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E02064: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (3.29), tells how, in c. 542, the citizens of Saragossa (western Spain) processed around the walls of the city with the tunic of *Vincent (deacon and martyr of Saragossa and Valencia, S00290), thereby successfully seeking protection during a Frankish siege. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
online resource
posted on 2016-12-02, 00:00 authored by mszadaGregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 3.29
Post haec Childeberthus rex in Hispaniam abiit. Qua ingressus cum Chlothachario, Caesaragustanam civitatem cum exercitu vallant atque obsedent. At ille in tanta humilitate ad Deum conversi sunt, ut induti ciliciis, abstinentis a cibis et poculis, cum tonica beati Vincenti martiris muros civitatis psallendo circuirent; mulieres quoque amictae nigris palleis, dissoluta caesariae, superposito cinere, ut eas putares virorum funeribus deservire, plangendo sequebantur. Et ita totam spem locus ille ad Domini misericordiam rettulit, ut diceretur ibidem Ninivitarum ieiunium caelebrari, nec aestimaretur aliud posse fieri, nisi eorum praecibus divina misericordia flectiretur. Hii autem qui obsedebant, nescientes quid obsessi agerent, cum viderent sic murum circuire, putabant, eos aliquid agere malefitii. Tunc adpraehensum unum de civitate rusticum, ipse interrogant, quid hoc esset quod agerent. Qui ait: 'Tonicam beati Vincenti deportant et cum ipsa, ut eis Dominus misereatur, exorant'. Quod illi timentes, se ab ea civitate removerunt.
'Next King Childebert set off for Spain. He and Chlothar arrived there together. They attacked and laid siege to the city of Saragossa. The inhabitants turned in great humility to God: they dressed themselves in hair-shirts, abstained from eating and drinking, and marched round the city walls singing psalms and carrying the tunic of the blessed Vincent the martyr. Their women-folk followed them, weeping and wailing, dressed in black garments, with their hair blowing free and with ashes on their heads, so that you might have thought that they were burying their dead husbands. The city pinned its hope on the mercy of God. It could have been said to fast as Nineveh fasted, and it was quite unimaginable that God in His compassion would not be swayed by the prayers of these people. The besiegers did not know what the besieged were doing: as they watched them march round the walls they imagined that it was some kind of black magic. They seized hold of a peasant who lived in Saragossa and asked him what they were doing. "They are carrying the tunic of Saint Vincent," he told them, "and with it they are imploring God to take pity on them." This scared the troops and they withdrew from the city.'
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 125-126. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 186-187; lightly modified.
Post haec Childeberthus rex in Hispaniam abiit. Qua ingressus cum Chlothachario, Caesaragustanam civitatem cum exercitu vallant atque obsedent. At ille in tanta humilitate ad Deum conversi sunt, ut induti ciliciis, abstinentis a cibis et poculis, cum tonica beati Vincenti martiris muros civitatis psallendo circuirent; mulieres quoque amictae nigris palleis, dissoluta caesariae, superposito cinere, ut eas putares virorum funeribus deservire, plangendo sequebantur. Et ita totam spem locus ille ad Domini misericordiam rettulit, ut diceretur ibidem Ninivitarum ieiunium caelebrari, nec aestimaretur aliud posse fieri, nisi eorum praecibus divina misericordia flectiretur. Hii autem qui obsedebant, nescientes quid obsessi agerent, cum viderent sic murum circuire, putabant, eos aliquid agere malefitii. Tunc adpraehensum unum de civitate rusticum, ipse interrogant, quid hoc esset quod agerent. Qui ait: 'Tonicam beati Vincenti deportant et cum ipsa, ut eis Dominus misereatur, exorant'. Quod illi timentes, se ab ea civitate removerunt.
'Next King Childebert set off for Spain. He and Chlothar arrived there together. They attacked and laid siege to the city of Saragossa. The inhabitants turned in great humility to God: they dressed themselves in hair-shirts, abstained from eating and drinking, and marched round the city walls singing psalms and carrying the tunic of the blessed Vincent the martyr. Their women-folk followed them, weeping and wailing, dressed in black garments, with their hair blowing free and with ashes on their heads, so that you might have thought that they were burying their dead husbands. The city pinned its hope on the mercy of God. It could have been said to fast as Nineveh fasted, and it was quite unimaginable that God in His compassion would not be swayed by the prayers of these people. The besiegers did not know what the besieged were doing: as they watched them march round the walls they imagined that it was some kind of black magic. They seized hold of a peasant who lived in Saragossa and asked him what they were doing. "They are carrying the tunic of Saint Vincent," he told them, "and with it they are imploring God to take pity on them." This scared the troops and they withdrew from the city.'
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 125-126. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 186-187; lightly modified.
History
Evidence ID
E02064Saint Name
Vincent, deacon and martyr of Saragossa and Valencia, ob. c. 305 : S00290Saint Name in Source
VincentiusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
- Latin
Evidence not before
575Evidence not after
594Activity not before
542Activity not after
542Place 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
- Procession
