him to the way of salvation, unless he himself had been humbled in the flesh?' To this I: 'From the beginning the human race has always failed, whom neither the submersion of the deluge nor the conflagration of Sodom nor the plagues of Egypt nor the miracle of the sea and of the Jordan divided ever terrified; who always resisted the law of God, did not believe the prophets, and not only did not believe, but even slew the very preachers of penitence. Therefore, unless he himself had descended to redeem him, another could not have accomplished these things.

Cuius nos nativitati renati, baptismo abluti, vulnere curati, resurrectione erecti, ascensione glorificati sumus. Quod autem morbis nostris medere venturus erat, propheta tuus ait: Livore eius sanati sumus; et alibi: Ipse peccata nostra portabit et orabit pro transgressoribus; et iterum: Sicut oves ad occisionem ductus est; et quasi agnus coram tundente se sine voce, sic non aperuit os suum. In humiliatione iudicium eius sublatum est.

By whose nativity we have been reborn, by baptism washed, by the wound healed, by the resurrection raised up, by the ascension glorified. But that he was going to come to heal our diseases, your prophet says: By his bruise we have been healed; and elsewhere: He himself will carry our sins and will pray for transgressors; and again: Like sheep he was led to slaughter; and as a lamb before the one beating him, without a voice, thus he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away.

Generationem eius quis enarravit? Dominus exercituum nomen eius. De hoc et Iacob ille, de cuius te iactas venisse generationem, in illa filii sui Iudae benedictione, quasi ad ipsum Christum, filium Dei, loquens, ait: Adorabunt te filii patris tui.

Who has narrated his generation? The Lord of hosts is his name. Concerning this one also Jacob—he from whose generation you boast to have come—in that blessing of his son Judah, as if speaking to Christ himself, the Son of God, said: The sons of your father will adore you.

Catulus leonis Iuda. De germine, fili mi, ascendisti. Recubans dormisti quasi leo, quasi catulus leonis.

A lion’s whelp, Judah. From the shoot, my son, you have ascended. Reclining, you slept like a lion, like a lion’s whelp.

Qui suscitavit eum? Pulchriores oculi eius vino et dentes eius lacte candidiores. Quis, inquid, suscitabit eum?

Who has raised him up? His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. Who, he says, will raise him up?

Et licet ipse dixerit: Potestatem habeo ponendi animam meam, et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam, tamen Paulus apostulus ait: Qui non credederit, quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus esse non poterit'. Haec et alia nobis dicentibus, numquam conpunctus est miser ad credendum. Tunc rex, silenti illo, cum viderit eum his sermonibus non conpungi, ad me conversus, postulat, ut, accepta benedictione, discederit. Ait enim: 'Dicam', inquid, 'tibi, o sacerdus, quod Iacob dixit ad angelum, qui ei loquebatur: Non demittam te, nisi benedixeris mihi'. Et haec dicens, aquam manibus porregi iubet.

And although he himself said: 'I have authority to lay down my life, and I have authority to take it again,' yet the Apostle Paul says: 'He who will not have believed that God raised him from the dead will not be able to be saved'. While we were saying these and other things, the wretch was never pricked to believe. Then the king, he being silent, when he saw him not be pierced by these speeches, turning to me, requests that, the blessing having been received, he should depart. For he says: 'I will say,' quoth he, 'to you, O priest, what Jacob said to the angel who was speaking to him: I will not let you go, unless you have blessed me'. And saying these things, he orders water to be proffered to his hands.

Quibus ablutis, facta oratione, accepto pane, gratias Deo agentes, et ipsi accepimus et regi porreximus; austoque mero, vale dicentes discessimus. Rex vero, ascenso equite, Parisius est regressus cum coniuge et filia vel omni familia sua.

When these had been washed, a prayer having been made, the bread having been received, giving thanks to God, we both received it ourselves and offered it to the king; and, with pure wine having been drunk, saying “farewell” we departed. But the king, having mounted on horseback, returned to Paris with his consort and daughter, as well as all his household.

6. De sancto Hospicio reclauso et abstinentia vel miraculis eius.

6. On Saint Hospicius the recluse, and his abstinence and his miracles.

Fuit autem apud urbem Nicensim eo tempore Hospicius reclausus magnae abstinentiae, qui constrictus catenis ad purum corpus ferreis, induto desuper cilicio, nihil aliud quam purum panem cum paucis dactalis comedebat. In diebus autem quadraginsimae de radicibus herbarum Aegyptiarum, quas heremitae utuntur, exhibentibus sibi negotiatoribus, alibatur. Et primum quidem ius in quo coxerant auriens, ipsas sumebat in posterum.

There was, moreover, near the city of Nice at that time Hospicius, a recluse, of great abstinence, who, bound with iron chains to his bare body, with a cilice put on over it, ate nothing other than plain bread with a few dates. But during the days of the Quadragesima (Lent) he was nourished by the roots of Egyptian herbs, which the hermits use, the merchants supplying them to him. And at first indeed, drawing off and drinking the broth in which they had cooked them, thereafter he would take the roots themselves.

Magnas enim per eum Dominus virtutes dignatus est operare. Nam quodam tempore, revelante sibi Spiritu sancto, adventum Langobardorum in Galleis hoc modo praedixit: 'Venient', inquid, 'Langobardi in Galleis et devastabunt civitates septem, eo quod increverit malitia eorum in conspectu Domini, quia nullus est intellegens, nullus est qui faciat bonum, quo ira Dei placetur. Est enim omnes populus infidelis, periuriis deditus, furtis obnoxius, in homicidiis prumptus, ad quibus nullus iustitiae fructus ullatenus gliscit.

For through him the Lord deigned to work great powers. For at a certain time, with the Holy Spirit revealing to him, he foretold the advent of the Langobards in Gaul in this manner: 'They will come', he said, 'the Langobards into Gaul and will devastate seven cities, because their malice has increased in the sight of the Lord, since there is no one intelligent, no one who does good, by which the wrath of God might be appeased. For the whole people is unfaithful, given over to perjuries, liable to thefts, ready in homicides, among whom no fruit of justice in any wise swells forth.'

Non decimae dantur, non pauper alitur, non tegitur nudus, non peregrinus hospitio recipitur aut cibo sufficiente sacietur. Ideo haec plaga supervenit. Nunc autem dico vobis: Congerete omnem substantiam vestram infra murorum septa, ne a Langobardis deripiatui, et vos ipsos in locis firmissimis cummonite'. Haec eo loquente, omnes obstupefacti et vale dicentes, cum magna admiratione ad propria sunt regressi.

No tithes are given, the poor man is not nourished, the naked is not covered, the pilgrim is not received into hospitality nor sated with sufficient food. Therefore this plague has come upon you. Now, however, I say to you: Gather together all your substance within the enclosures of the walls, lest it be plundered by the Lombards, and fortify yourselves in the firmest places'. While he was saying these things, all, astonished and bidding farewell, returned with great admiration to their own homes.

Monachis quoque dixit: 'Abscidite et vos a loco, auferentes vobiscum quae habetis. Ecce enim adpropinquat gens quam praedixi!' Dicentibus autem illis: 'Non relinquemus te, sanctissime pater', ait: 'Nolite timere pro me; futurum est enim, ut inferant mihi iniurias, sed non nocebunt usque ad mortem'. Discedentibus autem monachis, venit gens illa; et dum cuncta quae repperit vastat, pervenit ad locum ubi sanctus Dei reclausus erat. At ille per fenestram turris ostendit se eis.

He also said to the monks: 'Cut yourselves off too from the place, carrying away with you what you have. Behold, for the nation which I foretold is drawing near!' But when they said: 'We will not leave you, most holy father', he said: 'Do not fear for me; for it will come to pass that they inflict injuries upon me, but they will not harm unto death'. However, as the monks were departing, that nation came; and while it was wasting all things which it found, it arrived at the place where the Saint of God had been shut in as a recluse. But he showed himself to them through the window of the tower.

Ille vero circumeuntes turrem, aditum, per quem ingrederentur ad eum, invenire non poterant. Tunc duo ascendentes, detexerunt tectum, et videntes eum vinctum catenis indutumque cilicio, dicunt: 'Hic malefactor est et homicidium fecit, ideo in his legaminibus vinctus tenitur'. Vocatumque interpraetem, sciscitantur ab eo, quid male ficerit, ut tale supplitio artaretur. At ille fatetur, se homicidam esse omnesque criminis reum.

But they, going around the tower, were not able to find an access by which they might enter to him. Then two, ascending, uncovered the roof; and seeing him bound with chains and clothed in a hairshirt, they say: 'This man is a malefactor and has committed homicide; therefore he is held bound in these bonds.' And having called an interpreter, they inquire from him what evil he had done, that he was constrained by such a punishment. But he confesses that he is a homicide and guilty of every crime.

Tunc unus, extracto gladio, ut caput eius libraret, dextera in ipso ictu suspensa diriguit, nec eam ad se potuit revocare. Tunc gladium laxans, terrae deiecit. Haec videntes socii eius, clamorem in caelo dederunt, flagitantes a sancto, ut, quid agere poterent, clementer insinuaret.

Then one, with his sword drawn, as he was about to take off his head, his right hand, suspended in the very stroke, grew rigid, nor could he draw it back to himself. Then, loosening the sword, he cast it to the earth. Seeing these things, his companions gave a cry to heaven, beseeching the saint that he would kindly intimate what they could do.

Ipse vero inposito salutis signo brachium sanitati restituit. Ille autem in eodem loco conversus, tonsorato capite, fidelissimus monachus nunc habetur. Duo vero duces, qui eum audierunt, incolomes patriae redditi sunt; qui vero contempserunt praeceptum eius, miserabiliter in ipsa provintia sunt defuncti.

He himself, having imposed the sign of salvation, restored the arm to health. But that man, converted in that same place, with his head tonsured, is now held a most faithful monk. And the two leaders who listened to him were restored unharmed to their fatherland; but those who despised his precept miserably died in that very province.

Multi autem ex ipsis a daemoniis correpti, clamabant: 'Cur nos, sancte beatissime, sic crucias et incendis? ' Sed inpositam eis manum, mundabat eos. Post haec homo erat Andecavensis incola, qui per nimiam febrem eloquium pariter auditumque perdederat; et cum febrae convaluisset, surdus permanebat ac mutus.

Many, moreover, of those very people, seized by demons, cried out: 'Why do you, O holy most blessed one, thus torture and burn us? ' But by placing his hand upon them, he cleansed them. After these things there was a man, an Andecavian inhabitant, who through excessive fever had lost both speech and hearing alike; and when the fever had abated, he remained deaf and mute.

Igitur diaconus ex provintia illa Romam directus est, ut beatorum apostolorum pignora vel reliquorum sanctorum, qui urbem illam muniunt, exhiberet. Quod cum ad parentes infirmi illius pervenisset, rogant, ut eum sibi comitem iteneris sumere dignaretur, confisi, quod, si beatissimorum apostolorum adiret sepulchra, protinus possit adsequi medicinam. Euntibus autem illis, venerunt ad locum, ubi beatus Hospicius habitabat.

Therefore a deacon from that province was dispatched to Rome, to exhibit the relics of the blessed apostles and of the other saints who fortify that city. When this had come to the parents of that infirm man, they ask that he would deign to take him along as a companion of the journey, confident that, if he should approach the sepulchers of the most blessed apostles, he could forthwith obtain a remedy. But as they were going, they came to the place where the blessed Hospicius was dwelling.

Quo salutato ac deoscolato, causas iteneris diaconus pandit ac proficisci se Romam indecat seque his qui sancto viro de naucleris amici essent commendare deposcit. Cumque ibi adhuc moraretur, sensit vir beatus per spiritum Domini adesse virtutem; et ait diacono: 'Infirmum, qui comes tui nunc est iteneris, rogo ut meis conspectibus repraesentis'. At ille nihil moratus, velociter ad metatum vadit invenitque infirmum febre plenum, qui per nutum aures suas dare tinnitum indecabat; adpraehensumque ducit ad sanctum Dei. At ille adpraehensa manu caesariem, adtraxit capud illius in finestram, adsumptumque oleum benedictione sanctificatum, tenens manu sinistram linguam eius, ori verticique capitis infudit, dicens: 'In nomine domini mei Iesu Christi aperiantur aures tuae, reseretque os tuum virtus illa, qui quondam ab homine surdo et muto noxium eiecit daemonium'. Et haec dicens, interrogat nomen.

Having greeted and kissed him, the deacon lays open the causes of the journey and declares that he is setting out to Rome, and asks to commend himself to those who among the shipmasters were friends to the holy man. And while he was still lingering there, the blessed man sensed through the Spirit of the Lord that power was present; and he said to the deacon: 'The infirm man, who is now the companion of your journey, I ask that you present before my sight.' And he, delaying not at all, swiftly goes to the lodging and finds the infirm man full of fever, who by a nod indicated that his ears were giving a ringing; and having taken hold of him, he leads him to the holy one of God. And he, having taken the hair with his hand, drew his head to the window; and taking oil sanctified by a benediction, holding his tongue with his left hand, he poured it upon the mouth and the crown of the head, saying: 'In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, let your ears be opened, and let that power unbar your mouth, who once cast out from the deaf and mute man the noxious demon.' And saying these things, he asks the name.

Ille vero clara voce ait: 'Sic dicor'. Cum haec vidisset diaconus, ait: 'Gratias tibi inmensas refero, Christi, qui talia per servum tuum dignaris ostendere. Quaerebam Petrum, quaerebam Paulum Laurentiumque vel reliquos, qui Romam proprio cruore inlustrant; hic omnes repperi, hic cunctos inveni'. Haec eo cum maximo fletu et admiratione dicente, vir Dei omni intentione vanam vitans gloriam, ait: 'Sile, sile, dilectissime frater, non haec ego facio, sed ille qui mundum ex nihilo condedit, qui, pro nobis hominem suscipiens, caecis visum, surdis auditum, mutis praestat eloquium; qui leprosis cutem pristinam, mortuis vitam et omnibus infirmis adfluentem medicinam indulget'. Tunc diaconus gaudens et vale dicens, abscessit cum comitibus suis. Quibus discedentibus, homo quidam Dominicus, - sic enim erat viro nomen - a nativitate caecus, advenit ad istius miraculi virtutem probandam.

But he indeed said in a clear voice: 'Thus am I called.' When the deacon had seen these things, he said: 'I render to you immense thanks, O Christ, who deign to show such things through your servant. I was seeking Peter, I was seeking Paul and Lawrence and the rest, who illuminate Rome with their own blood; here I have found them all, here I have found everyone.' As he was saying these things with the greatest weeping and wonder, the man of God, with all intention shunning vain glory, said: 'Be silent, be silent, most beloved brother; not I do these things, but he who founded the world out of nothing, who, assuming man for our sake, grants sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and eloquence to the mute; who grants to lepers their pristine skin, to the dead life, and to all the infirm an overflowing medicine.' Then the deacon, rejoicing and saying farewell, departed with his companions. As they were departing, a certain man, Dominic, - for thus was the man’s name - blind from birth, arrived to prove the power of this miracle.

Qui dum in monastirio duobus aut tribus mensibus resederet, oratione ac ieiuniis vacans, tandem vocat eum ad se vir Dei et ait: 'Vis recipere visum?' Cui ille ait: 'Voluntas', inquid, 'mea erat ignota cognuscere. Nam quae sit lux ignoro. Unum tantum scio, quod ab omnibus conlaudatur; ego autem ab inicio aetatis meae usque nunc videre non merui'. Tunc cum oleo benedicto super oculus eius crucem sanctam faciens, ait: 'In nomine Iesu Christi redemptores nostri aperiantur oculi tui'. Et statim aperti sunt oculi eius, et erat admirans cernensque magnalia Dei, quae in hoc mundo videbat.

While he was remaining in the monastery for two or three months, giving himself to prayer and fasts, at length the man of God calls him to himself and says: 'Do you wish to receive sight?' To which he said: 'My will,' he said, 'was to come to know the unknown. For I do not know what light is. One thing only I know, that it is highly praised by all; but I, from the beginning of my life up to now, have not merited to see.' Then, making the holy cross over his eyes with blessed oil, he said: 'In the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, let your eyes be opened.' And immediately his eyes were opened, and he was marveling and beholding the magnalia of God, which he saw in this world.

Dehinc mulier quaedam, quae, ut ipsa declamabat, tria habens daemonia, ad eum adducta est. Quam cum tactu sacro benedixisset atque ex oleo sancto crucem fronte eius inposuisset, eiectis daemonibus, purgata discessit. Sed et aliam puellam, ab spiritu inmundo vexatam, benedictione sanavit.

Thereafter a certain woman, who, as she herself proclaimed, had three demons, was brought to him. When he had blessed her with a sacred touch and had placed a cross upon her forehead from holy oil, with the demons cast out, she departed cleansed. And he also healed another girl, vexed by an unclean spirit, by a blessing.

Cum autem iam dies obitus eius adpropinquaret, vocavit ad se praepositum monastirii, dicens: 'Exibe ferramentum et inrumpe parietem et mitte nuntius ad episcopum civitatis, ut veniat ad me sepeliendum. Die enim tertia ab hoc egredior mundo et vado in requiem distinatam, quam mihi Dominus repromisit'. Haec eo dicente, misit praepositus ad episcopum civitatis Nicensis, qui ei haec nuntiarent. Post haec Crescens quidam venit ad fenestram, et videns eum catenis vinctum, vermibus plenum, ait: 'O domine mi, qualiter tam valida turmenta tollerare tam fortiter potes?' Cui ille ait: 'Confortat me ille, pro cuius nomine haec patior.

But when now the day of his death was drawing near, he called to himself the provost of the monastery, saying: 'Bring out the iron implement and break through the wall, and send a messenger to the bishop of the city, that he may come to bury me. For on the third day I depart from this world and I go to the destined rest, which the Lord has promised to me.' As he was saying these things, the provost sent to the bishop of the city of Nicaea, to announce these things to him. After this a certain Crescens came to the window, and seeing him bound with chains, full of worms, said: 'O my lord, how can you so bravely bear such mighty torments?' To whom he said: 'He strengthens me, for whose name I suffer these things.'

Dico autem tibi, quia iam absolvor ab his vinculis et vado in requiem meam'. Adveniente autem die tertia, deposuit catenas, quibus vinctus erat, prostravit se in orationem; et cum diutissime cum lacrimis orasset, conlocans se super scamnum, extensis pedibus elevatisque ad caelum manibus, gratias agens Deo, tradedit spiritum. Et statim omnes vermes ille, qui sanctos artos perforabant, evanuerunt. Adveniens autem Austadius episcopus, beatum corpus studiosissime sepulturae mandavit.

'But I say to you, that I am now released from these bonds and I go into my rest.' And when the third day had arrived, he laid aside the chains with which he had been bound, and prostrated himself in prayer; and when for a very long time he had prayed with tears, placing himself upon a bench, with his feet outstretched and his hands raised to heaven, giving thanks to God, he gave up the spirit. And at once all those worms which were piercing the holy limbs vanished. And Bishop Austadius, arriving, most diligently committed the blessed body to burial.

Haec omnia ab ipsius ore cognovi, quem superius mutum et surdum ab eo sanatum exposui. Qui multa mihi et alia de eius virtutibus narravit, sed prohibuit me res illa loqui, quia audivi vitam ipsius a multis fuisse conscriptam.

I learned all these things from his very mouth, whom above I have related as mute and deaf, healed by him. He told me many other things as well about his virtues, but he forbade me to speak those matters, because I have heard that his life has been written by many.

7. De transitu Ferreoli Ucecensis episcopi.

7. On the passing of Ferreolus, bishop of Uzès.

Eo tempore Ferreolus Ucecensis episcopus, magnae vir sanctitatis, obiit, plenus sapientia et intellectu; qui libros aliquos epistolarum, quasi Sidonium secutus, conposuit. Post cuius obitum Albinus ex praefecto per Dinamium rectorem Provinciae extra regis consilium suscepit episcopatum; quem non amplius quam tribus utens mensibus, cum ad hoc causa restitisset, ut removeretur, defunctus est. Iovinus iterum, qui quondam Provinciae rector fuerat, regium de episcopatum praeceptum accipit.

At that time Ferreolus, the Ucecensis bishop, a man of great sanctity, died, full of wisdom and intellect; who composed some books of epistles, as if following Sidonius. After whose death Albinus, a former prefect, through Dinamius, rector of the Province, outside the king’s counsel, assumed the episcopate; but employing it not more than three months, when a case had stood to this end, that he should be removed, he died. Jovinus, again, who once had been rector of the Province, receives a royal precept concerning the episcopate.

Sed praevenit eum Marcellus diaconus, Felicis senatoris filius. Qui, convocatis conprovincialibus, per consilium Dinami episcopus ordinatus est. Sed et ipse inpulsatus deinceps a Iovino, ut removeretur, conclusus in civitate, virtute se defensare nitebatur; sed cum non valeret, muneribus vicit.

But Marcellus the deacon, son of Felix the senator, forestalled him. Having convened the fellow provincials, he was ordained bishop by the counsel of Dinamius. But he too, thereafter pressed by Jovinus to be removed, shut up in the city, strove to defend himself by virtue; but when he did not prevail, he won by gifts.

8. De Eparchio reclauso Aecolinensis urbis.

8. About Eparchius, the recluse, of the city of Aecolinensis.

Obiit et Eparchius reclausus Ecolesinensis, vir magnificae sanctitatis, per quem Deus multa miracula ostendit; de quibus, relictis plurimis, pauca perstringam. Petrocoricae urbis incola fuit; sed post conversionem clericus factus, Ecolesinam veniens, cellulam sibi aedificavit. In qua, collectis paucis monachis, in oratione morabatur assidue; et si ei aliquid auri argentique offerebatur, aut in necessitatibus pauperum aut in redemptione captivorum distribuebat.

