E00851: Anonymous Latin sermon preached at Lérins (southern Gaul) in the 5th c. in commemoration of *Honoratus (founder of Lérins and bishop of Arles, ob. 429/430, S00438) insists that his ability to tame the wild spirits of human beings was worthy of equal veneration to his banishment of snakes from the island of Lérins. Part of the collection of Gallic sermons known as 'Eusebius Gallicanus'.

Eusebius Gallicanus, Sermon 72: On the Burial of the Holy Bishop Honoratus (De depositione sancti Honorati episcopi), § 8

Et, sicut legimus quod, ad ingressum beati patris nostri, ex hoc loco serpentes, qui hic soli habitabant, protinus diffugerunt, ad uicina littora transmeantes, quasi conscii terram hanc nobis habitatoribus consecrandam: ita et nos spiritales aspides et basiliscos ex nostris cordibus effugemus, ne hic inuisibiliter reuocemus quos illius merita uisibiliter expulerunt. Et quid mirum, si eius fide uirulentorum animalium uenenum discesserit: cui nouo munere aquarum natura seruiuit?

Mirum forte aliquibus de serpentibus sit; nobis autem alia in illo uiro miranda ac praedicanda sunt: quantas hic spiritales bestias interfecit: in quantorum siluestribus moribus, ursorum luporumque feritatem in nouam mansuetudinem commutauit! In quantis, deuicta ira ac superbia, leonem subegit! In quantis draconem exstincta prostrauit inuidia! – Ita ut, monstris spiritalibus subiugatis, in illo uideatur impletum: super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis.


'And just as we read that on the arrival of our blessed father the serpents, the only creatures that lived here, immediately fled from this place, crossing to the neighbouring shore as if conscious that this land was to be consecrated to us as inhabitants, so too let us drive away the spiritual asps and basilisks from our hearts, in case we invisibly call back those whom his merits visibly expelled. And why is it astonishing if the venom of poisonous animals departed because of his faith: he to whom, by a new gift of waters, nature was a servant?

It may be a marvellous thing to some people about the serpents, but for us there are other things in that man to marvel at and preach about: how many beasts of the spirit he killed; in the untamed character of how many men did he transform the ferocity of bears and wolves into a new gentleness! In how many, by conquering anger and pride, did he subdue the lion! In how many, by extinguishing envy, did he overthrow the dragon! So that, with these monsters of the spirit subjugated, in him may seem to be fulfilled: You will walk upon the asp and the basilisk [Psalm 91 (Vg 90): 13].'

Text: Glorie 1971, 777-778. Translation: David Lambert.