E05420: Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary, describes how *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) rejected the wax given at his tomb in Poitiers by a reluctant donor. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/568.

Venantius Fortunatus, Miracles of Hilary (Libri de virtutibus sancti Hilarii) 11 (30-33)

Itaque cum duo negotiatores ad beati basilicam occurrissent habentes formam cerae quasi socialiter in commune, quidam ex his alloquitur alterum, ut eam etsi tam parvam rem tamen tanto confessori vel libenter offerrent. Sed in cassum sua verba in animo socii nolentis expendit. Ipse tamen cum collega suo in oratione prosternitur, ceram occulte ante tremendi sepulchri cancellos exponit. Mox ad omnem aequalitatem cerae ipsius species se divisit et, parte illius fidelis oblatoris accepta, pars altera videntibus plurimis volvendo usque ad alios cancellos nutu divino cum omni contumelia est repulsa: quasi nolens sanctus invadere, quod alter illi devotus non obtulit, quoniam semper abhorruit quod ex fide non venit, tam certus in iudicio quam misericors est in voto ... Tunc itaque ille qui offere noluit admissi criminis se teste confusus et inmensi pudoris reatu perculsus, videns sibi a radice suae conscientiae tantae turpitudinis opprobia pullulasse, et in faciem suam occultae cogitationis facinora revelata adspexit, consideravit, ingemuit et flevit, ut saltim lacrimarum fonte rigante dilueret, quod corde delinquente foedavit. Qui postea maiora obtulit exactus, cerae iudicio castigante.

'Two merchants went to the church of the blessed [Hilary]. Since they together had a block of wax as if in common, one of them said to the other that they should generously offer it to the great confessor, even though it was such a small gift. But he spoke his words in vain to his friend who was unwilling in his heart. So while the first merchant knelt with his companion in prayer, he secretly placed the wax before the railing around that fearsome tomb. Soon the shape of that wax divided itself into equal halves; the half from this faithful donor was accepted, but the other half was rejected at God’s command with complete disgust. Everyone was watching as this half rolled all the way to the opposite railing, as if the saint did not wish to accept what the other man had not offered to him in piety. Because [Hilary] has always rejected what does not proceed from faith, he is as sure in his judgement as he is merciful in [answering] prayers ... Then the man who did not wish to offer [the wax] was convicted by his own testimony in admitting his crime and was overwhelmed by the guilt of his enormous shame. He realized that such a disgraceful dishonour had sprouted in the roots of his own conscience, and he saw the crimes of his secret thoughts revealed in his own face. He meditated, he moaned, and he wept [so much] that as the fountain of his tears flowed, he at least washed away the pollution caused by his delinquent heart. Then, because the judicial examination over the wax corrected him, he urgently brought greater gifts.'

Text: Krusch 1885, 10-11. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 160, lightly modified.