And Eparchius also died, the recluse of Ecolesina, a man of magnificent sanctity, through whom God showed many miracles; of which, leaving very many aside, I will touch on a few. He was an inhabitant of the city of the Petrocorii; but after his conversion, having been made a cleric, coming to Ecolesina, he built a little cell for himself. In it, after gathering a few monks, he abode continually in prayer; and if anything of gold and silver was offered to him, he would distribute it either for the necessities of the poor or for the redemption of captives.

Panes in cellula illa, eo vivente, coctus numquam fuit, sed a devotis, cum necessitas exegisset, inferebatur. Magnam enim catervam populorum de oblationibus devotorum redemit; pusularum malarum venenum crucis signum saepe compressit, daemonas de obsessis corporibus oratione abegit et iudicibus plerumque, ut culpabilibus ignoscerent, dulcedine profusa imperavit potius quam rogavit. Nam ita erat dulcis alloquio, ut ei negare non possent, cum fuisset indulgentiam deprecatus.

Loaves in that little cell, while he was alive, were never baked, but were brought in by the devout whenever necessity demanded. For with the oblations of the devout he ransomed a great crowd of people; he often checked the venom of evil pustules by the sign of the cross, drove demons by prayer from possessed bodies, and upon judges, for the most part, that they might forgive the culpable, he commanded rather than asked, by an outpoured sweetness. For he was so sweet in address that they could not refuse him, when he had entreated indulgence.

Quodam vero tempore, dum pro furtum quis ad adpendendum deduceretur, qui et in alia multa scelera, tam in furtis quam in homicidiis, accusabatur ab incolis criminosus, et haec ei nuntiata fuissent, misit monachum suum ad deprecandum iudici, ut scilicet culpabilis ille vitae concederetur. Sed insultante vulgo atque vociferante, quod, si hic dimitteretur, neque regioni neque iudici possit esse consultum, dimitti non potuit. Interea extenditur ad trocleas, virgis ac fustibus caeditur et patibulo condemnatur.

At a certain time, while someone was being led to be hanged for theft, who also for many other misdeeds, both in thefts and in homicides, was accused by the inhabitants as a criminal, and when these things had been announced to him, he sent his monk to plead with the judge, namely that that guilty man be granted life. But with the crowd insulting and vociferating that, if this man were released, neither for the region nor for the judge could it be prudent, he could not be released. Meanwhile he is stretched on the pulleys, beaten with rods and cudgels, and condemned to the gibbet.

Cumque mestus monachus abbati renuntiasset: 'Vade', inquid, 'a longe, quia scito, quod, quem homo reddere noluit, Dominus suo munere redonabit. Tu vero, cum eum cadere videris, protinus adprehensum adducito in monasterium'. Monacho vero iussa complente, ille prosternitur in oratione et tam diu in lacrimis ad Deum fudit preces, quoadusque, disruptum obice cum catenis, terrae restitueretur adpensus. Tunc monachus adprehensum eum abbatis conspectibus incolomem repraesentat.

And when the sad monk had reported back to the abbot, “Go,” he said, “from afar, for know that him whom a man was unwilling to restore, the Lord will restore by His own munus. But you, when you see him fall, immediately, having apprehended him, lead him to the monastery.” And when the monk was fulfilling the orders, he (the abbot) prostrates himself in oration and for so long in tears poured forth prayers to God, until, the barrier having been burst along with the chains, he was restored to the ground from his suspension. Then the monk, having seized him, presents him unharmed to the abbot’s sight.

At ille gratias Deo agens, comitem arcessiri iubet, dicens: 'Semper me benigno animo solitus eras audire, fili dilectissime; et cur hodie induratus hominem, pro cuius vita rogaveram, non laxasti?' Et ille: 'Libenter te', inquid, 'audio, sancte sacerdos; sed, insurgente vulgo, aliud facere non potui, timens super me seditionem moveri'. Et ille: 'Tu', inquid 'me non audisti; Deus autem audire me dignatus est, et quem tu tradidisti morti, ille vitae restituit. En', inquid, 'coram te adstat sanus!' Haec eo dicente, prosternitur ad pedes comitis stupentis, quod videbat vivere quem in mortis interitu reliquisset. Haec ego ab ipsius comitis ore cognovi.

But he, giving thanks to God, orders the count to be summoned, saying: 'You were always accustomed to listen to me with a benign spirit, most beloved son; and why today, hardened, did you not release the man for whose life I had entreated?' And he: 'Gladly I listen to you, holy priest; but, with the crowd rising up, I could do nothing else, fearing that a sedition would be stirred up against me.' And he: 'You did not listen to me; but God deigned to listen to me, and the one whom you handed over to death, he restored to life. Behold,' he says, 'he stands sound before you!' As he was saying this, he is prostrated at the feet of the astonished count, because he saw alive the one whom he had left in the destruction of death. These things I learned from the mouth of the count himself.

Sed et alia multa fecit, quae insequi longum putavi. Post XLIIII vero annos reclusionis suae parumper febre pulsatus tradidit spiritum; protractusque a cellula, sepulturae mandatus est. Magnus autem conventus, ut diximus, de redemptis in eius processit exsequiis.

But he also did many other things, which I thought it would be long to pursue. After 44 years of his reclusion, struck for a little while by fever, he handed over the spirit; and, drawn out from the little cell, he was consigned to burial. A great assembly, moreover, as we have said, of the redeemed turned out for his obsequies.

9. De Domnolo Cinomannorum episcopo.

9. On Domnolus, bishop of the Cenomanni.

Domnolus vero Cinomannorum episcopus aegrotare coepit. Tempore enim Chlothari regis apud Parisius ad basilicam sancti Laurenti gregi monasteriali praefuerat. Sed quoniam, Childeberto seniore vivente, semper Chlothario regi fidelis extitit et nuntius illius ad speculandum missus crebrius occulebat, praestolabatur rex locum, in quo pontificatus honorem acciperet.

But Domnolus, bishop of the Cenomanni, began to fall sick. For in the time of King Chlothar, in Paris at the basilica of Saint Lawrence, he had presided over the monastic flock. But since, while Childebert the elder was living, he always proved faithful to King Chlothar and, sent as his messenger for reconnoitering, very often kept himself concealed, the king was awaiting a place in which he might receive the honor of the pontificate.

Migrante autem Avenniensis civitatis pontifice, istum illuc dare deliberaverat. Sed beatus Domnolus haec audiens, ad basilicam sancti Martini antistitis, ubi tunc Chlotharius rex ad orationem venerat, accessit, et nocte tota in vigiliis excubans, per priores qui aderant regi suggessionem intulit, ut non quasi captivus ab eius elongaretur aspectu, nec permitteret, simplicitatem illius inter senatores sophisticos ac iudices philosophicos fatigari, adserens, hunc locum humilitatis sibi esse potius quam honoris. Ad haec rex annuens, migrante Innocentio Cinomannorum episcopo, ipsum ecclesiae illi antistitem destinavit.

However, with the pontiff of the city of Avenniensis migrating, he had resolved to give this man thither. But the blessed Domnolus, hearing this, came to the basilica of Saint Martin the bishop, where at that time King Chlothar had come for prayer; and keeping watch the whole night in vigils, he, through the priors who were present, brought a suggestion to the king, that he not be removed from his gaze as if a captive, nor permit his simplicity to be wearied among sophistic senators and philosophic judges, asserting that this place was for him of humility rather than of honor. To these things the king assenting, when Innocentius, bishop of the Cenomanni, migrated, he appointed him prelate to that church.

Iam adsumpto episcopatu, talem se tantumque praebuit, ut in summae sanctitatis culmen evectus debili usum gressuum, caeco restituerit visum. Qui post XXII episcopati annos, dum se cerneret morbo regio calculoque gravissime fatigari, Theodulfum abbatem in loco suo praeelegit. Cuius assensum rex praebuit voluntatem, sed non multum post tempus, mutata sententia, in Badegisilum domus regiae maiorem transfertur electio.

Now, having assumed the episcopate, he showed himself such and so great that, elevated to the summit of highest sanctity, he restored to a cripple the use of walking, and to a blind man his sight. After 22 years of the episcopate, when he saw himself grievously afflicted by the king’s disease and by the stone, he preselected Theodulf, an abbot, in his own place. To this the king granted the assent of his will; but not much later, the decision being changed, the election was transferred to Badegisil, the major (mayor) of the royal house.

Qui tonsoratus, gradus quos clerici sortiuntur ascendens, post quadraginta diebus, migrante sacerdote, successit.

He, having been tonsured, ascending the grades which clerics are allotted, after forty days, when the priest passed away, succeeded.

10. De basilica sancti Martini effracta.

10. On the basilica of Saint Martin broken open.

His diebus basilica sancti Martini a furibus effracta fuit. Qui ponentes ad fenestram absidae cancellum, quod super tumulum cuiusdam defuncti erat, ascendentes per eum, effracta vitrea, sunt ingressi; auferentesque multum auri argentique vel palleorum olosericorum, abierunt, non metuentes super sanctum sepulchrum pedem ponere, ubi vix vel os applicare praesumimus. Sed virtus sancti voluit hanc temeritatem etiam cum iudicio manifestare terribili.

In these days the basilica of Saint Martin was broken open by thieves. They, placing at the window of the apse a lattice, which was over the tumulus of a certain defunct, and climbing up by it, having broken the glass, entered; and carrying off much gold and silver and palls of all-silk, they went away, not fearing to set a foot upon the holy sepulcher, where we scarcely even presume to apply the mouth. But the virtue of the saint willed to make this rashness manifest also with a terrible judgment.

Nam hi, perpetrato scelere, ad Burdegalensim civitatem venientes, orto scandalo, unus alterum interemit; sicque patefacto opere, furtum repertum est, ac de hospitale eorum argentum comminutum vel pallea sunt extracta. Quod cum regi Chilperico nuntiatum fuisset, iussit eos alligari vinculis et suo conspectui praesentari. Tunc ego metuens, ne ob illius causam homines morerentur, qui vivens in corpore pro perditorum vita saepius deprecatus est, epistolam regi precationis transmisi, ne, nostris non accusantibus, ad quos persecutio pertinebat, hi interficerentur.

Now these men, the crime perpetrated, coming to the city of Bordeaux, when a scandal arose, the one slew the other; and thus, with the deed laid open, the theft was discovered, and from their hostel broken-up silver and coverlets were hauled out. When this had been reported to King Chilperic, he ordered them to be bound with chains and to be presented to his sight. Then I, fearing lest on account of that man men should die—he who, living in the body, very often deprecated for the life of the lost—sent a letter of supplication to the king, that, since our people, to whom the prosecution pertained, were not accusing, these men should not be put to death.

Quod ille benigne suscipiens, vitae restituit. Species vero, quae dissipatae fuerant, studiosissime componens, loco sancto reddi praecepit.

Which he, kindly receiving, restored to life. As for the valuables, which had been scattered, most diligently arranging them, he ordered that they be returned to the holy place.

11. De Theodoro episcopo et Dinamio.

11. On Bishop Theodorus and Dinamius.

Apud Massiliense vero urbe Dinamius rector Provinciae graviter insidiari Theodoro episcopo coepit. At ille ad regem properare disponens, conprehensus ab eo, in medium civitatis tenetur, et graviter iniuriatus, tandem laxatus est. Clerici autem Massiliensis dolum cum Dinamio moliebantur, ut ab episcopatum eiceretur.

In the Massilian city indeed, Dinamius, rector of the Province, began to plot grievously against Bishop Theodorus. But he, arranging to hasten to the king, having been seized by him, is held in the middle of the city, and grievously outraged; at length he was released. The Massilian clerics, moreover, were engineering a stratagem with Dinamius, so that he might be cast out from the episcopate.

Sed dum ad regem Childebertum ambularet, cum Iovino ex praefectum a Gunthramno rege deteneri iubetur. Quod audientes Massiliensis clerici, gaudio magno repleti, quod iam detineretur, iam deputaretur exilio, quod iam in hoc res perstitisset, ut numquam Massilia reverteretur, domos ecclesiae adprehendunt, ministeria describunt, regesturia reserant, prumptuaria expoliant omnesque res ecclesiae, tamquam si iam mortuus esset episcopus, pervadunt, diversa crimina de pontifice proloquentes, quae falsa Christo auspice deprehendi. Childebertus vero, postquam cum Chilperico pacificatus est, legatos ad Gunthramnum regem mittit, ut medietatem Massiliae, quam ei post obitum patris sui dederat, reddere deberet.

But while he was walking to King Childebert, he is ordered to be detained by King Gunthramn with Jovinus, the ex‑prefect. Hearing this, the clerics of Marseilles, filled with great joy that he was already detained, already assigned to exile, that now the matter had stood thus that he would never return to Marseilles, seize the houses of the church, describe the ministries, unbar the registries, despoil the storehouses, and overrun all the goods of the church, as if the bishop were already dead, uttering diverse crimes against the pontiff—crimes which, under Christ’s auspices, were found to be false. Childebert, however, after he was made at peace with Chilperic, sends envoys to King Gunthramn, that he ought to give back the half of Marseilles which he had given to him after the death of his father.

Quod si nollet, noverit, se multa perditurum pro partis istius retentatione. Sed ille cum haec reddere nollet, vias claudi praecepit, ut nulli per regnum eius transeundi aditus panderetur. Haec cernens Childebertus, Gundulfum ex domestico duce facto, de genere senatorio, Massiliam dirigit.

And if he should be unwilling, let him know that he will lose many things for the retention of that part. But since he was unwilling to return these, he ordered the roads to be closed, so that no access for passing through his kingdom be opened to anyone. Seeing this, Childebert dispatches Gundulf—having been made duke from a domesticus, of senatorial lineage—to Marseilles.

Qui cum non auderet ambulare iam per Guntchramni regnum, Turonus venit. Quem benigne susceptum recognosco matris meae avunculum esse, retentumque mecum quinque diebus, inpositisque necessariis, abire permisi. Ille vero progressus, Massiliam ingredi, obsistente Dinamio, non valebat.

Since he no longer dared to travel through Gunthramn’s realm, he came to Tours. Having received him kindly, I recognize him to be my mother’s uncle, and, after keeping him with me for five days and having the necessaries loaded, I allowed him to depart. But when he advanced, he was not able to enter Marseilles, with Dinamius opposing.

Sed nec episcopus, qui iam tunc cum Gundulfo iunxerat, in ecclesia sua recipiebatur. Dinamius autem una cum clericis portas obserat urbis, insultans pariter ac utrumque despiciens, episcopum scilicet et Gundulfum. Tandem ad colloquium ducis adscitus, in basilicam beati Stephani, quae urbe est proxima, venit.

But not even the bishop, who by that time had joined with Gundulf, was received in his own church. Dinamius, however, together with the clerics, bars the gates of the city, insulting and equally despising both, namely the bishop and Gundulf. At length, summoned to a colloquy of the duke, he came into the basilica of blessed Stephen, which is nearest to the city.

Ostiarii enim custodiebant aedis ingressum, ut, introeunte Dinamio, valvae protinus clauderentur. Quo facto, exclusae armatorum turbae post Dinamium ingredi nequiverunt. Quo non intellegente, dum diversa inter se super altarium conferunt, recedentes ab altario, salutatorium ingrediuntur.

For the ostiaries were guarding the entry of the building, so that, when Dinamius entered, the doors would immediately be closed. This having been done, the bands of armed men, shut out, were unable to enter after Dinamius. He not understanding this, while they were discussing various matters among themselves at the altar, withdrawing from the altar, they enter the reception-room (salutatorium).

Introeunte cum his Dinamio nudumque iam a suorum solatio terribiliter increpant; fugatisque satellitibus, qui cum armis, eo abducto, circumstrepebant, seniores civium ad se dux una cum episcopo collegit, ut civitatem ingrederetur. Tunc Dinamius haec omnia cernens, veniam petens, datis duci multis muneribus, reddita etiam sacramenta, se fidelem episcopo deinceps regique futurum, suis induitur indumentis. Tunc reseratis tam portarum quam sacrarum aedium valvas, ingrediuntur utrique civitatem, dux scilicet et episcopus, cum signis et laudibus diversisque honorum vexillis.

Dinamius entering with these, and now stripped of the solace of his own men, they terribly upbraid him; and his satellites put to flight—who, under arms, with him withdrawn, were clamorously surrounding—the duke together with the bishop gathered the elders of the citizens to himself, that he might enter the city. Then Dinamius, seeing all these things, seeking pardon, with many gifts given to the duke, the oaths also restored, that he would henceforth be faithful to the bishop and to the king, is clothed in his own garments. Then, the leaves both of the gates and of the sacred buildings unbarred, both enter the city, namely the duke and the bishop, with standards and praises and diverse banners of honor.

Clerici autem, qui sceleri huic mixti fuerant, quorum caput Anastasius abba et Proculus presbiter erant, infra Dinami tecta confugiunt, petentes ab eo opem refugii, a quo fuerant incitati. Multi tamen eorum per idoneos fideiussores dimissi, ad regem iussi sunt ambulare. Interea Gundulfus, subiugatam civitatem in Childeberthi regis dicione restitutoque in loco suo antistite, ad regem Childeberthum regressus est.

But the clerics who had been mixed up in this crime, whose head were Anastasius the abbot and Proculus the presbyter, fled for shelter beneath Dinamius’s roof, seeking from him the aid of refuge by whom they had been incited. Many of them, however, released through suitable sureties, were ordered to go to the king. Meanwhile Gundulf, the city having been subjugated and restored to the dominion of King Childebert, and the prelate set back in his own place, returned to King Childebert.

Sed Dinamius inmemor fidei, quam Childeberto regi promiserat, ad Guntchramnum regem nuntios dirigit, dicens, quod partem sibi debitam civitatis per episcopum perderet nec umquam Massiliensem urbem suo potiretur dominio, nisi hic evellatur ab ea. At ille ira commotus, iubet contra fas religionis, ut pontifex summi Dei artatus vinculis sibi exhiberetur, dicens: 'Trudatur exilio inimicus regni nostri, ne nobis nocere amplius valeat'. Sed cum episcopus de his suspectus esset nec facile posset ab urbe erui, advenit festivitas dedicationis oratorii ruris suburbani. Cumque ad haec festa, egressus civitatem, properaret, subito armati cum magno fremitu ab occultis insidiis scatentes, sanctum vallant antistitem; deiectumque ab equo, fugant omnes comites eius, servientes alligant, clericos caedunt, ipsumque super miserabilem inponentes caballum, nullum de suis seque permittentes, ad regis deducunt praesentiam. Cumque per Aquensim praeterirent urbem, Pientius episcopus loci, condolens fratri, datis clericis ad solatium inpositisque necessariis, abire permisit.

But Dinamius, unmindful of the faith which he had promised to King Childebert, sends messengers to King Guntchramn, saying that through the bishop he was losing the portion of the city owed to him, and that he would never gain possession of the Massilian city under his dominion unless he be torn away from it. But he, stirred with anger, orders, against the sacred right of religion, that the pontiff of the most high God, tightly bound with chains, be brought before him, saying: 'Let the enemy of our realm be thrust into exile, lest he be able to harm us further'. But since the bishop was suspected of these things and could not easily be extracted from the city, there arrived the feast of the dedication of an oratory in the suburban countryside. And when, having gone forth from the city, he was hastening to these festivities, suddenly armed men, swarming forth from hidden ambushes with a great roar, surround the holy bishop; and, thrown down from his horse, they rout all his companions, bind the attendants, beat the clerics, and, setting him upon a wretched nag, allowing none of his own, they lead him into the king’s presence. And when they were passing by the city of Aix, Pientius, the bishop of the place, grieving for his brother, having sent clerics for solace and supplied the necessaries, allowed him to depart.

Dum haec agerentur, clerici iterum Massiliensis domus ecclesiae reserant, archana rimantur et alia discribunt, alia suis domibus inferunt. Episcopus vero ad regem deductus nec culpabilis inventus, ad civitatem suam redire permissus, cum grandi est a civibus laude susceptus. Ex hoc enim gravis inimicitia inter Guntchramnum regem et Childeberthum nepotem suum exoritur, disruptumque foedus, sibi invicem insidiabantur.

While these things were being done, the clerics again unbar the Massilian church-house, pry into the arcana, and some things they distribute, others they carry into their own homes. But the bishop, led to the king and found not culpable, being permitted to return to his city, was received by the citizens with great praise. From this, indeed, a grave enmity arises between King Guntchramn and Childeberth his nephew, and the foedus being broken, they were laying ambushes for one another.

12. De exercitu contra Biturigas commoto.

12. On the army mobilized against the Bituriges.

Igitur Chilpericus rex cernens has discordias inter fratrem ac nepotem suum pullulare, Desiderium ducem evocat iobetque, ut aliquid nequitiae inferat fratri. At ille, commoto exercitu, Ragnovaldo duce fugato, Petrogoricum pervadit, exactaque sacramenta, Aginnum pergit. Haec audiens uxor Ragnovaldi, quod scilicet, fugato viro suo, haec civitates in potestate regis Chilperici redegerentur, basilicam sancti marthiris Caprasi expetiit.

Therefore King Chilperic, seeing these discords sprouting between his brother and his nephew, summons Desiderius the duke and orders him to inflict some knavery upon his brother. But he, with the army set in motion, Duke Ragnovald having been put to flight, overruns Petrogoricum, and, the oaths (sacramenta) having been exacted, proceeds to Aginnum. Hearing these things, the wife of Ragnovald—namely that, with her husband routed, these cities would be reduced into the power of King Chilperic—sought out the basilica of Saint Caprasius the martyr.

