20. Euric, king of the Goths, in the 14th year of his reign, placed

duke Victorius in command of seven cities. And he went at once

to Clermont, and desired to add it to the others, and writings

concerning this exist to the present. He gave orders to set up at the

church of Saint Julian the columns which are placed there. He gave

orders to build the church of Saint Laurentius and saint Germanus at

the village of Licaniacus. He was at Clermont nine years. He brought

charges against Euchirius, a senator, whom he ordered to be put in

prison and taken out at night, and after having him bound beside

an old wall he ordered the wall to be pushed over upon him. As for

himself, since he was over-wanton in his love for women, and was

afraid of being killed by the people of Auvergne, he fled to Rome,

and there was stoned to death because he wished to practise a similar

wantonness. Euric reigned four years after Victorius’s death, and

died in the twenty-seventh year of his reign. There was also at that

time a great earthquake.

[21. Bishop Eparchius of Clermont finds his church at night full of

demons.]

[V]22. The holy Sidonius was so eloquent that he generally improvised

what he wished to say without any hesitation and in the clearest

manner. And it happened one day that he went by invitation to a

fête at the church of the monastery which we have mentioned before,

and when his book, by which he had been wont to celebrate the holy

services, was maliciously taken away, he went through the whole

service of the fête improvising with such readiness that he was

admired by all, and it was believed by the bystanders that it was not

a man who had spoken there but an angel. And this we have set forth

more fully in the preface of the book which we have composed about

the masses written by him. Being a man of wonderful holiness and,

as we have said, one of the first of the senators, he often carried

silver dishes away from home, unknown to his wife, and gave them to

poor people. And whenever she learned of it, she was scandalized at

him, and then he used to give the value to the poor and restore the

dishes to the house.

[23. Terrible fate of priests who rebelled against their bishop. 24.

In time of famine in Burgundy Ecdicius feeds more than four thousand

persons. 25. The Gothic king Evatrix persecutes the Christians in

southwestern Gaul. 26. A bishop being “suspected by the Goths” is

carried a captive into Spain.]

[W]27. After these events Childeric died and Clovis his son reigned

in his stead. In the fifth year of his reign Siagrius, king of the

Romans, son of Egidius, had his seat in the city of Soissons which

Egidius, who has been mentioned before, once held. And Clovis came

against him with Ragnachar, his kinsman, because he used to possess

the kingdom, and demanded that they make ready a battle-field. And

Siagrius did not delay nor was he afraid to resist. And so they

fought against each other and Siagrius, seeing his army crushed,

turned his back and fled swiftly to king Alaric at Toulouse. And

Clovis sent to Alaric to send him back, otherwise he was to know

that Clovis would make war on him for his refusal. And Alaric was

afraid that he would incur the anger of the Franks on account of

Siagrius, seeing it is the fashion of the Goths to be terrified,

and he surrendered him in chains to Clovis’ envoys. And Clovis took

him and gave orders to put him under guard, and when he had got

his kingdom he directed that he be executed secretly. At that time

many churches were despoiled by Clovis’ army, since he was as yet

involved in heathen error. Now the army had taken from a certain

church a vase of wonderful size and beauty, along with the remainder

of the utensils for the service of the church. And the bishop of the

church sent messengers to the king asking that the vase at least be

returned, if he could not get back any more of the sacred dishes.

On hearing this the king said to the messenger: “Follow us as far

as Soissons, because all that has been taken is to be divided there

and when the lot assigns me that dish I will do what the father[50]

asks.” Then when he came to Soissons and all the booty was set in

their midst, the king said: “I ask of you, brave warriors, not to

refuse to grant me in addition to my share, yonder dish,” that is,

he was speaking of the vase just mentioned. In answer to the speech

of the king those of more sense replied: “Glorious king, all that we

see is yours, and we ourselves are subject to your rule. Now do what

seems well-pleasing to you; for no one is able to resist your power.”

When they said this a foolish, envious and excitable fellow lifted

his battle-ax and struck the vase, and cried in a loud voice: “You

shall get nothing here except what the lot fairly bestows on you.”

At this all were stupefied, but the king endured the insult with the

gentleness of patience, and taking the vase he handed it over to the

messenger of the church, nursing the wound deep in his heart. And

at the end of the year he ordered the whole army to come with their

equipment of armor, to show the brightness of their arms on the field

of March.[X] And when he was reviewing them all carefully, he came

to the man who struck the vase, and said to him: “No one has brought

armor so carelessly kept as you; for neither your spear nor sword nor

ax is in serviceable condition.” And seizing his ax he cast it to

the earth, and when the other had bent over somewhat to pick it up,

the king raised his hands and drove his own ax into the man’s head.

