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E00538: Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (38), tells of the tomb of *Pancratius (martyr of Rome, S00307) outside Rome; he is the favoured saint in Rome for guaranteeing the truth of oaths. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
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posted on 2015-05-22, 00:00 authored by pnowakowskiGregory of Tours, Glory of the Martyrs 38
Est etiam haud procul ab huius urbis muro et Panchratus martyr valde in periuribus ultor. Ad cuius sepulchrum si cuiusquam mens insana iuramentum inane proferre voluerit, priusquam sepulchrum eius adeat, hoc est, antequam usque ad cancellos, qui sub arcu habentur, ubi clericorum psallentium stare mos est, accedat, statim aut arripitur a daemone aut cadens in pavimento amittit spiritum. Ex hoc enim quisque fidem cuiuscumque rei ab alio voluerit elicere, ut veram cognoscat, non aliter nisi ad huius basilicam destinat. Nam ferunt, plerosque iuxta basilicas apostolorum sive aliorum martyrum commanentes non alibi pro hac necessitate nisi templum expetere beati Panchrati, ut, eius severitatis censura publice discernente, aut veritatem audientes credant, aut pro fallatia iudicium martyris beati experiantur.
'Not far from the walls of this city [of Rome] is [the tomb of] the martyr Pancratius, who is a powerful avenger against perjurers. Whenever someone who suffers from madness intends to swear a false oath at the martyr's tomb, before he approaches his tomb, or rather, after he approaches all the way to the railings that are beneath the arch where the clerics usually stand and chant the psalms, immediately either he is seized by a demon or he falls to the pavement and breathes out his spirit. In consequence, whenever a man wishes to elicit a guarantee about something from someone, he sends him nowhere else except to this church, so that he might find a true [guarantee]. For they say that although many people spend time around the churches of the apostles and of the other martyrs, they go nowhere else except the church of the blessed Pancratius for this need [of swearing oaths]. Because his harsh punishment publicly distinguishes [oaths], either listeners believe the truth or they witness the judgement of the blessed martyr against deceit.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 62. Translation: Van Dam 2004, 37, lightly modified.
Est etiam haud procul ab huius urbis muro et Panchratus martyr valde in periuribus ultor. Ad cuius sepulchrum si cuiusquam mens insana iuramentum inane proferre voluerit, priusquam sepulchrum eius adeat, hoc est, antequam usque ad cancellos, qui sub arcu habentur, ubi clericorum psallentium stare mos est, accedat, statim aut arripitur a daemone aut cadens in pavimento amittit spiritum. Ex hoc enim quisque fidem cuiuscumque rei ab alio voluerit elicere, ut veram cognoscat, non aliter nisi ad huius basilicam destinat. Nam ferunt, plerosque iuxta basilicas apostolorum sive aliorum martyrum commanentes non alibi pro hac necessitate nisi templum expetere beati Panchrati, ut, eius severitatis censura publice discernente, aut veritatem audientes credant, aut pro fallatia iudicium martyris beati experiantur.
'Not far from the walls of this city [of Rome] is [the tomb of] the martyr Pancratius, who is a powerful avenger against perjurers. Whenever someone who suffers from madness intends to swear a false oath at the martyr's tomb, before he approaches his tomb, or rather, after he approaches all the way to the railings that are beneath the arch where the clerics usually stand and chant the psalms, immediately either he is seized by a demon or he falls to the pavement and breathes out his spirit. In consequence, whenever a man wishes to elicit a guarantee about something from someone, he sends him nowhere else except to this church, so that he might find a true [guarantee]. For they say that although many people spend time around the churches of the apostles and of the other martyrs, they go nowhere else except the church of the blessed Pancratius for this need [of swearing oaths]. Because his harsh punishment publicly distinguishes [oaths], either listeners believe the truth or they witness the judgement of the blessed martyr against deceit.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 62. Translation: Van Dam 2004, 37, lightly modified.
History
Evidence ID
E00538Saint Name
Pancratius, martyr of Rome, ob. 303/312 : S00307 Apostles (unspecified) : S00084 Anonymous martyrs : S00060Saint Name in Source
PanchratusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Hagiographical - Collections of miracles Literary - Hagiographical - Other saint-related textsLanguage
- Latin
Evidence not before
583Evidence not after
593Activity not before
303Activity not after
593Place of Evidence - Region
Gaul and Frankish kingdomsPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
ToursPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Tours Tours Tours Toronica urbs Prisciniacensim vicus Pressigny Turonorum civitas Ceratensis vicus CéréMajor author/Major anonymous work
Gregory of ToursCult activities - Liturgical Activity
- Chant and religious singing