Sed extracta exinde et spoliata a facultate ac solatio famolorum, datis fideiussoribus, Tholosae diregitur, ibique iterum in basilica sancti Saturnini ingressa resedebat. Desiderius vero cunctas civitates, quae in parte illa ad regem Gunthchramnum aspiciebant, abstulit et dicionibus regis Chilperici subegit. Berulfus vero dux, cum Bitorigus musitare, quod Toronicum terminum ingrederentur, audisset, exercitum commovet et se in ipsos fines statuit.

But, taken out from there and despoiled of her resources and the solace of her household-servants, with fidejussors (sureties) given, she is directed to Toulouse; and there again, having entered the basilica of Saint Saturninus, she was sitting. Desiderius, however, carried off all the cities which in that quarter looked toward King Gunthchramn, and subjected them to the dominions of King Chilperic. But Duke Berulf, when he had heard the Bituriges murmuring that they were entering the Toronic boundary, sets the army in motion and posted himself upon those very borders.

Graviter tunc pagi Isiodorensis ac Berravensis urbis Toronicae devastati sunt. Sed et postea crudiliter, qui in hac obsidione adesse non poterant, sunt damnati. Bladastis vero dux in Vasconiam abiit maximamquae partem exercitus sui amisit.

Then the paguses of Isiodorensis and Berravensis of the city of Tours were grievously devastated. But also afterward, cruelly, those who were not able to be present at this siege were condemned. Duke Bladast, moreover, went into Vasconia and lost the greatest part of his army.

13. De Lupo et Ambrosio Turonicis civibus interfectis.

13. On Lupus and Ambrose, citizens of Tours, slain.

Lupus urbis Turonicae civis, cum, uxore perdita ac liberis, clericatum expeteret, a fratre Ambrosio prohibitus est, timens, ne heredem institueret Dei ecclesiam, si ei coniungeretur. Rursumque illi uxorem providit et diem, in quo ad disponsalia donanda coniungerent, malesuadus frater indicit. Dehinc ad Cainonensem castrum, ubi hospitium habebant, pariter advenerunt.

Lupus, a citizen of the city of Tours, when, his wife and children lost, he was seeking the clericate, was hindered by his brother Ambrosius, fearing lest he institute the church of God as heir, if he were joined to it. And again that ill-advising brother procured a wife for him and appoints a day on which they might be joined for the giving of the betrothal gifts. Thereafter they arrived together at the Cainonensian castle, where they had lodging.

Sed uxor Ambrosii, cum esset adultera et alium in amore lupanario, exoso marito, diligeret, insidias viro tetendit. Cumque hi germani pariter epulantes et nocte usque ad ebrietatem vino maduissent, in uno strato pariter quieverunt. Tunc moechus uxoris Ambrosii nocte veniens, quiescentibus cunctis et vino depressis, accensis igne paleis, ut videret quid ageret, extracto gladio, Ambrosium in capite librat, ita ut descendens per oculos gladius cervical capitis amputaret.

But the wife of Ambrose, since she was an adulteress and loved another in lupanar love, loathing her husband, laid snares for the man. And when these brothers, feasting together, had by night become soaked with wine unto drunkenness, they rested together on one bed. Then the adulterer of Ambrose’s wife, coming by night, with all resting and weighed down by wine, having kindled straw with fire so that he might see what he was doing, with his sword drawn, poises it at Ambrose’s head, so that, descending through the eyes, the sword amputated the head at the neck.

In quo ictu expergefactus Lupus et se in sanguinem volutari decernens, exclamat voce magna, dicens: 'Heu, heu, succurrite, frater meus interfectus est!' Moechus vero, qui iam perpetrato scelere discedebat, haec audiens, regressus ad lectum, Lupum adiit. Quo repugnante, multis plagis laceratum oppressit et mortali ictu sauciatum semivivum reliquid. Sed nullus de familia sensit.

At which blow Lupus, awakened and discerning that he was wallowing in blood, cries out with a great voice, saying: “Alas, alas, help, my brother has been slain!” But the adulterer, who already, the crime having been perpetrated, was departing, hearing this, returned to the bed and approached Lupus. He resisting, he overpowered him, lacerated with many blows, and left him half-alive, wounded by a mortal stroke. But none of the household perceived it.

Mane autem facto, stupebant omnes de tanto scelere. Lupus tamen adhuc vivens nanctus, sicut actum fuerat referens, spiritum exalavit. Sed nec longum meretrix lugendi sumpsit spatium; sed paucis diebus interpositis, coniuncta moecho, discessit.

Moreover, when morning had come, all were stupefied at so great a crime. Lupus, however, having been found still living, and reporting how it had been done, breathed out his spirit. But the harlot did not take a long span for mourning; rather, after a few days had intervened, joined to the adulterer, she departed.

14. De portentis quae apparuerunt.

14. On the portents which appeared.

Anno igitur septimo Childeberthi regis, qui erat Chilperici et Gunthchramni vicensimus et primus, mense Ianuario pluviae, coruscationes atque tonitrua gravia fuerunt; flores in arboribus ostensi sunt. Stilla, quem comitem superius nominavi, apparuit, ita ut in circuitu eius magna nigrido esset; et illa, tamquam se in foramen aliquod posita, ita inter tenebras relucebat, scintillans spargensque comas. Prodebat autem ex ea radius mirae magnitudinis, qui tamquam fumus magnus incendii apparebat a longe.

Therefore, in the seventh year of King Childebert—which was the twenty-first of Chilperic and of Gunthchramn—in the month of January there were rains, coruscations, and heavy thunders; flowers were seen on the trees. A star—the comet which I named above—appeared, such that around it there was a great blackness; and it, as if set in some little opening, thus shone out amid the darkness, scintillating and scattering its comae. Moreover, from it there issued a ray of wondrous magnitude, which from afar looked like the great smoke of a conflagration.

Visa est autem a partem Occidentis in ora noctis prima. In die autem sanctum paschae apud Sessionas civitatem caelum ardere visum est, ita ut duo apparerent incendia; et unum erat maior, aliud vero minor. Post duarum vero horarum spatio coniuncta sunt simul, factamque pharum magnam, evanuerunt.

It was seen, moreover, from the western quarter at the first edge of night. On the day of holy Pascha at the city of Soissons the sky was seen to burn, such that two fires appeared; and one was greater, the other indeed smaller. But after the space of two hours they were joined together, and, having formed a great beacon, they vanished.

In Parisiaco vero terminum verus sanguis ex nube defluxit et super vestimenta multorum hominum caecidit et ita tabe maculavit, ut ipsi propria indumenta horrentes abnuerunt. Tribus enim locis in termino civitatis illius hoc prodigium apparuit. In Silvanectinse vero terreturio hominis cuiusdam domus, cum ille mane surgerit, sanguine respersa ab intus apparuit.

In the Parisian boundary indeed, true blood flowed down from a cloud and fell upon the garments of many men, and so stained them with gore that they themselves, shuddering, refused their own clothing. For in three places within the boundary of that city this prodigy appeared. But in the Silvanectine territory, the house of a certain man, when he had risen in the morning, appeared from within spattered with blood.

Magna tamen eo anno lues in populo fuit; valitudinis variae, milinae cum pusulis et vissicis, quae multum populum adficerunt mortem. Multi tamen, adhibentes studium, evaserunt. Audivimus enim eo anno in Narbonensem urbem inguinarium morbum graviter desevire, ita ut nullum esset spatium, cum homo correptus fuisset ab eo.

Nevertheless, in that year there was a great pestilence among the people; varied illnesses, miliary eruptions with pustules and blisters, which brought much of the populace to death. Many, however, by applying diligence, escaped. For we heard that in that year in the Narbonnese city the inguinal disease raged fiercely, such that there was no interval at all once a man had been seized by it.

15. De obitu Felicis episcopi.

15. On the death of Bishop Felix.

Felix vero episcopus Namneticae civitatis in hac valitudine corruens, graviter aegrotare coepit. Tunc vocatis ad se episcopis, qui propinqui erant, supplicat, ut consensum, quem in Burgundione nepote suo fecerat, suis subscriptionibus roborarent. Quod cum factum fuisset, eum ad me dirigunt.

Felix, indeed, bishop of the city of Nantes, collapsing into this malady, began to be grievously ill. Then, having called to himself the bishops who were near, he beseeches that they corroborate with their subscriptions the consensus which he had made concerning Burgundio, his nephew. When this had been done, they send him to me.

Erat tunc temporis Burgundio quasi annorum XXV. Qui veniens rogat, ut, accedens usque Namnetas, episcopum eum in locum avunculi, qui adhuc superstes erat, tonsoratum consecrare deberem. Quod ego abnui, quia canonibus non congruere cognovi.

At that time Burgundio was about 25 years of age. He, coming, asks that, going all the way to Nantes, I should consecrate him, once tonsured, as bishop in the place of his uncle, who was still surviving. This I refused, because I recognized it was not congruent with the canons.

Consilium tamen praebui, dicens: 'Habemus scriptum in canonibus, fili, non posse quemquam ad episcopatum accedere, nisi prius ecclesiasticus gradus regulariter sortiatur. Tu ergo, dilectissime, revertere illuc et pete, ut ipse te qui elegit debeat tonsorare. Cumque presbiterii honorem acciperis, ad ecclesiam adsiduus esto; et cum eum Deus migrare voluerit, tunc tu facile episcopale gradum ascendes'. At ille regressus, consilium acceptum adimplere dissimulavit, eo quod Felix episcopus ab incommodo levius agere videretur.

Nevertheless I offered counsel, saying: 'We have it written in the canons, son, that no one can accede to the episcopate, unless he first, according to rule, obtains an ecclesiastical grade. Do you therefore, most beloved, return thither and ask that he himself who chose you ought to tonsure you. And when you have received the honor of the presbyterate, be assiduous at the church; and when God shall will him to depart, then you will easily ascend the episcopal grade.' But he, having returned, dissembled to fulfill the counsel he had received, because Bishop Felix seemed to be faring more lightly from his indisposition.

Sed postquam febris discessit, tibiae eius ab humore pusulas emerserunt. Tunc cantaredarum cataplasmam nimium validam ponens, conputrescentibus tibiis, anno episcopatus sui XXXIII, aetate septuagenaria vitam finivit. Cui Nonnichius consobrinus, rege ordinante, successit.

But after the fever departed, pustules sprang up on his shins from the humor. Then, applying an overly strong cataplasm of cantharides, as his shins were putrefying, he finished his life in the 33rd year of his episcopate, at a septuagenarian age. Nonnichius, his cousin, succeeded him, by the king’s ordering.

16. Quod Pappolenus uxorem suam recepit.

16. That Pappolenus took back his wife.

Audiens autem Pappolenus eius obitum, neptem illius, de qua separatus fuerat, recepit. Ante hoc autem tempus disponsatam eam habuerat; sed dissimolante de nuptiis Filici episcopo, hic cum magna cohortem veniens, ab oraturio puellam abstraxit et in basilica beati Albini confugit. Tunc Filex episcopus ira commotus, circumventam puellam dolis a marito separavit, mutataque veste, apud Vasatensem urbem in monastirio posuit.

Hearing, moreover, of her death, Pappolenus received her niece, from whom he had been separated. Before this time, however, he had had her betrothed; but as Bishop Filix dissembled about the nuptials, he, coming with a great cohort, dragged the girl away from the oratory and fled for refuge into the basilica of the blessed Albinus. Then Bishop Filex, stirred by wrath, separated the girl—circumvented by tricks—from her husband, and, her clothing changed, placed her in a monastery at the Vasatensian city.

Sed illa occultos pueros nuntius dirigit, ut scilicet eam ereptam a loco, in quo posita erat, acciperet. Quod ille non abnuens, adsumptam de monastirio puellam suo coniugio copolavit, regalibusque munitus praeceptionibus, timere parentum distulit moenas.

But she dispatches covert boys as messengers, to wit, that he might receive her, snatched from the place in which she had been set. Which he, not refusing, having taken the girl from the monastery, coupled her to his conjugal union; and, fortified with royal precepts, he put off fearing the parents’ threats.

17. De Iudaeis per Chilpericum regem conversis.

17. On the Jews converted by King Chilperic.

Rex vero Chilpericus multos Iudaeorum eo anno baptizare praecipit, ex quibus pluris excipit a sancto lavacro. Nonnulli tamen eorum, corpore tantum, non corde abluti, ad ipsam quam prius perfidiam habuerant, Deo mentiti, regressi sunt, ita ut et sabbatum observare et diem dominicum honorare vidiantur. Priscus vero ad cognuscendam veritatem nulla penitus potuit ratione deflecti.

King Chilperic in truth ordered many of the Jews that year to be baptized, and he himself received several of them from the holy laver. Yet some of them, washed only in body, not in heart, having lied to God, returned to the very perfidy which they had held before, so that they seemed both to observe the sabbath and to honor the Lord’s Day. But Priscus by no device at all could be turned aside to come to know the truth.

Tunc iratus rex iussit eum custodiae mancipare, scilicet ut, quem credere voluntariae non poterat, audire et credere faceret vel invitum. Sed ille, datis quibusdam muneribus, spatium postulat, donec filius eius Massiliensim Hebraeam accipiat; pollicitur dolosae, se deinceps quae rex iusserat impleturum. Interea oritur intentio inter illum et Pathiren ex Iudaeo conversum, qui iam regis filius erat ex lavacro.

Then the enraged king ordered him to be consigned to custody, namely so that the one whom he could not bring to believe voluntarily he might make, even unwilling, to hear and to believe. But he, with certain gifts having been given, asks a respite until his son, a Massilian, should take a Hebrew woman in marriage; deceitfully he promises that thereafter he would fulfill what the king had ordered. Meanwhile a contention arises between him and Pathir, a convert from Jewry, who already was the king’s son from the font.

Cumque die sabbati Priscus praecinctus orario, nullum in manu ferens ferramentum, Moysaicas legis quasi impleturus, secretiora conpetiret, subito Pathir adveniens, ipsumque gladio cum sociis qui aderant iugulavit. Quibus interfectis, ad basilecam sancti Iuliani cum pueris suis, qui ad propinquam plateam erat, confugit. Cumque ibidem resederent, audiunt, quod rex, dominum vitae cessum, famolos tamquam malefactores a basileca tractos iuberet interfici.

And on the Sabbath day, Priscus, girt with an orarium (stole), bearing no iron implement in his hand, as if about to fulfill the Mosaic law, sought out the more secluded places; suddenly Pathir, arriving, slit his throat with a sword, and likewise those associates who were present. These having been killed, he fled with his attendants to the basilica of Saint Julian, which was by a nearby square. And as they sat there, they hear that the king—deference having been yielded to the Lord of life—was ordering the servants, dragged from the basilica as malefactors, to be put to death.

Tunc unus ex his, evaginato gladio, domino iam fugato, socios suos interficit, ipse postmodum cum gladio de basileca egressus; sed inruente super se populo, crudiliter interfectus est. Pathir autem, accepta licentia, ad regnum Guntchramni, unde venerat, est regressus; sed non post multos dies a parentibus Prisci interfectus est.

Then one of these, with his sword unsheathed, his lord already put to flight, kills his own companions, and he himself afterward, with the sword, went out from the basilica; but as the populace rushed upon him, he was cruelly slain. Pathir, however, having received license, returned to the kingdom of Guntram, whence he had come; but not many days later he was slain by the parents of Priscus.

18. De legatis Chilperici regis ab Hispania reversis.

18. On the legates of King Chilperic, having returned from Spain.

Igitur legati Chilperici regis, id est Ansovaldus et Domegiselus, qui ad conspiciendam dotem in Hispaniis fuerant missi, regressi sunt. His diebus Leuvichildus rex in exercitu contra Herminichildum, filium suum, resedebat, cui et Meritam civitatem abstulit. Nam hic qualiter cum ducibus imperatoris Tiberii fuerit coniunctus, iam superius exposuimus.

Therefore the legates of King Chilperic, that is, Ansovaldus and Domegiselus, who had been sent to inspect the dowry in Spain, returned. In these days Leuvichildus the king was encamped with the army against Herminichildus, his son, from whom he also took the city of Merita. For how he had been conjoined with the dukes of the emperor Tiberius, we have already set forth above.

Nam et legatis haec causa innexuit moras, ut tardius regredirentur. Quibus visus, ego sollicitus eram, qualiter in ipsis christianis, qui pauci in eo loco remanserant, fides Christi ferveret. Cui haec Ansovaldus respondit: 'Christiani, qui nunc apud Hispanias conmorantur, catholicam fidem integre servant.

Now this cause also entwined delays for the legates, so that they returned more slowly. When they appeared, I was solicitous how, among those Christians who had remained few in that place, the faith of Christ might be fervent. To this Ansovaldus replied: 'The Christians, who now are dwelling in Spain, keep the Catholic faith entire.

Sed rex novo nunc ingenio eam nititur exturbare, dum dolose et ad sepulchra martirum et in eclesiis relegionis nostrae orare confingit. Dicit enim: ìManefeste cognovi, esse Christum filium Dei aequalem Patri; sed Spiritum sanctum Deum penitus esse non credo, eo quod in nullis legatur codicibus Deus esse".' Heu, heu, quam iniquam sententiam, quam venenosum sensum, quam prava mente! Et ubi est illud quod Dominus ait: Spiritus Deus est; et illud Petri, quod Annaniam ait: Quod tibi visum est temptare Spiritum sanctum?

But the king now strives by a new contrivance to extirpate it, while deceitfully he pretends to pray both at the tombs of the martyrs and in the churches of our religion. For he says: ìManifestly I have known that Christ is the Son of God, equal to the Father; but I do not at all believe the Holy Spirit to be God, for the reason that in no codices is it read that he is God".' Alas, alas, what an iniquitous judgment, what a venomous sense, what a perverse mind! And where is that which the Lord says: Spirit is God; and that of Peter, who says to Ananias: What has it seemed good to you to tempt the Holy Spirit?

Non es hominibus mentitus, sed Deo. Ubi est et illud quod Paulus, mistica dona commemorans ait: Haec enim operatur unus atque idem Spiritus, dividens unicuique, prout vult? Qui enim operatur quod vult, nulli cognuscetur esse subiectus.

You have not lied to men, but to God. Where is also that which Paul, commemorating the mystical gifts, says: For these things the one and the same Spirit operates, dividing to each as he wills? For he who operates what he wills will be recognized to be subject to no one.

Accedente autem Ansovaldo ad Chilpericum regem, legatio Hispaniorum est subsecuta, quae de Chilperico ad Childeberthum accedens, in Hispaniis est regressa.

But as Ansovald was approaching King Chilperic, the legation of the Spaniards followed, which, going from Chilperic to Childebert, returned to Spain.

19. De hominibus Chilperici regis apud Urbiam fluvium.

19. Concerning the men of King Chilperic at the river Urbia.

Apud pontem vero Urbiensim civitatis Parisiacae Chilpericus rex custodes posuerat, ut insidiatores de regno fratris sui, ne nocerent aliquid arcerentur. Quod Asclipius ex duce praecognito, nocte inruens, interfecit omnes pagumque ponte proximum graviter depopulatus est. Cumque haec regi Chilperico nuntiatum fuisset, misit nuntios comitibus ducibusque vel reliquos agentibus, ut, collecto exercitu, in regno germani sui inruerent.

At the Urbian bridge of the Parisian city, King Chilperic had placed guards, so that ambushers from his brother’s kingdom, lest they do any harm, might be kept off. This, Asclipius, having learned beforehand from a duke, rushing in by night, killed them all and grievously devastated the district next to the bridge. And when these things had been reported to King Chilperic, he sent messengers to the counts and dukes and the remaining agents, that, the army having been gathered, they should rush into his brother’s kingdom.

Sed prohibitus est consilio bonorum, ne faceret, dicentibus sibi: 'Illi perverse aegerunt, tu vero sapienter age. Mitte fratri nuntios, et si iniuriam tuam emendare voluerit, nihil mali geris; si vero noluerit, tractabis deinceps, quid sequaris'. Et sic ratione accepta, prohibetu exercitu, legationem fratri dirigit. Sed ille cuncta emendans, fratris quaesivit integrae caritatem.

But he was restrained by the counsel of the good, not to do it, they saying to him: 'They have acted perversely; but you, act wisely. Send messengers to your brother, and if he will to emend the injury done to you, you do nothing evil; but if he will not, you will thereafter treat what course you should follow.' And so, reason having been accepted, with the army held back, he directs a legation to his brother. But he, emending all things, sought his brother’s intact affection.

20. De obito Chrodini ducis.

20. On the death of Duke Chrodin.

Eo anno Chrodinus obiit, vir magnifice bonitatis et pietatis, aelimosinarius valde pauperumque refector, profluus ditatur eclesiarum, clericorum nutritur. Nam sepe a novo fundans villas, ponens vinias, aedificans domus, culturas eregens, vocatis episcopis, quorum erat parva facultas, dato epulo, ipsas domus cum culturibuss et culturis, cum argento, parastromatibus, utensilibus, ministris et famolis benigne distribuebat, dicens: 'Sint haec aeclesiae data, ut, dum de his pauperes reficiuntur, mihi veniam obteneant apud Deum'. Multa enim et alia bona de hoc viro audivimus, quae insequi longum est. Transiit autem aetate septuagenaria.

That year Chrodinus died, a man of magnificent goodness and piety, a very great almoner and feeder of the poor, a lavish enricher of churches, a nourisher of clerics. For often founding villas anew, planting vineyards, building houses, raising up cultivations, after calling bishops whose means were small, and with a banquet given, he kindly distributed those very houses with the tillages and cultivations, together with silver, coverlets, utensils, attendants and household servants, saying: ‘Let these things be given to the church, so that, while the poor are refreshed from these, they may obtain pardon for me with God.’ For indeed we have heard many other good things about this man, which it would be long to pursue. He passed away at the age of seventy.

