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E02265: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (7.35), tells of how king Guntram's troops, pursuing Gundovald the Pretender to Comminges (south-west Gaul) in 585, burn the locked doors of the church of *Vincentius (martyr of Agen, S00432) near Agen (south-west Gaul), and ransack the building, where the residents had placed their good for the saint's protection. Vincentius punishes the offending soldiers. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 585/594.
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posted on 2017-01-20, 00:00 authored by kwojtalikGregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 7.35
Quibus properantibus, venerunt ad basilicam sancti Vincenti, quae est infra terminum Agenninsis urbis, ubi ipse martyr pro Christi nomine agonem dicitur consummasse, inveneruntque eam refertam a diversis thesauris incolarum. Erat enim spes incolis non esse a christianis tanti martyris basilicam violandam. Cuius ostia summo studio obserata erant. Nec mora, adpropinquans exercitus cum reserare templi regias non valeret, ignem accendit; consumptisque osteis, omnem substantiam cunctamque suppellectilem, quae in ea invenire potuerunt, cum sacris ministeriis abstulerunt. Sed multos ibi ultio divina conteruit. Nam plerisque manus divinitus urebantur, emittentis fumum magnum, sicut ex incendio surgi solet. Nonnulli arrepti a daemone, per inergiam debachantes martyrem declamabant. Plurimi vero semoti a seditione propriis se iaculis sauciabant. Relicum vero vulgus inante non sine grande metu progressum est.
'These [King Guntram’s commanders] advanced at great speed and came to the great church of Saint Vincent, inside the boundaries of the town of Agen, on the spot where the martyr is said to have ended his fight in the name of Christ. They found the church filled with all sorts of treasures belonging to the local inhabitants. Their hope was that the shrine of so great a martyr would never be violated by men calling themselves Christians. The doors were heavily padlocked. As soon as they realized that they could not unlock the church doors, the advancing troops promptly set light to them. Once the doors were burnt down, the soldiers looted all the property and all the equipment which they found there, and stole the church plate as well. The vengeance which God exacted gave them a severe fright. Many of their hands caught fire supernaturally and gave forth a great smoke, like the pall which rises from a conflagration. Some were possessed by a demon and rushed about screaming the martyr’s name. Others fought with each other and wounded themselves with their own javelins. A vast horde of troops continued to advance, but with fear in their hearts.'
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 356-357. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 418-419.
Quibus properantibus, venerunt ad basilicam sancti Vincenti, quae est infra terminum Agenninsis urbis, ubi ipse martyr pro Christi nomine agonem dicitur consummasse, inveneruntque eam refertam a diversis thesauris incolarum. Erat enim spes incolis non esse a christianis tanti martyris basilicam violandam. Cuius ostia summo studio obserata erant. Nec mora, adpropinquans exercitus cum reserare templi regias non valeret, ignem accendit; consumptisque osteis, omnem substantiam cunctamque suppellectilem, quae in ea invenire potuerunt, cum sacris ministeriis abstulerunt. Sed multos ibi ultio divina conteruit. Nam plerisque manus divinitus urebantur, emittentis fumum magnum, sicut ex incendio surgi solet. Nonnulli arrepti a daemone, per inergiam debachantes martyrem declamabant. Plurimi vero semoti a seditione propriis se iaculis sauciabant. Relicum vero vulgus inante non sine grande metu progressum est.
'These [King Guntram’s commanders] advanced at great speed and came to the great church of Saint Vincent, inside the boundaries of the town of Agen, on the spot where the martyr is said to have ended his fight in the name of Christ. They found the church filled with all sorts of treasures belonging to the local inhabitants. Their hope was that the shrine of so great a martyr would never be violated by men calling themselves Christians. The doors were heavily padlocked. As soon as they realized that they could not unlock the church doors, the advancing troops promptly set light to them. Once the doors were burnt down, the soldiers looted all the property and all the equipment which they found there, and stole the church plate as well. The vengeance which God exacted gave them a severe fright. Many of their hands caught fire supernaturally and gave forth a great smoke, like the pall which rises from a conflagration. Some were possessed by a demon and rushed about screaming the martyr’s name. Others fought with each other and wounded themselves with their own javelins. A vast horde of troops continued to advance, but with fear in their hearts.'
Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 356-357. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 418-419.
History
Evidence ID
E02265Saint Name
Vincent, martyr in Agen (Gaul), ob.? : S00432Saint Name in Source
VincentiusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
- Latin