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E00158: Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Patroclus (hermit of Berry, ob. 576, S00064), recounts how Patroclus founded an oratory with relics of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) at Néris (central Gaul), performed divination on its altar, and founded a female monastery next to it. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.
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posted on 2014-11-08, 00:00 authored by pnowakowskiGregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers 9.2
Sed [Patroclus] egressus ab urbe memorata, venit ad vicum Nereensim, ibique aedificato oratorio ac sancti Martini reliquiis consecrato, pueros erudire coepit in studiis litterarum. Veniebant autem ad eum infirmi et sanabantur, atque inergumini nomen eius confitentes emundabantur; nec ei erat solitudo, ut voluerat, sed patefacta virtus publicum usquequaque reddebat. Tunc pro auspitio quoddam brevibus conscriptis, posuit super altare, vigilans et orans tribus [diebus et tribus] noctibus, ut, quid ei Dominus agere iuberet, dignaretur manifestissime declarare. Sed pietatis divinae inclita miseratio, quae eum [iam] praesciens heremitam esse decreverat, brevem illum accipere iubet, ut ad heremum properaret. Ille autem in cellula qua degebat, congregatis virginibus, monasterium instituit puellarum, nihil de omni labore suo quod ibidem adgregaverat, cum abscederet, sumens, nisi rastrum unum unamque bipennem. Ingressusque altas silvarum solitudines, venit ad locum qui dicitur Mediocantus.
'Thus he [Patroclus] left the above-mentioned city [Bourges] and came to the village of Néris; there he built an oratory and sanctified it with relics of St Martin and he began to instruct children in the study of letters. The sick came to Patroclus and were cured, and the possessed were cleansed after confessing his name. But he had still not found the solitude which he sought, and his manifest power seemed to him to be bringing him too much publicity. For an auspice he wrote out little notes, and placed them on the altar. Then he watched and prayed for three nights, so that the Lord might deign to reveal clearly to him what He ordered him to do. But the great mercy of divine goodness had decreed that he would be a hermit, and made him take the note which hastened his departure for the desert. Thus he assembled young girls in that place where he was living, and instituted a monastery of nuns, and then he left, taking with him nothing from all that he had amassed by his work save a rake and an axe. He entered the high solitudes of the forests and came to a place called Mediocantus.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 253. Translation: James 1991, 67, lightly modified.
Sed [Patroclus] egressus ab urbe memorata, venit ad vicum Nereensim, ibique aedificato oratorio ac sancti Martini reliquiis consecrato, pueros erudire coepit in studiis litterarum. Veniebant autem ad eum infirmi et sanabantur, atque inergumini nomen eius confitentes emundabantur; nec ei erat solitudo, ut voluerat, sed patefacta virtus publicum usquequaque reddebat. Tunc pro auspitio quoddam brevibus conscriptis, posuit super altare, vigilans et orans tribus [diebus et tribus] noctibus, ut, quid ei Dominus agere iuberet, dignaretur manifestissime declarare. Sed pietatis divinae inclita miseratio, quae eum [iam] praesciens heremitam esse decreverat, brevem illum accipere iubet, ut ad heremum properaret. Ille autem in cellula qua degebat, congregatis virginibus, monasterium instituit puellarum, nihil de omni labore suo quod ibidem adgregaverat, cum abscederet, sumens, nisi rastrum unum unamque bipennem. Ingressusque altas silvarum solitudines, venit ad locum qui dicitur Mediocantus.
'Thus he [Patroclus] left the above-mentioned city [Bourges] and came to the village of Néris; there he built an oratory and sanctified it with relics of St Martin and he began to instruct children in the study of letters. The sick came to Patroclus and were cured, and the possessed were cleansed after confessing his name. But he had still not found the solitude which he sought, and his manifest power seemed to him to be bringing him too much publicity. For an auspice he wrote out little notes, and placed them on the altar. Then he watched and prayed for three nights, so that the Lord might deign to reveal clearly to him what He ordered him to do. But the great mercy of divine goodness had decreed that he would be a hermit, and made him take the note which hastened his departure for the desert. Thus he assembled young girls in that place where he was living, and instituted a monastery of nuns, and then he left, taking with him nothing from all that he had amassed by his work save a rake and an axe. He entered the high solitudes of the forests and came to a place called Mediocantus.'
Text: Krusch 1969, 253. Translation: James 1991, 67, lightly modified.
History
Evidence ID
E00158Saint Name
Martin, bishop of Tours (Gaul), ob. 397 : S00050Saint Name in Source
MartinusRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives of saintLanguage
- Latin
Evidence not before
573Evidence not after
593Activity not before
535Activity not after
558Place 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
- Ceremony of dedication