21. De signis ostensis.

21. On the signs shown.

Haec in hoc anno iteratis signa apparuerunt: luna eclypsim passa est; infra Toronicum territurium verus de fracto pane sanguis effluxit; muri urbis Sessionicae conruerunt; apud Andecavam urbem terra tremuit; infra muros vero Burdegalensis oppidi ingressi lupi canes deforaverunt, nequaquam hominem metuentes; per caelum ignis discurrere visus est. Sed et Vasatensis civitas incendio concremata est, ita ut eclesiae vel domus aeclesiasticae vastarentur. Ministerium tamen omne ereptum fuisse cognovimus.

These repeated signs appeared in this year: the moon suffered an eclipse; within the Toronicum territory true blood flowed from broken bread; the walls of the city Sessionica collapsed; at the city Andecava the earth trembled; within the walls indeed of the Burdegalensian town, wolves entering devoured dogs, by no means fearing a human; through the sky fire was seen to run. But also the Vasatensian city was consumed by conflagration, such that churches and ecclesiastical houses were laid waste. We learned, however, that all the liturgical apparatus had been snatched out.

22. De Cartherio episcopo.

22. On Bishop Cartherius.

Igitur pervasis Chilpericus rex civitatibus fratris sui novos comites ordinat et cuncta iubet sibi urbium tributa deferri. Quod ita impletum fuisse cognovimus. His diebus adprehensi sunt duo homines a Nunnichio Lemovicinae urbis comite, deferentes ex nomine Charteri Petrogoricae urbis episcopi litteras, quae multa inproperia loquebantur in regem; in quibus inter reliqua erat insertum, quasi quereretur sacerdos, se a paradiso ad inferos descendisse, scilicet quod a regno Guntchramni in Chilperici fuerit dicionibus commutatus.

Therefore, after overrunning his brother’s cities, King Chilperic appointed new counts and ordered that all the tributes of the cities be conveyed to himself. We learned that this was thus fulfilled. In these days two men were apprehended by Nunnichius, count of the city of Limoges, carrying letters in the name of Charter, bishop of the city of Périgueux, which spoke many reproaches against the king; among which, among the rest, there was inserted, as though the priest were complaining, that he had descended from paradise to the infernal regions, namely because he had been exchanged from the kingdom of Guntram into the dominions of Chilperic.

Has litteras cum his hominibus iam dictus comes sub ardua custodia regi direxit. Rex vero patienter propter episcopum mittit, qui eum suo conspectui praesentarent, discussurus utique, si vera essent quae ei opponebantur, an non. Adveniente vero episcopo, rex homines illos cum litteris repraesentat.

These letters, together with these men, the already-mentioned count directed to the king under strict custody. But the king, patiently on account of the bishop, sends men to present him to his own sight, being about to discuss, in any case, whether the things alleged against him were true or not. When the bishop arrived, the king presents those men along with the letters.

Interrogat sacerdoti, si ab eo directae fuerint. Negat ille a se directas. Interrogantur vero homines, a quo eas acceperint.

He asks the priest whether they had been sent by him. He denies that they were sent by himself. The men, however, are interrogated as to from whom they had received them.

Frontonium diaconum proferunt. Interrogatur de diacono sacerdos. Respondit, sibi eum esse praecipuum inimicum, nec dubitari debere, ipsius esse nequitias, qui contra eum saepius causas commovisset iniquas.

They bring forward Frontonius the deacon. The priest is questioned about the deacon. He replied that he was his principal enemy, and that it ought not to be doubted that the iniquities were his, he who had time and again stirred up iniquitous cases against him.

Adducitur diaconus sine mora; interrogatur a rege; confitetur super episcopum, dicens: 'Ego hanc epistolam episcopo iubente dictavi'. Proclamante vero episcopo et dicente, quod saepius hic ingenia quaereret, qualiter eum ab episcopatu deiceret, rex misericordia motus, commendans Deo causam suam, cessit utrisque, deprecans clementer episcopum pro diacono, et supplicans, ut pro se sacerdos oraret. Et sic cum honore urbi remissus est. Post duos vero menses Nonnichius comes, qui hoc scandalum seminavit, sanguine percussus interiit, resque eius, quia absque liberis erat, diversis a rege concessae sunt.

The deacon is brought without delay; he is questioned by the king; he confesses against the bishop, saying: 'I dictated this letter at the bishop’s bidding.' But as the bishop cried out and said that this man often sought stratagems how he might cast him down from the episcopate, the king, moved by mercy, commending his cause to God, yielded to both, gently beseeching the bishop on behalf of the deacon, and imploring that the priest would pray for him. And thus he was sent back to the city with honor. But after two months Count Nonnichius, who sowed this scandal, struck with a hemorrhage, perished, and his property, because he was without children, was granted by the king to various persons.

23. Quod Chilperico rege filius natus est.

23. That to King Chilperic a son was born.

Dehinc Chilperico regi post multa funera filiorum filius nascitur. Ex hoc iubet rex omnes custodias relaxari, vinctos absolvi conpositionesque neglegentum fisco debitas praecipit omnino non exigi. Sed magnum deinceps dolum hic intulit infans.

Thereafter to King Chilperic, after many funerals of sons, a son is born. On account of this the king orders all guards to be relaxed, the bound to be absolved, and he commands that the compositions of the negligent owed to the fisc be not exacted at all. But thereafter this infant brought in a great deception.

24. Item de insidiis Theudori episcopi et de Gundovaldo.

24. Likewise on the plots of Bishop Theudor and on Gundovald.

Nova iterum contra Theodorum episcopum bella consurgunt. Nam Gundovaldus, qui se filium Chlothari regis esse dicebat, de Constantinopoli veniens, Massilia est advectus. De cuius origine quaedam strictim libuit memorare.

New wars again arise against Bishop Theodorus. For Gundovaldus, who kept saying that he was the son of King Chlothar, coming from Constantinople, was conveyed to Massilia. Concerning whose origin it has pleased me to make mention of certain things briefly.

Hic cum natus esset in Galliis et diligenti cura nutritus, ut regum istorum mos est, crinium flagellis per terga dimissis, litteris eruditus, Childebertho rege a matre repraesentatur, dicente ea: 'Ecce', inquid, nepotem tuum, Chlothari regis filium; et quia invisus habetur patri, suscipe eum, quia caro tua est'. Quem ille, eo quod ei fili non essent, accipiens, retenibat secum. Nuntiantur haec regi Chlothario, misitquae fratri nuntius, dicens: 'Dimitte puerum, ut veniat ad me'. Ne moratus ille iuvenem fratri direxit. Quo viso, Chlotharius iussit tundi comam capitis eius, dicens: 'Hunc ego non generavi'. Igitur post Chlothari regis obitum a Charibertho rege susceptus est.

He, when he had been born in Gaul and brought up with diligent care, as is the custom of those kings, with the locks of hair let down over the back, and was made erudite in letters, was presented by his mother to King Childebert, she saying: ‘Behold’, said she, ‘your nephew, the son of King Chlothar; and because he is held in hatred by his father, receive him, for he is your flesh.’ He, because he had no sons, taking him, kept him with himself. These things are announced to King Chlothar, and he also sent a messenger to his brother, saying: ‘Send the boy away, that he may come to me.’ He, not delaying, sent the youth to his brother. When he saw him, Chlothar ordered the hair of his head to be shorn, saying: ‘I did not beget this one.’ Therefore, after the death of King Chlothar he was received by King Charibert.

Quem Sigyberthus arcessitum iterum amputavit comam capitis eius et misit eum in Agripinensim civitatem, quae nunc Colonia dicitur. Ille quoque ab eo loco dilapsus, dimissis iterum capillis, ad Narsitem abiit, qui tunc Aetaliae praeerat. Ibi accepta uxore, filios procreavit et ad Constantinopolim accessit.

Whom Sigebert, after having had him summoned, again cut the hair of his head and sent him to the Agrippinian city, which is now called Cologne. He too, slipping away from that place, with his hair let down again, went to Narses, who was then presiding over Italy. There, having taken a wife, he begot sons and made his way to Constantinople.

Inde, ut ferunt, post multa tempora a quodam invitatus, ut veniret in Galliis, Massilia adpulsus, a Theodoro episcopo susceptus est. Ab eodem etiam acceptis aequitibus, Mummolo duci coniunctus est. Erat autem tunc Mummolus in civitate Avennica, sicut supra iam diximus Gunthchramnus vero dux adpraehensum Theodorum episcopum in custodia pro hac causa detrusit, repotans, cur hominem extraneum intromisissit in Galliis voluissetque Francorum regnum imperialibus per haec subdere ditionibus.

Thence, as they relate, after many times he, invited by a certain man to come into the Gauls, having made landfall at Massilia (Marseilles), was received by Bishop Theodorus. From the same man too, having received horsemen, he was joined to Duke Mummolus. Now at that time Mummolus was in the city of Avignon, as we have already said above; but Duke Gunthchramnus thrust the apprehended Bishop Theodorus into custody for this cause, reckoning why he had introduced a foreign man into the Gauls and had wished by these things to subject the kingdom of the Franks to imperial dominions.

At ille epistolam, ut aiunt, manu maiorum Childeberthi regis subscriptam protulit, dicens: 'Nihil per me feci, nisi quae mihi a domnis nostris et senioribus imperata sunt'. Custodiebatur igitur sacerdus in cellula nec permittebatur eclesiae propinquare. Quadam vero nocte, dum adtentius oraret ad Dominum, refulsit cellula nimio splendore, ita ut comes, qui erat custus eius, ingente pavore terreretur; visusque est super eum lucis inmense globus per duarum horarum spatium. Mane autem facto, narrabat haec comes ille citeris, qui cum eo erant.

But he, as they say, produced an epistle subscribed in the hand of the magnates of King Childebert, saying: 'I have done nothing on my own, except the things that have been commanded me by our lords and elders.' Therefore the priest was kept under guard in a little cell, nor was he permitted to approach the church. But on a certain night, while he was praying more attentively to the Lord, the cell flashed with excessive splendor, so that the count, who was his custodian, was terrified with huge dread; and there was seen over him a globe of immense light for the space of two hours. But when morning had come, that count related these things to the others who were with him.

Post haec autem ductus est ad Gunthchramnum regem cum Epyfanio episcopo, qui tunc a Langobardus fugiens Massilia morabatur, scilicet quod et ipse conscius huius causae fuisset. Discussio igitur a rege, in nullo inventi sunt crimine. Rex tamen iussit eos sub custodia degere, in qua post multa supplicia Epyfanius episcopus obiit.

After these things, moreover, he was led to King Gunthchramn with Bishop Epiphanius, who at that time, fleeing from the Langobards, was staying at Massilia, to wit, that he too had been privy to this affair. An examination therefore by the king, and they were found in no crime. The king, nevertheless, ordered them to remain under custody, in which, after many torments, Bishop Epiphanius died.

Gundovaldus vero in insola maris secessit, expectans eventum rei. Gunthchramnus vero dux cum duce Gunthchramni regis res Gundovaldi divisit et sicum Arverno detulit inmensum, ut ferunt, argenti pondus et auri vel reliquarum rerum.

Gundovaldus, however, withdrew on an island of the sea, awaiting the event of the affair. But Duke Gunthchramnus, together with the duke of King Gunthchramnus, divided the property of Gundovald, and carried with him to Auvergne an immense, as they say, weight of silver and of gold and of the remaining things.

25. De signis.

25. On the signs.

Anno octavo Childeberthi regis pridiae Kal. Februarias, cum die dominico apud urbem Toronicam ad matutinus signum conmutum fuisset et populus surgens ad eclesiam conveniret, caelo nubilo, cum pluvia globus magnus ignis de caelo dilapsus, in spatio multo cucurrit in aera, qui tantam lucem dedit, ut tamquam media diae omnia cernerentur. Quo iterum in nube suscepto, nox successit.

In the eighth year of King Childebert, on the day before the Kalends of February (January 31), when on the Lord’s day at the city of Tours the signal for matins had been sounded and the people, rising, were gathering to the church, with the sky cloudy and with rain, a great globe of fire, having slipped down from the sky, ran for a long space through the air, which gave such light that all things were seen as though at midday. When it was taken up again into a cloud, night succeeded.

Aquae vero extra solitu invaluerunt; nam tantum inundatione Sygona Matronaque circa Parisius intulerunt, ut inter civitatem et basilicam sancti Laurenti naufragia saepe contingerent.

The waters indeed grew strong beyond the usual; for the Seine and the Marne brought in so great an inundation around Paris that between the city and the basilica of Saint Lawrence shipwrecks often occurred.

26. De Guntchramno et Mummolo.

26. On Guntram and Mummolus.

Gunthchramnus quoque dux Arvernum cum supradictis thesauris reversus, ad Childeberthum regem abiit. Cumque exinde regrederetur cum uxore et filiabus, a Gunthchramnum regem conpraehensus retenebatur, dicente sibi regem: 'Tua invitatio Gundovaldum adduxit in Galliis, et ob hoc ante hos annus abisti Constantinopoli'. Cui illi: 'Mummolus', inquid, 'dux tuus ipse suscepit eum et in Avennionem secum retenuit. Nunc autem permitte me, ut adducam ipsum tibi, et tunc inmunis ero ab his quae repotantur mihi'. Cui rex ait: 'Non permittam te abire, nisi dignas luas poenas pro his quae commisisti'. At ille cernens se mortem propinquam, ait: 'Ecce filium meum!

Gunthchramn also, duke of the Arverni, having returned with the aforesaid treasures, went to King Childebert. And when from there he was returning with his wife and daughters, he was apprehended by King Gunthchramn and detained, the king saying to him: 'Your invitation brought Gundovald into Gaul, and on account of this you went off to Constantinople some years ago'. To which he: 'Mummolus,' he said, 'your own duke received him and kept him with himself in Avignon. Now, however, permit me to bring him to you, and then I shall be immune from these things which are imputed to me'. To him the king said: 'I will not permit you to depart, unless you pay worthy penalties for the things which you have committed'. But he, perceiving death to be near, said: 'Behold my son!

Suscipe illum, et sit obses pro his quae promitto domino meo rege; et nisi Mummolum adducam tibi, perdam parvolum meum'. Tunc rex permisit eum abire, retentum secum eius infantulo. At ille, adsumptos secum Arvernis atque Villavis, Avennione abiit. Sed asto Mummoli navis in Rodano infirmae paratae sunt; ascendentesque simpliciter, ut in medio amnis venerunt, impletis navibus mergebantur.

“Receive him, and let him be a hostage for the things which I promise to my lord the king; and unless I bring Mummolus to you, I will forfeit my little one.” Then the king permitted him to depart, keeping his infant with him. But he, having taken with him the Arverni and the Villavi, went away to Avignon. But by Mummolus’s stratagem, frail boats on the Rhone were made ready; and they, boarding guilelessly, when they came into the middle of the river, with the boats filled, were being submerged.

Tunc in periculo positi, alii natando evaserunt, nonnulli vero, arreptis ipsarum navium tabulis, attigerunt litus. Plerique autem, quorum minor fuit astutia, in amne dimersi sunt. Gunthchramnus vero dux advenit Avennione.

Then, set in peril, some escaped by swimming, but several, having snatched the planks of the ships themselves, reached the shore. The majority, however, whose craftiness was lesser, were submerged in the river. But Duke Gunthchramnus arrived at Avignon.

Providerat enim Mummolus, postquam intra murus urbis illius est ingressus, ut quia pars parva resedebat, quae non vallabatur a Rhodano, ut, eductam ex eo partem, locus ille totus ex hoc alluvio muneretur; in quo loco fossas magnae profunditudinis fodit, praeparatusque dolos aqua decurrens operuit. Tunc, adveniente Gunthchramno, ait ex muro Mummolus: 'Si fides est integra, veniat ille ab una parte ripae et ego ex alia, et quod voluerit eloquatur'. Quod cum convenisset, ait Gunthchramnus econtra, - hoc enim brachium fluminis inter utrumque erat positum-: 'Si licit', inquid, 'vadam, quia sunt aliqua quae inter nos secretius conferantur'. Cui ille: 'Veni', ait, 'ne timeas'. Ingressus cum uno amicorum suorum - et erat luricae pondere adgravatus - ilico amicus ille, ut foveam amnis attigit, sub aquis dimersus nusquam conparuit. Gunthchramnus vero cum demergeretur atque portaretur ab unda veloci, unus de adstantibus, porrectam manu eius astam, eum litori reddidit.

For Mummolus had provided, after he had entered within the walls of that city, that because a small part remained which was not fortified by the Rhone, a portion drawn off from it should be led out, so that that whole place might be defended by this alluvion; in which place he dug ditches of great depth, and the running water covered the traps he had prepared. Then, when Gunthchramn arrived, Mummolus said from the wall: 'If good faith is intact, let him come on one side of the bank and I on the other, and let him speak forth what he will.' When this had been agreed, Gunthchramn, in reply — for this arm of the river was set between them — said: 'If it is licit,' he said, 'I will go, for there are some things to be conferred more secretly between us.' To him he said: 'Come, do not fear.' Having entered with one of his friends — and he was weighed down by the weight of a lorica (coat of mail) — immediately that friend, when he touched the pit of the river, was submerged beneath the waters and nowhere appeared. But Gunthchramn, when he was being sunk and carried off by the swift wave, one of those standing by, seizing the spear stretched forth by his hand, brought him back to the shore.

Et tunc, inlatis sibi convitiis, ipse vel Mummolus discesserunt. Obsedente quoque Gunthchramno ipsam urbem cum exercitu Gunthchramni regis, nuntiata sunt haec Childebertho. At ille ira commotus, cur haec non iussus ageret, Gundulfum superius dictum illuc direxit.

And then, with insults brought against one another, he himself, and Mummolus as well, withdrew. And with Gunthchramn also besieging the city itself with the army of King Gunthchramn, these things were announced to Childebert. But he, moved with anger that these things were being done without orders, dispatched Gundulf, the above-named, thither.

Qui, amota obsidione, Mummolum Arvernus adduxit. Sed post paucos dies Avennione regressus est.

He, the Arvernian, with the siege removed, brought Mummolus. But after a few days he returned to Avignon.

27. Quod Chilpericus rex Parisius est ingressus.

27. That King Chilperic entered Paris.

Chilpericus rex pridie quam pascha celebraretur, Parisius abiit. Et ut maledictum, quod in pactione sua vel fratrum suorum conscriptum erat, ut nullus eorum Parisius sine alterius voluntate ingrederetur, carere possit, reliquias sanctorum multorum praecidentibus, urbem ingressus est diesque paschae cum multa iocunditate tenuit filiumque suum baptismo tradedit, quem Ragnemodus ipsius urbis sacerdus de lavacro sancto suscepit ipsumque Theodoricum vocitare praecepit.

King Chilperic, on the day before Easter was celebrated, went to Paris. And, in order that he might be free of the malediction which had been written into his pact and that of his brothers, that none of them should enter Paris without the will of the other, he entered the city, the relics of many saints going before; and he kept the day of Easter with much joy, and handed over his son to baptism, whom Ragnemodus, the priest of that city, received from the holy font, and he ordered that he himself be called Theodoric.

28. De Marco refrendario.

28. Concerning Mark the referendary.

Marcus quoque refrendarius, cui supra meminimus, post congregatus de iniquis discriptionibus thesauros, subito latere dolore detentus, capud totundit, atque paenetentiam accipiens, spiritum exalavit, resque eius fisco conlatae sunt. Nam magni ibidem thesauri ex auro argentoque et multarum specierum reperti sunt, nihil exinde secum aliud portans nisi animae detrimentum.

Marcus too the referendary, whom we mentioned above, after having gathered treasures from iniquitous assessments, was suddenly seized by a pain in his side; he had his head tonsured, and receiving penance, he breathed out his spirit, and his property was transferred to the fisc. For great treasures were found there of gold and silver and of many kinds, carrying nothing else with him from there except the detriment of his soul.

29. De puellis monasterii Pictavensis.

29. On the maidens of the monastery of Poitiers.

Legati de Hispaniis reversi nihil certi renuntiaverunt, eo quod Leuvichildus contra filium suum seniorem in exercitu resederet. In monastirio autem beatae Radegunde puella quaedam nomen Disciola, quae beati Salvii Albigensis episcopi neptis erat, obiit hoc modo. Cum egrotare coepisset et ei assiduae sorores aliae deservirent, venit dies ille, quo migraret a corpore, et circa horam nonam ait sororibus: 'Ecce iam leviorem me sentio; ecce nihil doleo!

The legates returned from the Spains reported nothing certain, because Leovigild had taken position with the army against his elder son. But in the monastery of blessed Radegund a certain girl named Disciola, who was the niece of blessed Salvius, bishop of Albi, died in this way. When she had begun to be sick and other sisters assiduously ministered to her, that day came on which she would migrate from the body, and around the ninth hour she said to the sisters: 'Behold, now I feel lighter; behold, I feel no pain!

Nunc autem non est necesse sollicitudine vestrae, ut mihi curae aliquid inpendatis; sed potius discedite a me, quo facilius sopore relaxer'. Haec audientes sorores eius, recesserunt parumper cellola, et post paulolum advenerunt. Denique stantibus illis coram ea, expectabant, quid ab illa elocutionis audirent. Ipsa autem, expansis manibus, benedictionem a nescio quo afflagitans, ait: 'Benedic', inquid, 'mihi, sanctae ac famulae Dei excelsi; ecce enim iam tertio fatigaris hodiae mei causa!

Now, however, there is no need of your solicitude, that you should expend any care upon me; but rather depart from me, so that I may the more easily be relaxed in sleep.' Hearing these things, her sisters withdrew for a little while from the little cell, and after a short time they came back. Finally, as they stood before her, they were waiting to hear what utterance they might hear from her. But she, with hands outstretched, imploring a benediction from I-know-not-whom, said: 'Bless,' she said, 'me, O saint and handmaid of the Most High God; for behold, now for the third time you weary yourself today on my account!'

Et cur, sanctae, pro infirma muliercula crebras iniurias sustenis?' Interrogantibus vero illis, ad quem haec verba proferret, penitus non est effata. Tunc facto modico intervallo, emisit voce magna cum riso; et sic tradedit spiritum. Et ecce quidam inerguminus, qui tunc ad beati Crucis gloriam mundandus advenerat, adreptam manibus caesariem, conlisit se in terram, dicens: 'Heu, heu, heu nobis, qui tale damno perpessi sumus!

And why, holy one, do you sustain frequent injuries on behalf of a weak little woman?' But when they asked to whom she was addressing these words, she did not utter it at all. Then, after a short interval, she sent forth a great voice with laughter; and thus she delivered up her spirit. And behold, a certain energumen, who at that time had come to the glory of the blessed Cross to be cleansed, having seized her hair with his hands, dashed himself to the ground, saying: 'Alas, alas, alas for us, who have suffered such a loss!'

Vel licuisset prius causas inquirere, et sic de potestate nostra fuisset ablata haec anima'. Inquirentibus vero his qui aderant, quod esset hoc verbum, quod loquebatur, respondit: 'Ecce anima puellae Michahel angelus suscepit, et ipsi eam ad caelos evexit. Princeps vero noster, quem vos diabolum nominatis, nihil in ea participatur'. Post haec corpus aquis ablutum ita candore niveo refulgebat, ut nullum lenteum repperire abbatissa potuisset in prumptu, quod corpore candidior cerneretur; induta tamen lenteis mundis, sepulturae mandata est. Nam et alia puella huius monastirii visum vidit, quod sororibus retulit.

'Or at least it might have been permitted earlier to inquire into the causes, and thus this soul would have been taken away from our power'. But when those present inquired what this saying was which he was speaking, he replied: 'Behold, the angel Michael has received the girl’s soul, and he himself has borne her to the heavens. But our prince, whom you name the devil, has no share in her'. After these things, the body, washed with water, gleamed with such snowy candor that the abbess could find no linen at hand that would seem whiter than the body; nevertheless, clothed in clean linens, she was consigned to burial. For another girl of this monastery also saw a vision, which she reported to the sisters.

Potabat, inquid, se iter aliquod conficere; et erat ei votum, ut ad fontem vivum gradiens perveniret. Cumque viam nesciret, vir quidam se obviam obtulit, dicens: 'Si', inquid, 'vis ad fontem vivum accedere, ego ero praevius iteneris tui'. At illa gratias agens, sequebatur praecedentem. Quibus ambolantibus, pervenerunt ad fontem magnum, cuius aquae tamquam aurum splendebant, herbae vero in modum diversarum gemmarum vernante luce radiabant.

She thought, she said, that she was completing some journey; and she had a vow, that, as she went, she might arrive at the living fountain. And since she did not know the road, a certain man presented himself to meet her, saying: 'If,' he said, 'you wish to approach the living fountain, I will be the guide of your itinerary.' But she, giving thanks, followed the one going before. And as they were walking, they came to a great fountain, whose waters shone like gold, while the grasses, in the manner of various gems, were radiating with a vernal light.

Et ait vir ad eam: 'Ecce fonte vivo, quem multo labore quaesisti! Satiare nunc ab eius fluentis, ut fiat tibi fons aquae vivae salientis in vitam aeternam'. Cumque illa avide ex his aquis auriret, ecce ab alia parte veniebat abbatissa et, denudatam puellam, induit eam vestem regia, quae tanta luce auroque et munilibus refulgebat, ut vix possit intendi, dicente sibi abbatissa: 'Sponsus enim tuus mittit tibi haec munera'. Haec cum puella vidisset, conpuncta est corde, et post dies paucus rogavit abbatissam, ut sibi in qua inclauderetur cellolam praepararet. At illa velociter perfectam, ait: 'Ecce', inquid, 'cellolam!

And the man said to her: 'Behold the living spring, which with much labor you have sought! Be satisfied now from its streams, that there may become for you a spring of living water leaping up into eternal life.' And when she eagerly drew from those waters, behold, from another side the abbess was coming and, the girl being unclothed, she clothed her with a royal garment, which shone with such light and with gold and ornaments that it could scarcely be looked upon, the abbess saying to her: 'For your Bridegroom sends you these gifts.' When the girl saw these things, she was smitten with compunction in her heart, and after a few days she asked the abbess to prepare for her a little cell in which she might be enclosed. But she, having quickly finished it, said: 'Behold,' she said, 'the little cell!'

Quid nunc desideras?' Puella vero petiit, ut recludi permitteretur. Quod cum ei praestitum fuisset, congregatis virginibus cum magno psallentio, accensis lampadibus, tenente sibi beata Radegunde manu, ad locum usque perducitur. Et sic vale faciens omnibus et osculans singulas quasque, reclausa est; structoque aditu, per quem ingressa fuerat, ibi nunc oratione ac lectione vacat.

'What do you now desire?' The maiden indeed requested that she be permitted to be enclosed as a recluse. And when this had been granted to her, the virgins having been assembled with great psalmody, the lamps having been lit, the blessed Radegund holding her by the hand, she is led all the way to the place. And thus, bidding farewell to all and kissing each one individually, she was enclosed; and the entrance by which she had entered having been walled up, there now she devotes herself to prayer and reading.

30. De obitu Tiberii imperatores.

30. On the death of Tiberius, the emperors.

Hoc anno Tiberius imperator migravit a saeculo, magnum luctum relinquens populis de obito suo. Erat enim summe bonitatis, in aelimosinis prumptus, in iudiciis iustus, in iudicando cautissimus; nullum dispiciens, sed omnes in bona voluntate conplectens. Omnes diligens, ipse quoque diligebatur ab omnibus.

In this year Emperor Tiberius departed from the world, leaving great mourning to the peoples on account of his obit. For he was of the utmost goodness, prompt in almsgiving, just in judgments, most cautious in judging; despising no one, but embracing all in good will. Loving all, he himself also was loved by all.

Hic cum egrotare coepisset et se iam vivere disperaret, vocavit Sophiam agustam, dicens: 'Ecce! iam impleto sentio tempus vitae meae; nunc consilio tuo elegam, qui rei publicae praeesse debeat. Oportit enim strinuum elegi, quae praesit huic potestati'. At illa Mauricium quendam elegit, dicens: 'Valde strinuus et sacax vir isti.

Here, when he had begun to be sick and already despaired of living, he called Sophia Augusta, saying: 'Behold! now I perceive the time of my life to be fulfilled; now by your counsel I shall choose who ought to preside over the republic. For it is fitting to choose a strenuous man, who may preside over this authority.' But she chose a certain Maurice, saying: 'A very strenuous and sagacious man is he.'

Nam et sepius contra inimicos rei publicae demicans, victurias obtenuit'. Haec enim dicebat, ut, isto transeunte, huius coniugio necteretur. Sed Tiberius, postquam consensum cognovit agustae de huius electione, iussit exornare filiam suam ornamentis imperialibus, et vocato Mauritio, ait: 'Ecce! cum consensu Sophiae agustae ad imperium elegeris; in quo ut firmior sis, filiam meam tradam tibi'. Et accedentem puella, tradedit eam pater Mauritio, dicens: 'Sit tibi imperium meum cum hac puella concessum.

For also, more than once, fighting against the enemies of the commonwealth, he obtained victories.' For she said these things so that, with that man passing away, she might be bound by marriage to this one. But Tiberius, after he learned the Augusta’s consent concerning his election, ordered his daughter to be adorned with imperial ornaments, and, Maurice having been called, said: 'Behold! with the consent of Sophia Augusta you have been chosen to the imperium; in which, that you may be firmer, I will hand my daughter over to you.' And as the maiden approached, the father handed her over to Maurice, saying: 'Let my imperium be granted to you together with this girl.'

Utire eum felix, memor semper, ut aequitate et iustitiam delecteris' . At ille, acceptam puellam, duxit eam ad domum suam; et transacta solemnitate nuptiarum, Tiberius obiit. Igitur caelebrato iustitio, Mauricius indutus diademate et purpora, ad circum processit, adclamatisque sibi laudibus, largita populo munera, in imperio confirmatur.

‘Use it happily, ever mindful, that you may take delight in equity and justice’ . But he, having received the girl, led her to his house; and, the solemnity of the nuptials having been completed, Tiberius died. Therefore, the public mourning having been celebrated, Mauricius, clad in diadem and purple, proceeded to the circus, and, with praises acclaimed to him, having bestowed gifts upon the people, he is confirmed in the imperium.

31. De multis malis.

31. On many evils.

De multis malis, quae Chilpericus rex in civitatibus fratri sui fieri iussit vel ipse fecit.

On the many evils which King Chilperic ordered to be done in the cities of his brother, or did himself.

Denique Chilpericus rex legatus nepotis sui Childeberthi suscepit, inter quos primus erat Egidius Remensis episcopus. Quibus intromissis ad regem, data suggestione, dixerunt: 'Pacem, quam cum domino nostro, nepote tuo, fecisti, petit a te omnimodis conservare; cum fratri vero tuo pacem habere non potest, quia partem Massiliae ei post mortem abstulit patris fugacesque suos retenet nec eos vult ei remittere. Ideo Childeberthus, nepus tuus, caretatem, quam nunc tecum retenit, integre vult servare'. Et ille: 'In multis', inquid, 'frater meus accessit culpabilis.

At length King Chilperic received the envoys of his nephew Childebert, among whom the first was Aegidius, bishop of Reims. When they had been admitted to the king, the petition having been presented, they said: 'The peace which you made with our lord, your nephew, he asks you by all means to preserve; but with your brother he cannot have peace, because after the death of his father he took from him a part of Massilia and he retains his fugitives and does not wish to send them back to him. Therefore Childebert, your nephew, wishes to keep intact the charity which he now maintains with you'. And he said: 'In many things,' he said, 'my brother has come to be culpable.

Nam si ordinem rationis filius meus Childeberthus inquirat, cognuscit protinus, quod huius conludio pater eius est interfectus'. Haec eo dicente, Egidius episcopus ait: 'Si cum nepote tuo coniungeris et ipse coniungitur tibi, commoto exercitu, ultio quae debetur super eum velocius infertur'. Quod cum iuramento firmassent obsedesque inter se dedissent, discesserunt. Igitur fidens in promissis eorum Chilpericus, commoto regni sui exercitum, Parisius venit. Ubi cum resedisset, magnum dispendium rerum incolis intulit.

'For if my son Childebert should inquire the order of reason, he at once recognizes that by this collusion his father was slain.' As he was saying this, Bishop Egidius said: 'If you join with your nephew, and he too is joined to you, with the army set in motion, the vengeance that is owed upon him is inflicted more swiftly.' When they had confirmed this with an oath and had given hostages between themselves, they departed. Therefore, trusting in their promises, Chilperic, with the army of his kingdom stirred, came to Paris. Where, when he had sat down, he brought a great dispendium of goods upon the inhabitants.

Berulfus vero dux cum Toronicis, Pectavis Andecavisque atque Namneticis ad terminum Bitoricum venit. Desiderius vero et Bladastis cum omni exercitu provintiae sibi commissae ab alia parte Betoricum vallant, multum vastantes per quas venerunt regiones. Chilpericus vero iussit exercitum, qui ad eum accessit, per Parisius transire.

But Duke Berulf came with the Toronics (men of Tours), the Pectavians (Poitiers), the Andecavians (Angers), and also the Namnetians (Nantes) to the boundary of the Bituriges. But Desiderius and Bladast, with the whole army of the province entrusted to them, from the other side were investing Bituricum, greatly devastating the regions through which they came. But Chilperic ordered the army which had come to him to pass through Paris.

Quo transeunte, et ipse transiit atque ad Mecledonensem castrum abiit, cuncta incendio tradens atque devastans. Et licet exercitus nepotis sui ad eum non venisset, tamen duces et legati eius cum ipso erant. Tunc misit nuntius ad supradictus duces, dicens: 'Ingrediemini Beturigum, et accedentes usque ad civitatem, sacramenta fidelitatis exegite de nomine nostro'. Biturigi vero cum quindecim milibus ad Mediolanensim castrum confluunt ibique contra Desiderium ducem confligunt; factaque est ibi stragis magna, ita ut de utroque exercitu amplius quam septim milia caecidissent.

When that one had crossed over, he too crossed and went off to the Mecledonense fortress, consigning everything to fire and devastating. And although his nephew’s army had not come to him, yet his dukes and legates were with him. Then he sent a messenger to the aforesaid dukes, saying: ‘Enter the land of the Bituriges, and, advancing up to the city, exact the oaths of fidelity in our name.’ But the Bituriges, with 15,000, converge upon the Mediolanense fortress and there clash against Duke Desiderius; and a great slaughter was made there, so that from both armies more than 7,000 had fallen.

Duces quoque cum reliqua parte populi ad civitatem pervenerunt, cuncta deripientes vel devastantes; talisque depopulatio inibi acta est, qualis nec antiquitus est audita fuisse, ut nec domus remaneret nec vinea nec arbores, sed cuncta succiderent, incenderent, debellarent. Nam et ab eclesiis auferentis sacra ministeria, ipsas incendio cremabant. Gunthchramnus vero rex cum exercitu contra fratrem suum advenit, totam spem in Dei iudicio conlocans.

The leaders too, with the remaining part of the people, came to the city, plundering and devastating everything; and such a depopulation was wrought there as is said not even in ancient times to have been heard of, so that neither house remained nor vineyard nor trees, but they cut down all, set them on fire, and subdued them utterly. For also, taking away from the churches the sacred ministries, they burned the churches themselves with fire. But King Gunthchramn came with an army against his brother, placing his whole hope in the judgment of God.

Qui die una iam vespere, misso exercitu, maximam partem a germani sui exercitu interficit. Mane autem concurrentibus legatis, pacem fecerunt, pollicentes alter ab alterutrum, ut quicquid sacerdotes vel seniores populi iudicarent, pars parte conponerent, quae terminum legis excesserat; et sic pacifici discesserunt. Chilpericus vero rex, cum exercitu suo a praedis arcere non possit, Rhodomaginsem comitem gladio trucidavit; et sic Parisius rediit, omnem relinquens praedam captivosque relaxans.

He, on one day now toward evening, having sent in his army, slew the greatest part of his brother’s army. But in the morning, with the legates running together, they made peace, promising each to the other that whatever the priests or the seniors of the people should judge, party with party would compose what had exceeded the limit of the law; and thus they departed peaceable. King Chilperic, however, since he could not ward off his army from depredations, slaughtered with the sword the Count of Rouen; and so he returned to Paris, leaving all the booty and releasing the captives.

Ad isti qui Bitoricas obsedebant, accepto mandato, ut reverterentur ad propriam, tantas praedas secum sustulerunt, ut omnes regio illa, unde egressi sunt, valde potaretur evacuata vel de hominibus vel de ipsis pecoribus. Ingressus quoque exercitus Desiderii atque Bladastis per Toronicam, incendia, praedas et homicidia tanta fecerunt, sicut solet contra inimicos fieri; nam et captivus adduxerunt, de quibus spoliatus plurimus postea demiserunt. Subsecutus est morbus pecorum hanc cladem, ita ut vix vel initium remaneret novumque esset, si aliquis aut iuvencum viderit aut cerneret buculam.

But those who were besieging the Bituriges, having received the mandate to return to their own, carried off such great spoils with them that the whole region from which they had set out was considered thoroughly evacuated, both of people and of the herds themselves. Likewise the army of Desiderius and Bladastes, entering through the territory of Tours, wrought such conflagrations, plunderings, and homicides as are wont to be done against enemies; for they also led away captives, of whom, after they had been despoiled, very many were afterward dismissed. A disease of the cattle followed upon this calamity, so that scarcely even a remnant remained, and it was something novel if anyone either saw a young bull or beheld a heifer.

Sed dum haec agerentur, Childeberthus rex cum exercito suo uno in loco resedebat. Nocte autem quadam commutus exercitus, magnum murmor contra Egidium episcopum et ducibus regis minor populus elevavit ac vociferare coepit et publicae proclamare: 'Tollantur a faciae regis, qui regnum eius venundant, civitates illius dominatione alteri subdunt, populus ipsius principis alterius dicionibus tradunt'. Dum haec et his similia vociferando proferrent, facto mane, adpraehenso armorum apparato, ad tenturium regis properant, scilicet ut adpraehensis episcopum vel senioribus vi obpraemerent, verberibus adficerent, gladiis lacerarent. Quod conperto, sacerdus fugam iniit, ascensoque equitae, ad urbem propria tendit.

But while these things were being transacted, King Childebert was sitting with his army in one place. But on a certain night the army, thrown into commotion, the lesser people raised a great murmur against Egidius the bishop and the king’s dukes, and began to vociferate and to proclaim publicly: 'Let them be removed from the presence of the king, those who vend his kingdom, subject his cities to the domination of another, hand his people over to the jurisdictions of another prince'. While they were vociferating these and similar things, when morning had come, having seized their apparatus of arms, they hasten to the king’s tent, namely, that, having seized the bishop or the elders, they might overwhelm by force, afflict with beatings, lacerate with swords. When this was learned, the bishop took to flight, and, having mounted on horseback, he made for his own city.

Ad populus ille cum clamore sequebatur, proiciens post eum lapides evomensque convitia. Fuitque tunc ei haec causa praesidium, quod hi paratus equites non habebant. Attamen lassatis sociorum equis, solus pertendit episcopus, tanto timore perterritus, ut unam caligam de pede elapsam collegare non curaret.

But the populace followed with clamor, throwing stones after him and vomiting insults. And this then was to him a safeguard, namely that these men did not have cavalry in readiness. However, with the horses of his companions exhausted, the bishop pressed on alone, so terrified with fear that he did not care to fasten one boot, a caliga, which had slipped from his foot.

Et sic usque civitatem veniens, se infra murorum Rimensium septa conclusit.

And thus, coming up to the city, he shut himself within the enclosures of the walls of Reims.

32. De interitu Leudastis.

32. On the death of Leudastis.

Ante paucus autem mensis Leudastis in Toronico cum praecepto regis advenit, ut uxorem reciperet ibique commoraretur. Sed et nobis epistolam sacerdotum manu subscriptam detulit, ut in communione reciperitur. Sed quoniam litteras reginae non videmus, cuius causa maximae a communione remotus fuerat, ipsum recipere distuli, dicens: 'Cum reginae mandatum suscepero, tunc eum recipere non morabor'. Interea ad eam dirigo; qui mihi scripta remisit, dicens: 'Conpraessa a multis aliud facere non potui, nisi ut eum abire permitterem.

But a few months before, Leudastis came into Tours with the king’s precept, to take back his wife and to remain there. And he also brought to us an epistle, subscribed by the hand of the priests, that he be received into communion. But since we do not see letters from the queen, on whose account he had chiefly been removed from communion, I deferred to receive him, saying: 'When I shall have received the queen’s mandate, then I will not delay to receive him'. Meanwhile I dispatch to her; he sent back a writing to me, saying: 'Pressed by many, I could do nothing other than to permit him to depart.'

Nunc autem rogo, ut pacem tuam non mereatur neque eologias de manu tua suscipiat, donec a nobis quid agi debeat plenius pertractatur'. At ego haec scripta relegens, timui, ne interficeretur; arcessitoque socero eius, haec innotui, obsecrans, ut se cautum redderet, donec reginae animus leneretur. Sed ille consilium meum, quod pro Dei intuitu simpliciter insinuavi, dolose suscipiens, cum adhuc nobis esset inimicus, noluit agere quae mandavi; impletumque est autem illud proverbium, quod quendam senem narrantem audivi: 'Amico inimicoque bonum semper praebe consilium, quia amicus accepit, inimicus spernit'. Spraeto ergo hoc consilio, ad regem dirigit, qui tunc cum exercitu in pago Megledonense degebat; depraecatusque est populum, ut regi praeces funderet, ut eius praesentia mereretur. Depraecante igitur omni populo, rex se videndum ei praebuit.

Now, however, I ask that he may not merit your peace nor receive eulogies from your hand, until by us what ought to be done is more fully handled'. But I, rereading these writings, feared lest he be killed; and having summoned his father-in-law, I made these things known, beseeching that he make himself cautious, until the queen’s spirit were softened. But he, deceitfully taking up my counsel, which I had simply intimated with God in view, since he was still hostile to us, did not wish to do what I had enjoined; and that proverb was fulfilled, which I heard a certain old man relating: 'To friend and enemy always offer good counsel, because a friend accepts, an enemy spurns'. Therefore, this counsel having been spurned, he makes for the king, who was then abiding with the army in the Megledonensian district; and he implored the people to pour forth prayers to the king, that he might merit his presence. Therefore, with all the people entreating, the king presented himself to be seen by him.

Prostratusque pedibus eius, veniam flagitavit. Cui rex: 'Cautum', inquid, 'te redde paulisper, donec, visa regina, conveniat, qualiter ad eius gratiam revertaris, cui multum inveniris esse culpabilis'. At ille, ut erat incautus et levis, in hoc fidens, quod regis praesentiam meruisset, rege Parisius revertente, die dominico in eclesia sancta reginae pedibus provolvitur, veniam depraecans. At illa frendens et execrans aspectum eius, a se repulit, fusisque lacrimis, ait: 'Et quia non extat de filiis, qui criminis mei causas inquerat, tibi eas, Iesu domine, inquerendas committo'. Prostrataque pedibus regis, adiecit: 'Vae mihi, quae video inimicum meum, et nihil ei praevaleo'. Tunc repulso eo a loco sancto, missarum solemnia celebrata sunt.

Prostrate at his feet, he demanded pardon. To whom the king: 'Make yourself cautious,' he said, 'for a little while, until, the queen having been seen, it be agreed how you may revert to her favor, to whom you have been found to be much culpable'. But he, as he was incautious and light, trusting in this, that he had merited the king’s presence, with the king returning to Paris, on the Lord’s day in the holy church prostrates himself at the queen’s feet, begging pardon. But she, gnashing and execrating his aspect, repelled him from her, and, tears poured forth, said: 'And since there is not among the sons one who may inquire into the causes of the crime against me, to you, Lord Jesus, I commit them to be inquired into'. And prostrate at the king’s feet, she added: 'Woe is me, that I see my enemy, and I prevail nothing against him'. Then, he having been repulsed from the holy place, the solemnities of the Masses were celebrated.

Igitur regresso rege cum regina de eclesiam sanctam, Leudastis usque ad plateam est prosecutus, inopinans, quid ei accederit; domusque negutiantum circumiens, species rimatur, argentum pensat atque diversa ornamenta prospicit, dicens: 'Haec et haec conparabo, quia multum mihi aurum argentumque residit'. Ista illo dicente, subito advenientes reginae pueri, voluerunt eum vinci catenis. Ille quoque, evaginato gladio, unum verberat; exinde succensi felle, adpraehensis pannis et gladiis, super eum ruunt. Ex quibus unus librans ictum, maximam partem capitis eius a capillis et cute detexit.

Therefore, with the king having returned with the queen from the holy church, Leudast accompanied them as far as the broad street, unsuspecting what would befall him; and going around the houses of the negotiants, he scrutinizes the wares, weighs the silver, and looks over diverse ornaments, saying: 'This and that I will purchase, because much gold and silver remains to me.' As he was saying these things, suddenly the queen’s boys arrived and wanted to bind him with chains. He too, his sword unsheathed, strikes one; then, inflamed with gall, seizing cloaks and swords, they rush upon him. Of these one, poising a blow, laid bare the greatest part of his head of hair and skin.

Cumque per pontem urbis fugiret, elapso inter duos axes, quae ponteo faciunt, pede, effracta oppressus est tibia, legatisque postergum manibus, custodiae mancipatur. Iussitque rex, ut studeretur a medicis, quodadusque ab his ictibus sanatus, diuturno supplicium cruciaretur. Sed cum ad villam fiscalem ductus fuisset et, conputriscentibus plagis, extremam ageret vitam, iussu reginae in terram proiecitur resupinus; posito ad cervicem eius vecte inmenso, ab alio ei gulam verberant.

And as he was fleeing over the city’s bridge, his foot slipping between two beams which make the bridge-work, his shin-bone, fractured, was crushed; and with his hands bound behind his back, he is handed over to custody. And the king ordered that he be attended by the physicians, until, healed from these blows, he might be tormented with a long-lasting punishment. But when he had been led to a fiscal villa, and, as the wounds were rotting through, he was living out his last, by order of the queen he is thrown onto the ground on his back; with an immense bar placed at his neck, another beats his throat.

Sicque semper perfidam agens vitam, iusta morte finivit.

And thus, ever leading a perfidious life, he finished with a just death.

33. De locustis, morbis prodigiisque.

33. On locusts, diseases, and prodigies.

Anno nono Childeberthi regis partem Massiliae Gunthchramnus rex ipse nepote suo refudit. Legati principis Chilperici de Hispaniis regressi, nuntiaverunt, provintiam Carpitaniam graviter a locustis fuisse vastatam, ita ut non arbor, non vinea, non silva, non fructus aliqui aut quicquam viride remaneret, qui non a locustis everteretur. Agebant enim, inimicitias illas, quae inter Leuvichildum et filium suum pullulaverant, vehementer augere.

In the 9th year of King Childebert, King Gunthchramn himself restored a part of Marseille to his nephew. The envoys of Prince Chilperic, returning from the Spains, announced that the province Carpetania had been grievously laid waste by locusts, such that not a tree, not a vine, not a wood, not any fruits or anything green remained which was not overturned by the locusts. For they were working to augment vehemently those enmities which had sprouted between Leovigild and his son.

Per loca enim lues vastabat, sed maximae apud urbem Narbonensim validius desaeviebat, et iam tertio anno, quod ibidem adpraehenderat et requieverat; populique revertentes a fuga, iterum morbo consumpti sunt. Nam et Albigensis civitas maximae ab hoc inquomodo laborabat. His diebus apparuerunt a parte aquilonis nocte media radii multi fulgore nimio relucentis, qui ad se venientes iterum separabantur, usquequod evanuerunt.

For the pestilence was laying waste through the regions, but most especially near the city of Narbonne it raged more fiercely, and now for the third year, since there it had apprehended and had rested; and the people, returning from flight, were again consumed by the disease. For the city of Albi too was suffering very greatly from this hardship. In these days there appeared from the quarter of the north at midnight many rays refulgent with excessive brightness, which, drawing together toward one another, again were separated, until they evanesced.

Sed et caelum ab ipsa septemtrionali plaga ita resplenduit, ut potaretur aurora producere.

But also the sky from that very septentrional quarter shone so, that it might be thought that the dawn was being prolonged.

34. De obitu fili Chilperici, quem Theodoricum vocavit.

34. On the death of Chilperic’s son, whom he called Theodoric.

Legati iterum ab Hispania venerunt, deferentes munera et placitum accipientes cum Chilperico rege, ut filiam suam secundum convenentiam anteriorem filio regis Leuvichildi tradere deberet in matrimonio. Denique dato placito et omnia pertractata, legatus ille reversus est. Sed Chilperico rege egresso de Parisius, ut in pago Sessionico accederet, novus luctus advenit.

Legates again came from Hispania, bearing gifts and entering into a compact with King Chilperic, that he should, according to the prior convenant, hand over his daughter in marriage to the son of King Leuvichild. Finally, the compact having been given and all things thoroughly discussed, that legate returned. But when King Chilperic had gone out from Paris, to proceed into the Suessionic district, new grief arrived.

Filius enim eius, quem anno superiore sacro baptismate abluerat, a desinteria correptus, spiritum exalavit. Hoc enim fulgor ille, quod superius ex nube dilapsum memoravimus, figuravit. Tunc cum inmenso fletu regressi Parisius, sepelierunt puerum, mittentes post legatum, ut reverteretur, scilicet ut placitum quod posuerat prolongaret, dicente rege: 'Ecce planctum in domo sustineo, et qualiter nuptias filiae celebrabo?' Voluit enim tunc aliam filiam illuc dirigere, quam de Audovera habebat, et eam in monasterium Pictavensi posuerat.

For his son, whom in the previous year he had washed with the sacred baptism, seized by dysentery, breathed out his spirit. For this that radiance, which above we have recalled as having slipped down from a cloud, prefigured. Then, with immense weeping, they returned to Paris and buried the boy, sending after the legate that he should return, namely that he might prolong the compact which he had set, the king saying: 'Behold, I am sustaining lamentation in the house, and how shall I celebrate my daughter's nuptials?' For he then wished to direct another daughter thither, whom he had by Audovera, and he had placed her in the monastery at Poitiers.

Sed illa distulit, resistente praecipue beata Radegunde et dicente: 'Non est enim dignum, ut puella Christo dedicata iterum in saeculi voluptatibus revertatur'.

But she deferred it, with blessed Radegund especially resisting and saying: 'For it is not worthy that a girl dedicated to Christ return again to the pleasures of the world.'

35. De interitu Mummoli praefecti et mulieribus interfectis.

35. On the death of Mummolus the prefect and the women slain.

Dum autem haec agerentur, nuntiantur reginae, puerum, qui mortuus fuerat, maleficiis et incantationibus fuisse subductum ibique Mummolum praefectum, quem iam diu regina invisum habebat, conscium esse. Unde factum est, ut epolante eo in domo sua, quidam de aulicis regis puerum dilectum sibi, qui a desenteria correptus fuerat, lamentaret. Cui praefectus respondit: 'Habetur mihi herba in prumptu, de qua se desentiricus auriat, quamlibet desperatus sit, mox sanatur'. Nuntiatis his reginae, maiore furore succenditur.

But while these things were being done, it is announced to the queen that the boy who had died had been spirited away by malefic arts and incantations, and that there Mummolus the prefect—whom the queen had long held as hateful—was privy. Whence it came about that, with him feasting in his own house, a certain one of the king’s courtiers was lamenting a boy dear to him, who had been seized by dysentery. To him the prefect replied: ‘I have an herb at the ready, of which if the dysenteric man should drink, however desperate he be, he is soon healed.’ These things being reported to the queen, she is inflamed with greater fury.

Interea adpraehensis mulieribus urbis Parisiacae tormentis adplicat ac verberibus cogit fatere quae noverant. At ille confitentur se maleficas esse, et multos occumbere leto se fecisse testatae sunt, addentes illud, quod nulla ratione credi patior: 'Filium', aiunt, 'tuum, o regina, pro Mummoli praefecti vita donavimus'. Tunc regina, tormentis gravioribus mulieribus affectis, alias enegat, alias incendio tradit, alias rotis, ossibus confractis, innectit. Et sic Conpendio villam una cum rege secessit ibique universa regi quae de praefecto audierat revelavit.

Meanwhile, having apprehended the women of the city of Paris, she applies torments and with beatings compels them to confess what they knew. But they confess that they are maleficent women, and they attested that they had caused many to meet death, adding this, which by no reasoning do I allow to be believed: “Your son,” they say, “O queen, we have given in exchange for the life of Mummolus the prefect.” Then the queen, the women being afflicted with graver torments, drowns some, consigns others to fire, others she fastens to wheels, their bones broken. And so she withdrew to the villa of Compendium together with the king, and there she revealed to the king all the things that she had heard about the prefect.

Rex vero, missis pueris, iussit eum arcessire; discussumque catenis onerant et suppliciis subdunt. Trabi, postergum revinctis manibus, adpenditur et ibi, quid maleficii noverit, interrogatur; sed nihil de his quae superius memoravimus confetetur. Hoc tamen protulit, saepius se inunctionis et potionis, quae ei regis reginaequae gratiam praeberent, ab his mulieribus suscipisse.

But the king, having sent pages, ordered him to be summoned; and, once seized, they load him with chains and subject him to torments. To a beam, with his hands bound behind his back, he is hung up, and there he is questioned as to what malefice he knew; but he confesses nothing of those things which we have mentioned above. This, however, he brought forward: that he had often received from these women an unction and a potion which would offer him the favor of the king and of the queen.

Depositus igitur de poena, vocat ad se lectorem, dicens: 'Nuntia domino meo regi, quia nihil mali sentio de his quae inlata sunt'. His auditis, rex: 'Verumne est', inquid, 'hunc esse maleficum, se de his nihil est laesus poenis?' Tunc extensum ad trocleas, tam diu loris triplicibus caesus est, quoadusque ipse lassarentur tortures; post haec sudis ungulis manuum pedumque difigunt. Cumque in hoc causa ageretur, ut ad dicidendam cervicem eius gladius inminerit, regina vitam obtenuit; sed non fuit minur morti humilitas subsecuta. Nam inpositus plaustro, ad Burdigalensim urbem, in qua ortus fuerat, ablata omni facultate, transmittitur; in via vero ictuatus sanguine, vix accedere quo iussus est valuit.

Therefore, taken down from the punishment, he calls the lector to himself, saying: 'Announce to my lord the king that I feel nothing evil from the things that have been inflicted.' On hearing this, the king said: 'Is it true that this man is a malefic, since by these penalties he has suffered nothing?' Then, stretched out on the pulleys, he was beaten with triple thongs so long that the torturers themselves grew weary; after this they fastened with stakes the nails of his hands and feet. And when the case was being driven to this point, so that a sword was threatening to cut his neck, the queen obtained his life; but humiliation followed that was no less than death. For, set on a wagon, he is sent off to the city of Bordeaux, in which he had been born, with all his means taken away; and on the way, wounded and bleeding, he scarcely was able to reach the place to which he was ordered.

Sed non post multum tempus spiritum exalavit. Post haec regina, adpraehenso pueroli thesauro, tam vestimenta quam reliquas species, vel ex sirico aut quocumque vellere invenire potuit, igne consumpsit; quod ferunt quattuor plaustra levasse. Aurum vero vel argentum fornace conflatum reposuit, ne aliquid integrum remanerit, quod ei planctum fili in memoriam revocaret.

But not long after, he breathed out his spirit. After this the queen, having apprehended the little boy’s treasure, both the garments and the remaining articles, whether of silk or of whatever fleece she was able to find, she consumed with fire; which they say made up four wagons’ load. But the gold and the silver, melted in a furnace, she set aside, lest anything intact should remain that would call back into memory for her the lamentation for her son.

36. De Aetherio episcopo.

36. Concerning Bishop Aetherius.

Aetherius vero Lixoensis episcopus, cui supra meminimus, hoc ordine a civitate sua vel expulsus est vel receptus. Clericus quidam extitit ex Cinomannica urbe, luxuriosus nimis amatorque mulierum et gulae ac fornicationis omnique immunditiae valde deditus. Hic mulieri cuidam saepius scorto commixtus, comam capitis totondit, mutatoque virili habitu, secum in alia civitate deduxit, ut suspicio auferetur adulterii, cum inter incognitos devenisset.

Aetherius, indeed, bishop of Lixo, whom we mentioned above, was in this manner either expelled from or received by his city. There appeared a certain cleric from the Cenomannic city, excessively luxurious and a lover of women, and very much given to gluttony and fornication and every uncleanness. This man, frequently mingled with a certain woman, a harlot, shaved the hair of her head, and, her attire changed to a man’s, led her with him into another city, so that suspicion of adultery might be removed, since he had come among strangers.

Erat enim mulier ingenua genere et de bonis orta parentibus. Conperto autem post dies multos propinqui eius quae acta fuerant, ad ulciscendam humilitatem generis sui velocius properant, repertumque clericum vinctum custodiae mancipant, mulierem vero ignem consumunt. Et, sicut cogit auri sacra famis, clericum sub pretio venundari procurant, ea videlicet ratione, ut aut esset qui redimeret, aut certe morti addiceretur obnoxius.

For the woman was freeborn in lineage and sprung from good parents. But after many days, when her relatives learned what had been done, they hastened more swiftly to avenge the humiliation of their stock, and, having found the cleric, they consigned him bound to custody, but the woman they consumed with fire. And, as the accursed hunger for gold compels, they contrived that the cleric be sold for a price, namely on this plan: that either there should be someone to redeem him, or else he would be adjudged liable to death.

Cumque haec Aetherio episcopo delata fuissent, misericordia motus, datis XX aureis, eum ab imminenti exemit interitu. Igitur postquam vitae donatus est, profert se litterarum esse doctorem, promittens sacerdoti, quod, si ei pueros delegaret, perfectos hic in litteris redderet. Gavisus auditu sacerdos, pueros civitatis collegit ipsique delegat ad docendum.

And when these things had been reported to Bishop Aetherius, moved by mercy, with 20 aurei given, he rescued him from impending death. Therefore, after his life had been spared, he professes himself to be a doctor of letters, promising to the priest that, if he would assign boys to him, he would render them perfected in letters. The priest, rejoicing at the report, gathered the boys of the city and entrusted them to him for teaching.

Denique cum iam honoraretur a civibus et pontifex ei aliquid terrae vinearumque largitus fuisset ac domum parentum eorum quos erudiebat invitaretur, reversus ad vomitum, unius pueruli matrem immemor anterioris iniuriae concupiscit. Quod cum pudica mulier declarasset, coniuncti parentes eius gravissimis clericum tormentis subdentes, interimere voluerunt. Quem sacerdos iterum misericordia motus castigatum verbis lenibus liberavit honorique restituit.

Finally, when he was now being honored by the citizens, and the pontiff had bestowed on him some land and vineyards, and he was invited to the home of the parents of those whom he was educating, returning to his vomit, he desires the mother of one little boy, forgetful of the earlier injury. When the chaste woman had made this known, her kindred, having gathered together and subjecting the cleric to very grievous torments, wished to kill him. The priest, however, moved by mercy again, freed him, having chastised him with gentle words, and restored him to honor.

Sed mens laeva numquam ad bonitatem potuit inclinari, sed potius factus est eius inimicus, a quo saepius fuerat de morte redemptus. Coniunctus est enim archidiacono civitatis, et se episcopatu dignum proferens, episcopum molitur occidere. Locatumque clericum, qui eum bipenne percuteret, ipsi ubique discurrunt, musitant, amicitias clam inligant, proferunt praemia, ut, si sacerdos obiret, ipse succederet.

But his sinister mind could never be inclined to goodness; rather he became the enemy of him by whom he had more often been redeemed from death. For he joined himself to the archdeacon of the city, and, putting himself forward as worthy of the episcopate, he contrives to kill the bishop. And having hired a cleric to strike him with a two‑edged axe, they themselves run about everywhere, whisper, secretly enmesh friendships, proffer rewards, so that, if the bishop should pass away, he himself might succeed.

Sed misericordia Domini anticipavit eorum miseriam crudelitatemque iniquorum hominum veloci pietate repressit. Die vero, quo sacerdos operarios in agro adgregaverat ad sulcandum, clericus antedictus cum secure prosequitur sacerdotem, nihil de his penitus aliquid scientem. Tandem igitur haec advertens: 'Quid tu', inquid, 'me attentius cum hac bipenne prosequeris?' At ille timore perterritus, ad genua viri provolvitur, dicens: 'Fortis esto, sacerdos Dei.

But the mercy of the Lord anticipated their misery and, with swift compassion, checked the cruelty of iniquitous men. On the day, in fact, on which the priest had assembled workers in the field for furrowing, the aforesaid cleric follows after the priest with an axe, he knowing absolutely nothing of these things. At length, therefore, noticing this, he said: “Why do you follow me so closely with this two-edged axe?” But the other, panic-stricken with fear, rolls himself down to the man’s knees, saying: “Be brave, priest of God.”

Nam scias me emissum ab archidiacono ac praeceptore, ut te secure percuterem. Quod cum saepius facere voluissem et ictum dextera suspensa librarem, tegebantur tenebris oculi mei, et aures obserabantur, totumque corpus tremore quatiebatur, sed et manus absque virtute erant, et quae optabam implere non poteram; cum vero manus deposuissem, nihil mali sentiebam omnino. Cognovi enim, quoniam tecum est Dominus, eo quod non potui aliquid te nocere'. Haec eo dicente, flevit sacerdos, imponens silentium clerico, reversusque domum, caenae discubuit.

For know that I was sent by the archdeacon and preceptor, to strike you with an axe. When I often wished to do this and, my right hand raised, poised the blow, my eyes were covered with darkness, and my ears were shut, and my whole body was shaken with trembling; and my hands were without strength, and what I desired to accomplish I could not; but when I had lowered my hands, I felt absolutely no evil at all. For I recognized that the Lord is with you, in that I could not harm you in anything.' While he was saying these things, the priest wept, imposing silence on the cleric, and, returning home, he reclined for supper.

Qua exacta, in stratum suum quievit, habens circa lectum suum multos lectulos clericorum. Denique diffisi hi de clerico, per se nefas perficere cogitantes, nova argumenta machinantur, per qua aut eum vi extinguerent aut certe crimen, quo a sacerdotio divelleretur, inponerent. Interea, quiescentibus cunctis, media fere nocte, cubiculum sacerdotis inrumpunt, exclamantes voce magna atque dicentes, vidisse se mulierem a cubiculo egredi ipsamque ob hoc dimisisse, dum ad episcopum festinassent.

When this was finished, he rested upon his couch, having around his own bed many little beds of the clerics. Finally, these men, distrustful about the cleric and thinking to bring the nefarious deed to perfection by themselves, contrive new arguments, by which either they might extinguish him by force or at least impose a crime by which he would be torn from the priesthood. Meanwhile, with all resting, about the middle of the night they burst into the priest’s chamber, crying out with a great voice and saying that they had seen a woman go out from the bedroom, and that they had on this account dismissed her, while they hurried to the bishop.

Et insanie pars haec et consilium diaboli fuit, in tali aetate crimen inponere sacerdoti, qui erat fere LXX annorum. Nec mora, coniuncto secum iterum antedicto clerico, alligatur sacerdos catenis ab eius manibus, de cuius collo saepius vincla discusserat, et arduae custodiae mancipatur ab eo, quem de cenosis carceribus plerumque liberavit. At ille cognoscens, inimicos sibi vehementer invaluisse, Domini misericordiam cum lacrimis in vincla compactus exorat.

And this too was a part of insanity and the counsel of the devil: to impose a crime upon a priest at such an age, who was nearly 70 years old. Without delay, having again joined to themselves the aforesaid cleric, the priest is bound with chains by his hands by him, from whose neck he had often dashed off bonds, and he is consigned to rigorous custody by the very one whom he often freed from foul prisons. But he, recognizing that enemies had grown very strong against him, bound in chains with tears beseeches the mercy of the Lord.

Mox opprimuntur somno custodes, solutisque divinitus vinclis, de custodia procedit innoxius, noxiorum frequentissimus liberator. Deinde dilapsus, ad regnum Gunthramni regis transiit. Quo discedente, liberius iam coniuncti satellites ad regem Chilpericum properant pro episcopatu petendo, multa crimina de episcopo proloquentes, addentes ista: 'In hoc cognosce, rex gloriosissime, vera esse quae dicimus, quia mortem pro sceleribus timens ad fratris tui transiit regnum'. Quod ille non credens, hos ad civitatem redire iubet.

Soon the guards are overpowered by sleep, and the chains loosed by divine agency, he proceeds from custody innocent, the most frequent liberator of the guilty. Then slipping away, he crossed over to the realm of King Gunthramn. With him departing, the satellites, now more freely united, hasten to King Chilperic to ask for the episcopate, speaking forth many crimes about the bishop, adding these things: 'In this recognize, most glorious king, that the things we say are true, because, fearing death for his crimes, he has crossed over to your brother’s kingdom.' Not believing this, he orders them to return to the city.

Dum haec agerentur, mesti cives de pastoris absentia, cognoscentes omnia quae de eo acta fuerant per invidia et avaritia perpetrata, adpraehensum cum satellite archidiaconum iniuriae subdentes, ad regem petierunt, ut reciperent sacerdotem suum. At rex legatos fratri suo dirigit, adserens, nihil se criminis in episcopo repperisse. Tunc rex Guntchramnus, ut erat benignus et profluus ad miserandum, multa ei munera contulit, dans etiam epistolas per omnes episcopos regni sui, ut peregrinum aliquid pro Dei intuitu consolarentur.

While these things were being done, the mournful citizens, at the shepherd’s absence, coming to know that all that had been done concerning him had been perpetrated through envy and avarice, having apprehended the archdeacon together with the henchman, subjecting him to injury, petitioned the king that they might receive back their priest. But the king directs legates to his brother, asserting that he had found no crime in the bishop. Then King Guntchramnus, as he was benign and overflowing to commiserate, bestowed many gifts upon him, giving also epistles through all the bishops of his kingdom, that they might console the pilgrim with something for God’s regard.

Tunc circumiens civitates, tanta ei a sacerdotibus Dei conlata sunt tam in vestibus quam in auro, ut vix civitati quae meruerat possit inferri; impletumque est illud quod ait apostolus: Quia diligentibus Deum omnia concurrunt in bonum. Nam huic peregrinatio divitias attulit, et exilium opes multas invexit. Post haec regrediens, a civibus cum grandi honore susceptus est, ut prae gaudio flerent et benedicerent Deum, qui tandem eclesiae tantum restituit sacerdotem.

Then going around the cities, so great were the things conferred upon him by the priests of God, both in vestments and in gold, that it could scarcely be conveyed into the city which had deserved it; and that was fulfilled which the Apostle says: Because to those loving God all things concur for good. For to this man peregrination brought riches, and exile brought in much wealth. After these things, returning, he was received by the citizens with great honor, so that for joy they wept and blessed God, who at length restored to the church so great a priest.

37. De nece Lupenti abbatis Gaballitani.

37. On the murder of Lupentius, abbot of the Gaballitani.

Lupentius vero abba basilicae sancti privati martyris urbis Gabalitanae, a Brunichilde regina arcessitus, advenit. Incusatus enim, ut ferunt, fuerat ab Innocentio supradictae urbis comite, quod profanum aliquid effatus de regina fuisset. Sed discussis causis, cum nihil de crimine maiestatis conscius esset inventus, discedere iussus est.

Lupentius, indeed, abbot of the basilica of Saint Privatus the martyr of the city of the Gabali, having been summoned by Queen Brunichild, arrived. For he had been accused, as they say, by Innocentius, count of the aforesaid city, that he had uttered something profane about the queen. But, the causes having been examined, since he was found conscious of nothing concerning the crime of majesty (lèse-majesté), he was ordered to depart.

Verum ubi via carpere coepit, iterum ab antedicto comite captus et ad Ponticonem villam deductus, multis suppliciis est adfectus; dimissusque iterum, ut rediret, cum super Axonam fluvium tentorium tetendisset, iterum inruit super eum inimicus eius. Quem vi oppressum, amputatum caput in culleum oneratum lapidibus posuit et flumini dedit; reliquum vero corpus vinctum cum saxo inmersit gurgiti. Post dies vero paucos apparuit quibusdam pastoribus, et sic extractum a flumine sepulturae mandatum est.

But when he began to take the road, again he was seized by the aforesaid count and led to the Pontico villa, and he was afflicted with many torments; and released again, that he might return, when he had pitched a tent over the river Axona, again his enemy rushed upon him. Him, overwhelmed by force, he placed the amputated head in a sack loaded with stones and consigned it to the river; but the remaining body, bound with a rock, he immersed in the eddy. But after a few days it appeared to certain shepherds, and thus, drawn from the river, it was committed to burial.

Sed dum necessitates in funere pararentur et ignoraretur, quis esset e populo, praesertim cum caput truncati non inveniretur, subito adveniens aquila levavit culleum a fundere fluminis et ripae deposuit. Admirantesque qui aderant, adpraehensum culleum, dum sollicite, quid contineret, inquirunt, caput truncati repperiunt, et sic cum reliquis artubus est sepultum. Nam ferunt nunc et lumen ibi divinitus apparere; et si infirmus ad hoc tumulum fideliter deprecatus fuerit, accepta sospitate recedit.

But while the necessities for the funeral were being prepared, and it was unknown who he was among the populace—especially since the head of the decapitated man was not being found—suddenly, an eagle arriving lifted the sack from the bottom of the river and set it on the bank. And those who were present, marveling, having seized the sack, while they anxiously inquired what it contained, found the head of the decapitated man, and thus it was buried with the remaining limbs. For they report that now even a light appears there divinely; and if an infirm person shall have faithfully implored at this tomb, he departs with health received.

38. De obitu Theodosii episcopi et de successore eius.

38. On the death of Bishop Theodosius and on his successor.

Theodosius Rutenorum episcopus, qui sancto Dalmatio successerat, diem obiit. In qua ecclesia in tantum pro episcopatu intentiones et scandala orta convaluerunt, ut paene sacris ministeriorum vasis et omni facultate meliori nudaretur. Verumtamen Transobadus presbiter reiecitur, et Innocentius Gabalitanorum comis eligitur ad episcopatum, opitulante Brunichilde regina.

Theodosius, bishop of the Ruteni, who had succeeded Saint Dalmatius, passed away. In that church the disputes and scandals arising over the episcopate grew to such an extent that it was almost stripped of the sacred vessels of the ministries and of every better resource. Nevertheless, the presbyter Transobadus is rejected, and Innocentius, count of the Gabali, is chosen to the episcopate, with Queen Brunichild aiding.

Sed, adsumpto episcopatu, confestim Ursicinum Cadurcinae urbis episcopum lacessire coepit, dicens, quia diocesis Rutinae ecclesiae debitas retineret. Unde factum est, ut, diuturna intentione gliscente, post aliquot annos coniunctus metropolis cum suis provincialibus apud urbem Arvernum resedens iudicium emanaret, scilicet ut parrochias, quas numquam Rutina ecclesia tenuisse recolebatur, reciperet. Quod ita factum est.

But, the bishopric having been assumed, he straightway began to challenge Ursicinus, bishop of the Cadurcine city, saying that he was retaining the dues owed to the diocese of the Ruthenian church. Whence it came to pass that, as the long-continued contention swelled, after some years the metropolitan, joined with his provincials, sitting at the city of the Arverni, issued a judgment—namely, that he should recover the parishes which it was recollected the Ruthenian church had never held. And so it was done.

39. De obitu Remedi episcopi et successore eius.

39. On the death of Bishop Remedius and his successor.

Remigius Biturigum episcopus obiit. Cuius post transitum gravi incendio pars maxima civitatis cremata est, ibique illa quae hostilitati restiterant perierunt. Post haec Sulpicius in ipsa urbe ad sacerdotium, Guntchramno rege favente, praeelegitur.

Remigius, bishop of the Bituriges, died. After his passing, by a grievous conflagration the greatest part of the city was burned, and there those things which had withstood hostility perished. After these things, Sulpicius in the city itself, with King Guntram favoring, is pre-elected to the priesthood.

Nam cum multi munera offerrent, haec rex episcopatum quaerentibus respondisse fertur: 'Non est principatus nostri consuetudo sacerdotium venumdare sub pretio, sed nec vestrum eum praemiis comparare, ne et nos turpis lucri infamio notemur et vos mago Simoni comparamini. Sed iuxta Dei praescientia Sulpicius vobis erit episcopus'. Et sic ad clericatum deductus, episcopatum ecclesiae supradictae suscepit. Est enim vir valde nobilis et de primis senatoribus Galliarum, in litteris bene eruditus rethoricis, in metricis vero artibus nulli secundus.

Now when many were offering gifts, the king is said to have responded to those seeking the bishopric thus: 'It is not the custom of our principate to sell the priesthood for a price, nor yours to procure it by rewards (bribes), lest both we be branded with the infamy of base lucre and you be compared to Simon the Magus. But according to God’s prescience Sulpicius will be bishop for you.' And so, led to the clericate, he received the episcopate of the aforesaid church. For he is a man very noble and of the foremost senators of the Gauls, well instructed in rhetorical letters, and in the metrical arts second to none.

Hic senodum illam, cui supra meminimus, pro parrochiis Cadurcinis fieri commonuit.

He admonished that that synod, of which we have mentioned above, be held for the Cadurcine parishes.

40. De altercatione nostra cum heretico.

40. On our altercation with a heretic.

Legatus vero Oppila nomen de Hispaniis advenit, multa munera Chilperico rege deferens. Timebat enim rex Hispanorum, ne Childeberthus exercitum ad ulciscendam sororis suae iniuriam commoverit, quia Leuvichildus adpraehensum filium suum Herminichildum, qui sororem Childeberthi regis acciperat, retruserat in custodia, ipsa mulierem cum Grecis relictam. Igitur cum die sancto paschae hic legatus Toronus advenisset, sciscitati sumus, utrum nostrae relegionis esset.

A legate indeed, Oppila by name, arrived from the Spains, bearing many gifts to King Chilperic. For the king of the Spaniards feared lest Childebert might move an army to avenge the injury of his sister, because Leovigild, having apprehended his son Hermenigild, who had taken the sister of King Childebert, had thrust him into custody, the woman herself having been left with the Greeks. Therefore, when on the holy day of Pascha this legate had arrived at Tours, we inquired whether he was of our religion.

Respondit ipse, se hoc credere quod catholici credunt. Exinde procedens nobiscum ad eclesiam, missarum sollemnia tenuit; sed neque pacem cum nostris fecit neque de sacrificiis sacris communicavit. Cognitumque est, mendum esse, quod dixerat se esse catholicum.

He himself replied that he believes this which the Catholics believe. Then, proceeding with us to the church, he kept the solemnities of the Mass; but he neither made the peace with our people nor communicated in the sacred sacrifices. And it was known that what he had said—that he was a Catholic—was a falsehood.

Nihilhominus ad convivium invitatus adfuit. Cumque ego sollicitus requirirem, quid crederit, respondit: 'Credo Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum unius esse virtutes'. Cui ego respondi: 'Si haec, ut adseris, credis, quae obstetit causa, ut de sacrificiis, quae Deo offerimus, communicare deferris?' Et ille: 'Quia', inquid, 'gloriam non recte responditis; nam iuxta Paulum apostolum nos dicimus: ìGloria Deo Patri per Filium"; vos autem dicitis: ìGloria Patri et Filio et Spiritu sancto", cum doctores eclesiarum doceant, Patrem per Filium nuntiatum fuisse in mundum, sicut ipse Paulus ait: Regi autem saeculorum inmortali et invisibili, soli Deo honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum, per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum'. Et ego respondi: 'Patrem per Filium adnuntiatum nulli catholicorum esse incognitum, reor; sed sic praedicavit Patrem in saeculo, ut et se virtutibus ostenderit Deum. Deo autem Patri haec necessitas fuit Filium mittendi ad terras, ut ostenderit Deum, ut, quia mundus prophetis et patriarchis atque ipse Latori legis non crediderat, saltim vel Filio crederit.

Nihil the less, having been invited to the banquet, he was present. And when I, anxious, inquired what he believed, he replied: 'I believe that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are one power.' To whom I replied: 'If, as you assert, you believe these things, what cause has stood in the way that you hold back from communicating in the sacrifices which we offer to God?' And he: 'Because', he said, 'you do not answer the glory rightly; for according to the Apostle Paul we say: ìGlory to God the Father through the Son"; but you say: ìGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit", whereas the teachers of the churches teach that the Father was announced into the world through the Son, just as Paul himself says: But to the King of the ages, immortal and invisible, to the only God, honor and glory unto the ages of ages, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' And I replied: 'That the Father was announced through the Son is unknown to none of the Catholics, I reckon; but in such a way did he preach the Father in the world that by his powers he also showed himself to be God. Moreover, this necessity was upon God the Father of sending the Son to the earth, that he might show God, so that, because the world had not believed the prophets and the patriarchs and even the very Giver of the Law, at least it might believe the Son.'

Ideoque necesse est, ut sub significatione personarum gloria detur Deo. Dicimus ergo: ìGloria Deo Patri, qui misit Filium; gloria Deo Filio , qui sanguine suo redemit mundum; gloria Deo Spiritui sancto, qui sanctificat hominem iam redemptum". Nam tu, qui dicis: ìGloria Patri per Filium", ademis gloriam Filio, quasi ipse non sit gloriosus cum Patre, propter quod eum adnuntiavit in mundum. Nuntiavit, ut diximus, Filius Patrem in mundo; sed multi non crediderunt, dicente Iohanne euangelista: In sua propria venit, et sui eum non reciperunt.

And so it is necessary that, under the signification of the persons, glory be given to God. We therefore say: ìGlory to God the Father, who sent the Son; glory to God the Son , who by his blood redeemed the world; glory to God the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies the human being already redeemed". For you, who say: ìGlory to the Father through the Son", take away glory from the Son, as if he himself were not glorious with the Father, on account of which he announced him in the world. He announced, as we have said, the Father by the Son in the world; but many did not believe, with John the Evangelist saying: He came into his own, and his own did not receive him.

Quodquod autem reciperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filius Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine eius. Nam tu, qui Paulo apostolo derogas et sensum eius non intellegis, percipe, quam caute loquitur et iuxta ut recepere quis potest; adverte, qualiter praedicat inter gentes incredulas, ut nullo onus grave videatur inponere, sicut quibusdam dicit: Lac vobis potum dedi, non escam; nondum enim poteratis, sed nec adhuc quidem potestis. Perfectorum est enim solidus cibus.

But as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in his name. For you, who derogate from Paul the apostle and do not understand his sense, perceive how cautiously he speaks and according as each is able to receive; notice how he preaches among unbelieving nations, so that he may seem to impose no grave burden, as he says to certain people: “I gave you milk to drink, not food; for you were not yet able, nor even now indeed are you able.” For solid food is of the perfect.

Sed et aliis dicit: Nihil vobis praedicavi nisi Christum, et hunc crucifixum. Nunc autem quid vis, o tu heretice, quia Paulus Christum tantum crucifixum praedicavit, resurrexisse tu dubitas? Adverte potius cautelam eius et vide astutiam, quid aliis dicit, quos robustiores videbat in fide: Et si, inquid, novimus Christum crucifixum, nunc autem iam non novimus.

But he also says to others: I preached to you nothing except Christ, and him crucified. Now then what do you want, O you heretic? since Paul preached Christ only as crucified, do you doubt that he has risen again? Mark rather his caution and see his astuteness, what he says to others, whom he saw to be more robust in faith: And even if, he said, we have known Christ crucified, now, however, we no longer know.

Nega ergo, tu accusatur Pauli, si tantum mente dementia coepit, quia nec crucifixus est. Sed, quaeso, relinque ista et audi consilium meliorem, adhibe culiria oculis lippis et lucem praedicationis apostolicae percipe. Secundum homines enim loquibatur Paulus humilius, ut eos ad celsioris fidei fastigia sublevaret, sicut alibi ait: Omnibus omnia factus sum, ut omnes lucri facerem.

Therefore deny, you accuser of Paul, if he so took leave of his senses in mind as to say that he was not even crucified. But, I beg, leave these things and listen to better counsel; apply collyria to bleary eyes and receive the light of apostolic praedication. For Paul was speaking more humbly according to men, that he might lift them up to the pinnacles of higher faith, just as he says elsewhere: I became all things to all, that I might make gain of all.

Numquid homo mortalis non est daturus gloria Filio, quem ipse Pater non semel, sed bis et tertio glorificavit e caelo? Absculta, quid de caelis loquitur, cum idem Filius, discendente Spiritu sancto, sub Iohannis manu baptizaretur: Hic est, ait, Filius meus dilectus, in quo bene conplacui. Certe si oppilatas habeas aures, ut ista non audias, crede apostolis, quid in monte audierunt, cum transfiguratus Iesus in gloria loqueretur cum Moysi et Helia; nempe de nubi splendida Pater ait: Hic est Filius meus carissimus, ipsum audite'. Ad haec hereticus respondit: 'Nihil in his testimoniis Pater de gloria loquitur Fili, nisi tantum ipsum Filium monstrat'. Et ego: 'Si enim ista sic recipis, proferam tibi aliud testimonium, in quo Pater reddidit Filium gloriosum.

Is a mortal man not going to give glory to the Son, whom the Father himself not once, but twice and a third time glorified from heaven? Listen, what he speaks from the heavens, when the same Son, with the Holy Spirit descending, was baptized under John’s hand: “This is,” he says, “my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Certainly, if you have your ears stopped up so that you do not hear these things, believe the apostles, what they heard on the mountain, when Jesus, transfigured in glory, was speaking with Moses and Elijah; namely, from the splendid cloud the Father said: This is my most dear Son, hear him'. To this the heretic responded: 'In these testimonies the Father says nothing about the glory of the Son, but only points out the Son himself'. And I: 'If indeed you receive these things thus, I will bring forth for you another testimony, in which the Father rendered the Son glorious.

Veniente autem Domino ad passionem, cum ille diceret: Pater, glorifica Filium tuum, ut Filius tuus glorificet te, quid ei respondit Pater e caelo? Nonne ait: Et glorificavi et iterum glorificabo? Ecce enim Pater glorificat eum propria voce, et tu ei gloriam conaris ademere?

But as the Lord was coming to the Passion, when he said: Father, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you, what did the Father answer him from heaven? Did he not say: I have both glorified and will glorify again? Behold indeed the Father glorifies him by his own voice, and you attempt to take away glory from him?

Voluntatem quidem ostendis, sed potestas nulla subpeditat. Nam qui Pauli apostoli accusatur exsistis, audi ipsum, immo Christum in ipso loquentem: Omnes lingua confiteatur, quia dominus Iesus Christus in gloria est Dei Patris. Quod si nunc communis cum Patre gloria et in ipsa qua nunc Pater est gloria commoratur, qualiter eum tu quasi inglorium exhonoras?

You do indeed display will, but no power is supplied. For you are one who is accused by the apostle Paul; hear him—rather, Christ speaking in him: “Let every tongue confess, because the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.” But if now the glory is common with the Father, and he abides in that very glory in which the Father now is, how do you dishonor him as if inglorious?

Aut cur non erit ei reddenda gloria inter hominis, qui pari gloria cum Patri regnat in caelis? Confitemur ergo Christum, filium Dei, Deum verum: ideoque quia Deitas una, una erit et gloria'. Post haec, dato selentio, ab altercatione cessatum est. Ille quoque ad Chilpericum regem accedens, oblatis muneribus quae rex Hispanorum miserat, in Hispania est regressus.

Or why should glory not be rendered to him among men, who with equal glory with the Father reigns in the heavens? We confess therefore Christ, the Son of God, true God; and therefore, since the Deity is one, the glory also will be one. After these things, silence having been given, the altercation ceased. He also, approaching King Chilperic and presenting the gifts which the king of the Spaniards had sent, returned to Spain.

41. Quod in Camaracense abiit.

41. That he went into the Cambrai region.

Quod Chilpericus rex cum thesauris suis in Camaracense abiit.

That King Chilperic departed into the Camaracense with his treasures.

Conperto autem Chilpericus rex, quod Gunthchramnus, frater eius, cum Childebertho, nepote suo, pacem fecerat et civitates, quas violenter invaserat, ei simul vellent auferre, cum omnibus thesauris suis in Camaracense urbe discessit et omnia quae melius habere potuerat secum tulit. Misitque ad duces et comites civitatum nuntius, ut murus conponerent urbium resque suas cum uxoribus et filiis infra murorum monimenta concluderent atque ipsi, si necessitas exigerit, repugnarent viriliter, ne his pars adversa nocerit, illud addens: 'Et si aliquid perdideritis, cum de inimicis ulciscimur, maiora conquiretis', nesciens, patrationem victuriarum in manu Dei consistere. Deinde sepius exercitu commovit et iterum infra terminum requiescere iobet.

However, when King Chilperic learned that Gunthchramn, his brother, had made peace with Childebert, his nephew, and that they together wished to take away from him the cities which he had violently invaded, he departed to the Camaracense city with all his treasures and took with him all the things which he had been able to have to better advantage. And he sent messengers to the dukes and counts of the cities, that they should repair the walls of the cities and shut up their goods with their wives and sons within the monuments of the walls, and that they themselves, if necessity should require, should fight back manfully, lest the adverse party harm them, adding this: “And if you lose anything, when we avenge ourselves upon the enemies, you will acquire greater things,” not knowing that the completion of victories consists in the hand of God. Then he stirred the army repeatedly and again orders it to rest within the boundary.

His diebus ei filius natus fuerat, quem in villa Victuriacense nutrire praecepit, dicens: 'Ne forte, dum publice videtur, aliquid male incurrat et moriatur!'

In those days a son had been born to him, whom he ordered to be nourished at the Victuriacense villa, saying: 'Lest by chance, while he is seen publicly, he incur some harm and die!'

42. Quod Childeberthus in Italia abiit.

42. That Childebert went into Italy.

Childeberthus vero rex in Italia abiit. Quod cum audissent Langobardi, timentis, ne ab eius exercitu caederintur, subdedirunt se dicioni eius, multa ei dantes munera ac promittentes se parte eius esse fidelis atque subiectus. Patratisque cum his omnibus quae voluit, rex in Galliis est regressus atque exercitu commovere praecepit, quem in Hispania dirige iussit; sed quievit.

Childebert the king indeed went into Italy. When the Lombards heard this, fearing lest they be cut down by his army, they submitted themselves to his dominion, giving him many gifts and promising to be on his side, faithful and subject. And when, with them, all the things he wished had been accomplished, the king returned into Gaul and ordered the army to be set in motion, which he commanded to be directed into Spain; but it remained quiet.

Ab imperatore autem Mauricio ante hos annos quinquaginta milia soledorum acceperat, ut Langobardus de Italia extruderit. Audito autem imperator, quod cum his in pace coniunctus est, pecuniam repetibat; sed hic fidus a solatiis nec responsum quidem pro hac re voluit reddere.

But from the Emperor Maurice he had received fifty thousand solidi, that he might drive the Langobard out of Italy. But when the emperor heard that he had been joined with them in peace, he was demanding the money back; but this Fidus, the a solatiis, did not wish to render even a reply concerning this matter.

43. De Galliciensibus regibus.

43. On the kings of the Galicians.

In Gallitia quoque novae res actae sunt, quae de superius memorabuntur. Igitur cum Herminichildus, sicut supra diximus, patri infensus esset et in civitate quadam Hispaniae cum coniuge resediret, de imperatoris solatio fretus atque Mironis Galliciensis regis, patrem ad se cum exercitum venire cognovit consiliumque iniit, qualiter venientem aut repelleret aut negaret, nesciens miser , iudicium sibi inminere divinum, qui contra genitorem, quamlibet hereticum, talia cogitaret. Habitu ergo tractatu, de multis virorum milibus trecentos veros elegit armatus et infra castrum Osser, in cuius eclesia fontes divinitus conplentur, includit, ut scilicet primo impetu ab his pater territus ac lassatus, facilius ab inferiore manu, quae erat plurima, vinceretur.

In Galicia likewise new affairs were transacted, which, as will be mentioned above. Therefore, when Hermenigild, as we said above, was hostile to his father and was residing in a certain city of Spain with his consort, relying on the emperor’s solace and on Miro, king of the Galicians, he learned that his father was coming against him with an army; and he entered upon a counsel as to how he might either repel the one coming or refuse him, the wretch not knowing that divine judgment was impending over him, who was thinking such things against his begetter, however heretical. Deliberation therefore having been held, from many thousands of men he chose 300 true men‑at‑arms and shut them within the fortress Osser, in whose church the springs are divinely filled, so that at the first onset his father, terrified and wearied by these, might more easily be conquered by the inferior force, which was the more numerous.

Denique his dolis Leuvichildus rex cognitis, cogitatione maxima fatigatur. 'Si', inquid, 'illuc cum omni exercitu abiero, conglobatis in unum exercitus adversorum iaculis crudilissime sauciatur. Se vero cum paucis vadam, virorum fortium manum nequeo superare.

At length, with these guiles known, King Leuvichildus is wearied with the greatest cogitation. 'If,' he said, 'I go thither with the whole army, the army, conglobated into one, is most cruelly wounded by the javelins of the adversaries. But if I go with a few, I cannot overcome the band of brave men.

Tamen cum omnibus ibo'. Et accedens ad locum, viros proteruit castrumque conbusit, sicut iam superius memoratum est. Patrata quoque victuria, cognovit, Mironem regem contra se cum exercitu resedere. Quo circumdato, sacramenta exigit, sibi in posterum fore fedilem.

Nevertheless, I will go with all'. And approaching the place, he overran the men and burned the camp, as has already been mentioned above. With the victory accomplished, he learned that King Miron had encamped against him with an army. When he had surrounded him, he exacted oaths, that he would be faithful to him for the future.

Et sic, datis sibi invicem muneribus, unusquisque ad propria est regressus. Sed Miro postquam in patria rediit, non multos post dies conversus ad lectulum, obiit. Infirmatus enim ab aquis Hispaniae fuerat malis aeribusque incommodis.

And thus, gifts having been given to one another, each returned to his own. But Miro, after he returned to his fatherland, not many days later, having taken to his sickbed, died. For he had been weakened by the waters of Hispania and by noxious airs and incommodities.

Quo defuncto, filius eius Eurichus Leuvichildi regis amicitias expetiit, dataque, ut pater fecerat, sacramenta, regnum Galliciensim suscepit. Hoc vero anno cognatus eius Audica, qui sororem illius disponsatam habebat, cum exercitu venit; adpraehensumque clericum facit ac diaconatus sibi praesbiterii ei inponi honorem iobet. Ipse quoque acceptam soceri sui uxorem, Galliciensim regnum obtenuit.

With him deceased, his son Eurichus sought the amities of King Leuvichildus, and, the sacraments having been given as his father had done, he undertook the Gallaecian kingdom. In this very year his kinsman Audica, who had that man’s sister betrothed, came with an army; and he has a cleric apprehended and orders that the honor of the diaconate and of the presbyterate be imposed upon himself by him. He himself also, having taken his father-in-law’s wife, obtained the Gallaecian kingdom.

Leuvichildus vero filium suum Herminichildum coepit et sicum usque Toletum adduxit, condemnans eum exilio; uxorem tamen eius a Grecis erepere non potuit.

But Leuvichildus seized his son Herminichildus and brought him with him as far as Toledo, condemning him to exile; nevertheless, he could not snatch his wife from the Greeks.

44. De diversis signis.

44. On diverse signs.

Locustae quoque de Carpitania provintia, quam per quinque vastaverant annos, hoc anno progressae ageremque publicum tenentes, ad aliam se provinciam, quae huic vicina erat provinciae, contulerunt. Quarum spatium in centum quinquaginta extenditur milibus longitudo, latitudo vero in centum milibus terminatur. Hoc anno multa prodigia apparuerunt in Galliis, vastationisque multae fuerunt in populo.

Locusts also from the province of Carpetania, which they had laid waste for five years, this year advanced and, holding the public land, betook themselves to another province which was adjacent to this province. Their extent in length stretches to 150 miles, while the breadth is bounded at 100 miles. This year many prodigies appeared in Gaul, and many devastations were upon the people.

Nam mense Ianuario rosae visae sunt; circa solem quoque circulus magnus apparuit, diversis coloribus mixtus, ut solet in illo caelestis iris ambitu, pluvia discendente, monstrari. Proina graviter vineas exussit; tempestas etiam subsecuta vineas segetesque per plurima loca vastavit; residuum quoque grandinis siccitas inmensa consumpsit, exiguusque fructus in aliquibus viniis visus, in aliis vero nullus, ita ut irati contra Deum homines, patifactis aditibus viniarum, pecora vel iumenta intromitterent, noxias sibi immixcentes miseri praeces atque dicentes: 'Numquam in his viniis palmis nascatur in sempeternum!' Arboris vero, quae mense Iulio poma protulerant, mense Septembre fructus alios ediderunt. Morbus pecorum iteratis invaluit, ita ut vix quicquam remaneret.

For in the month of January roses were seen; around the sun, too, a great circle appeared, mixed with diverse colors, as is wont to be shown in that celestial iris’s circuit, when rain is descending. Rime-frost severely scorched the vineyards; a tempest also following laid waste vineyards and crops in very many places; and the residue which the hail had left an immense drought consumed, and a scanty yield was seen in some vineyards, but in others none at all, so that men, angry against God, with the entrances of the vineyards thrown open, would let in flocks or beasts of burden, the wretched mixing to themselves baneful prayers and saying: ‘May a shoot never grow in these vineyards for evermore!’ The trees, moreover, which in the month of July had borne fruit, in the month of September produced other fruits. A disease of the herds, recurring, prevailed, so that scarcely anything remained.

45. De nuptiis Rigunthae, filiae Chilperici.

45. On the nuptials of Rigunth, daughter of Chilperic.

Interim advenientibus Kalendis Septembribus, Gothorum magna legatio ad regem Chilpericum accedit. Ipse vero iam regressus Parisius, familias multas de domibus fiscalibus auferre praecepit et in plaustris conponi; multus quoque flentes et nolentes abire in custodia retrudi iussit, ut eos facilius cum filia transmittere possit. Nam ferunt, multos sibi ob hanc amaritudinem vitam laqueo extorsisse, dum de parentibus propriis auferre metuebant.

Meanwhile, with the Kalends of September arriving, a great legation of the Goths approaches King Chilperic. He himself, now returned to Paris, ordered many families to be taken away from the fiscal houses and to be set on wagons; he also ordered many, weeping and unwilling to depart, to be thrust back into custody, so that he might more easily transmit them with his daughter. For they report that many, on account of this bitterness, took their own lives by the noose, while they feared to be carried off from their own parents.

Separabatur autem filius a patre, mater a filia, et cum gravi gemitu ac maledictionibus discedebant; tantusque planctus in urbe Parisiaca erat, ut plancto conpararetur Aegyptio. Multi vero meliores natu, qui vi conpellebantur abire, testamenta condiderunt, resque suas eclesiis depotantes atque petentes, ut, cum in Hispaniis puella introisset, statim testamenta illa, tamquam si iam essent sepulti, reserarentur. Interea legati regis Childeberthi Parisius advenerunt, contestantes Chilperico rege, ut nihil de civitatibus, quas de regno patris sui tenebat, auferret aut de thesauris eius in aliquo filiam muneraret ac non mancipia, non equites, non iuga bovum neque aliquid huiuscemodi de his auderet adtingere.

However, the son was being separated from the father, the mother from the daughter, and they departed with heavy groaning and maledictions; and so great was the lamentation in the Parisian city that it was compared to the Egyptian lamentation. Many indeed elders (better in years), who were being compelled by force to depart, established testaments, depositing their goods with the churches and requesting that, when the girl had entered into the Spains, those testaments at once be unsealed, as though they were already buried. Meanwhile the envoys of King Childebert arrived at Paris, protesting to King Chilperic that he take nothing from the cities which he held from his father’s realm, nor in any way endow his daughter from his treasures, and that he should not dare to touch slaves, nor horses, nor yokes of oxen, nor anything of this kind from these.

De quibus legatis unum ferunt clam interemptum, sed nescitur a quo; suspicio tamen vertebatur ad regem. Promittens vero Chilpericus rex nihil de his contingere, convocatis melioribus Francis reliquisque fidelibus, nuptias celebravit filiae suae. Traditamque legatis Gothorum, magnus ei thesaurus dedit.

Of these envoys, they say one was secretly slain, but it is not known by whom; suspicion, however, was directed toward the king. And King Chilperic, promising that nothing of these things would be touched, having convened the leading Franks and the other faithful, celebrated the nuptials of his daughter. And, after she was handed over to the envoys of the Goths, he gave to her a great treasure.

Sed et mater eius inmensum pondus auri argentique sive vestimentorum protulit, ita ut videns haec rex nihil sibi remansisse potaret. Quem cernens regina commotum, conversa ad Francus, ita ait: 'Ne potitis, viri, quicquam hic de thesauris anteriorum regum habere; omnia enim quae cernetis de mea proprietate oblata sunt, quia mihi gloriosissimus rex multa largitus est, et ego nonnulla de proprio congregavi labore et de domibus mihi concessis tam de fructibus quam tributis plurima reparavi. Sed et vos plerumque me muneribus vestris ditastis, de quibus sunt ista quae nunc coram videtis; nam hic de thesauris publicis nihil habetur'. Et sic animus regis dilusus est.

But his mother too produced an immense weight of gold and silver and garments, so that, seeing these things, the king thought nothing had remained to himself. And the queen, perceiving him disturbed, turning to the Franks, thus said: 'Do not suppose, men, that you have anything here from the treasures of the earlier kings; for all that you behold has been offered from my own property, because the most glorious king has lavished many things upon me, and I too have gathered some by my own labor, and from the houses granted to me I have replenished very many things, both from the fruits and from the tributes. And you also have often enriched me with your gifts, from which are these things that you now see before you; for here nothing is held from the public treasures.' And thus the king’s mind was mollified.

Nam tanta fuit multitudo rerum, ut aurum argentumque vel reliqua ornamenta quinquaginta plaustra levarent. Franci vero multa munera obtulerunt, alii aurum, alii argentum, nonnulli equites, plerique vestimenta, et unusquisque ut potuit donativum dedit. Iam vero vale faciens puella post lacrimas et oscola, cum de porta egrederetur, uno carrucae effracto axe, omnes 'Mala hora' dixerunt; quod a quibusdam pro auspicio susceptum est.

For so great was the multitude of things that gold and silver and the remaining ornaments would fill fifty wagons. But the Franks offered many gifts: some gold, others silver, some horsemen, the majority garments, and each, as he was able, gave a donative. Now indeed, the girl, bidding farewell after tears and kisses, when she was going out from the gate, with one axle of the carriage broken, all said, 'An ill hour'; which by some was taken for an auspice.

Denique haec de Parisius progressa, octavo ab urbe miliario tenturia figi praecepit. Surgentes enim quinquaginta viri de nocte, adpraehensis centum equitibus optimis totidemque frenis aureis ac duobus catenis magnis, ad Childeberthum regem fuga dilapsi abierunt. Sed et per totum iter cum labi quis potuisset, effugiebat, ferens secum quae arripere potuisset.

Finally, she, having progressed from Paris, ordered the tents to be pitched at the eighth milestone from the city. For, rising by night, fifty men, having seized a hundred of the best horse(s) and just as many golden bridles and two great chains, slipped away in flight to King Childebert. And throughout the whole journey, whenever anyone could slip away, he was escaping, carrying with him whatever he had been able to snatch.

Apparatus quoque magnus expense de diversis civitatibus in itenere congregatus est; in quo nihil de fisco suo rex dare praecepit, nisi omnia de pauperum coniectures. Sed quoniam suspicio erat regi, ne frater aut nepus aliquas insidias puellae in via pararent, vallatam ab exercitu pergere iussit. Erant autem cum ea viri magnifici Bobo dux, filius Mummolini, cum uxore, quasi paranymphus, Domigysilus et Ansovaldus, maior domus autem Waddo, qui olim Sanctonicum rexerat comitatum; reliquum vero vulgus super quattuor milia erat.

A great apparatus, at expense, from diverse cities was assembled on the journey; in which the king commanded that nothing be given from his own fisc, but that all be from the contributions of the poor. But since there was suspicion to the king lest his brother or nephew prepare some ambushes for the girl on the way, he ordered her to proceed walled-in by the army. With her, moreover, were men magnificent: Bobo the duke, son of Mummolin, with his wife, as a sort of paranymph; Domigysilus and Ansovald; and the mayor of the palace Waddo, who once had ruled the county of Saintonge; the remaining common crowd was over 4,000.

Ceteri autem duces et camararii, qui cum ea properaverant, de Pectavo regressi sunt; isti vero iter conficientes, pergebant ut poterant. Per quam via tanta spolia tantaequae praedae factae sunt, ut vix valeant enarrare. Nam hospiciola pauperum spoliabant, vineas devastabant, ita ut incisis codicibus cum uvis auferrent, levantes pecora vel quicquid invenire potuissent, nihil per viam quam gradiebantur relinquentes; impletumque est quod dictum est per Iohel propheta: Residuum locustae comedit erugae, et residuum erucae comedit brucus, et residuum bruci comedit rubigo.

But the other leaders and chamberlains, who had hastened with her, returned from Poitiers; but these, completing the journey, were going on as they could. Along that road so great spoils and such great booty were made that they scarcely suffice to be narrated. For they were despoiling the poor people’s little lodgings, they were devastating the vineyards, so that, cutting the stocks, they carried them off along with the grapes, driving off the herds or whatever they had been able to find, leaving nothing along the road on which they were walking; and what was said through the prophet Joel was fulfilled: The residue of the locust the caterpillar devoured, and the residue of the caterpillar the beetle devoured, and the residue of the beetle the blight devoured.

Ita et hoc actum est tempore, ut residuum proinae proteriret tempestas et residuum tempestatis exuriret siccitas et residuum siccitatis auferret hostilitas.

Thus also was this brought to pass at that time: that the residue of the hoarfrost was trampled down by the tempest, and the residue of the tempest was burned up by drought, and the residue of the drought was carried off by hostility.

46. De interitu Chilperici regis.

46. On the death of King Chilperic.

His itaque cum haec praeda pergentibus, Chilpericus, Nero nostri temporis et Herodis, ad villam Calensim, quae distat ab urbe Parisiaca quasi centum stadiis, accedit ibique venationes exercit. Quadam vero die regressus de venatione iam sub obscura nocte, dum de equo susceperitur et unam manu super scapulam pueri reteniret, adveniens quidam eum cultro percutit sub ascellam iteratoque ictu ventrem eius perforat; statimque profluente cupia sanguinis tam per os quam per aditum vulneris, iniquum fudit spiritum. Quam vero malitiam gesserit, superior lectio docet.

Therefore, while these men were proceeding with this booty, Chilperic, a Nero of our time and a Herod, comes to the Calensian villa, which is distant from the city of Paris by about one hundred stadia, and there he exercises hunts. But on a certain day, returning from the hunt now under the dimness of night, while he was being taken down from the horse and was keeping one hand upon the boy’s shoulder, someone coming up strikes him with a knife under the armpit, and with a renewed blow pierces his belly; and immediately, with an abundance of blood flowing both through the mouth and through the opening of the wound, he poured out his iniquitous spirit. What malice indeed he bore, the preceding reading teaches.

Nam regiones plurimas sepius devastavit atque succendit; de quibus nihil doloris, sed letitia magis habebat, sicut quondam Nero, cum inter incendia palatii tragidias decantaret. Persaepe hominis pro facultatibus eorum iniuste punivit. In cuius tempore pauci quodammodo episcopatum clerici meruerunt.

For he very many regions quite often devastated and set ablaze; about which he had no grief, but rather joy, just as once Nero, when amid the fires of the palace he was chanting tragedies. Very often he punished men unjustly according to their faculties. In whose time few clerics, in a certain manner, merited the episcopate.

Erat enim gulae deditus, cuius deus venter fuit. Nullumque sibi adserebat esse prudentiorem. Conficitque duos libros, quasi Sidulium meditatus, quorum versiculi debilis nullis pedibus subsistere possunt, in quibus, dum non intellegebat, pro longis sillabas breves posuit et pro breves longas statuebat, et alia opuscula vel ymnus sive missas, quae nulla ratione suscipi possunt.

For he was given over to gluttony, whose god was the belly. And he asserted that no one was more prudent than himself. And he produced two books, as if having modeled himself on Sidulium, whose feeble little verses can stand on no feet; in which, since he did not understand, he set short syllables for long and was setting long for short; and other opuscules, or hymns or masses, which by no rationale can be accepted.

Causas pauperum exosas habebat. Sacerdotes Domini assiduae blasphemabat, nec aliunde magis, dum secricius esset, exercebat ridicola vel iocos quam de eclesiarum episcopis. Illum ferebat levem, alium superbum, illum habundantem, istum luxoriosum; illum adserebat elatum, hunc tumidum, nullum plus odio quam eclesias habens.

He held the causes of the poor in abhorrence. He continually blasphemed the priests of the Lord, and nowhere more—when he was more in secret—did he exercise ridicules or jokes than about the bishops of the churches. This one he alleged to be light, another proud, this one abundant, that one luxurious (licentious); that one he asserted to be elated (haughty), this one tumid (puffed‑up), holding nothing in greater hatred than the churches.

Aiebat enim plerumque: 'Ecce pauper remansit fiscus noster, ecce divitiae nostrae ad eclesias sunt translatae; nulli penitus nisi soli episcopi regnant; periet honor noster et translatus est ad episcopus civitatum'. Haec agens, adsiduae testamenta, quae in eclesias conscripta erant, plerumque disrupit, ipsasque patris sui praeceptiones, potans, quod non remanerit qui voluntatem eius servaret, saepe calcavit. Iam de libidine atque luxoria non potest repperire in cogitatione, quod non perpetrasset in opere, novaquae semper ad ledendum populum ingenia perquaerebat; nam, si quos hoc tempore culpabilis repperisset, oculos eis iobebat erui. Et in praeceptionibus, quas ad iudicis pro suis utilitatibus dirigebat, haec addebat: 'Si quis praecepta nostra contempserit, oculorum avulsione multetur'. Nullum umquam pure dilexit, a nullo dilectus est, ideoque, cum spiritum exalasset, omnes eum reliquerunt sui.

For he would often say: 'Behold, our fisc has remained poor; behold, our riches have been translated to the churches; no one at all reigns save the bishops alone; our honor will perish and has been transferred to the bishops of the cities'. Doing such things, he frequently tore up the wills which had been drawn up in favor of the churches, and he often trampled underfoot even the precepts of his own father, thinking that there would not remain anyone who would keep his will. As for lust and luxury, one cannot find in thought anything which he did not perpetrate in deed; and he was always seeking out new devices to wound the people; for, if at that time he found any persons culpable, he ordered their eyes to be torn out. And in the precepts which he directed to the judges for his own utilities, he added this: 'If anyone shall contemn our precepts, let him be punished by avulsion of the eyes'. He purely loved no one, he was loved by no one; and so, when he had breathed out his spirit, all his own abandoned him.

Mallulfus autem Silvanectensis episcopus, qui iam tertia die in tenturio resedebat et ipsum videre non poterat, ut eum interemptum audivit, advenit; ablutumque vestimentis melioribus induit, noctem in hymnis deductam, in nave levavit et in basilica sancti Vincenti, quae est Parisius, sepelivit, Fredegunde regina in ecclesia derelicta.

But Mallulfus, bishop of Silvanectum, who for the third day already had been sitting in a tent and could not see him, when he heard that he had been slain, came; and, having washed him, he clothed him with better garments, the night being spent in hymns, he lifted him onto a ship and buried him in the basilica of Saint Vincent, which is at Paris, Queen Fredegund being left in the church.

Explicit in Christi nomine historiarum liber sextus. Deo gratias.

Here ends, in the name of Christ, the sixth book of histories. Thanks be to God.