“This,” said he, “is what you did at Soissons to the vase.” Upon

the death of this man, he ordered the rest to depart, raising great

dread of himself by this action. He made many wars and gained many

victories. In the tenth year of his reign he made war on the Thuringi

and brought them under his dominion.

28. Now the king of the Burgundians was Gundevech, of the family of

king Athanaric the persecutor, whom we have mentioned before. He

had four sons; Gundobad, Godegisel, Chilperic and Godomar. Gundobad

killed his brother Chilperic with the sword, and sank his wife in

water with a stone tied to her neck. His two daughters he condemned

to exile; the older of these, who became a nun, was called Chrona,

and the younger Clotilda. And as Clovis often sent embassies to

Burgundy, the maiden Clotilda was found by his envoys. And when they

saw that she was of good bearing and wise, and learned that she was

of the family of the king, they reported this to King Clovis, and he

sent an embassy to Gundobad without delay asking her in marriage.

And Gundobad was afraid to refuse, and surrendered her to the men,

and they took the girl and brought her swiftly to the king. The king

was very glad when he saw her, and married her, having already by a

concubine a son named Theodoric.

29. He had a first-born son by queen Clotilda, and as his wife wished

to consecrate him in baptism, she tried unceasingly to persuade her

husband, saying: “The gods you worship are nothing, and they will

be unable to help themselves or any one else. For they are graven

out of stone or wood or some metal. And the names you have given

them are names of men and not of gods, as Saturn, who is declared

to have fled in fear of being banished from his kingdom by his

son; as Jove himself, the foul perpetrator of all shameful crimes,

committing incest with men, mocking at his kinswomen, not able to

refrain from intercourse with his own sister as she herself says:

_Jovisque et soror et conjunx_. What could Mars or Mercury do? They

are endowed rather with the magic arts than with the power of the

divine name. But he ought rather to be worshipped who created by his

word heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is out of a state

of nothingness, who made the sun shine, and adorned the heavens with

stars, who filled the waters with creeping things, the earth with

living things and the air with creatures that fly, at whose nod the

earth is decked with growing crops, the trees with fruit, the vines

with grapes, by whose hand mankind was created, by whose generosity

all that creation serves and helps man whom he created as his own.”

But though the queen said this the spirit of the king was by no means

moved to belief, and he said: “It was at the command of our gods that

all things were created and came forth, and it is plain that your God

has no power and, what is more, he is proven not to belong to the

family of the gods.” Meantime the faithful queen made her son ready

for baptism; she gave command to adorn the church with hangings and

curtains, in order that he who could not be moved by persuasion might

be urged to belief by this mystery. The boy, whom they named Ingomer,

died after being baptized, still wearing the white garments in which

he became regenerate. At this the king was violently angry, and

reproached the queen harshly, saying: “If the boy had been dedicated

in the name of my gods he would certainly have lived; but as it is,

since he was baptized in the name of your God, he could not live at

all.” To this the queen said: “I give thanks to the omnipotent God,

creator of all, who has judged me not wholly unworthy, that he should

deign to take to his kingdom one born from my womb. My soul is not

stricken with grief for his sake, because I know that, summoned from

this world as he was in his baptismal garments, he will be fed by the

vision of God.”

After this she bore another son, whom she named Chlodomer at baptism;

and when he fell sick, the king said: “It is impossible that anything

else should happen to him than happened to his brother, namely, that

being baptized in the name of your Christ, he should die at once.”

But through the prayers of his mother, and the Lord’s command, he

became well.

30. The queen did not cease to urge him to recognize the true God

and cease worshiping idols. But he could not be influenced in any

way to this belief, until at last a war arose with the Alamanni, in

which he was driven by necessity to confess what before he had of his

free will denied. It came about that as the two armies were fighting

fiercely, there was much slaughter, and Clovis’s army began to be

in danger of destruction. He saw it and raised his eyes to heaven,

and with remorse in his heart he burst into tears and cried: “Jesus

Christ, whom Clotilda asserts to be the son of the living God, who

art said to give aid to those in distress, and to bestow victory on

those who hope in thee, I beseech the glory of thy aid, with the vow

that if thou wilt grant me victory over these enemies, and I shall

know that power which she says that people dedicated in thy name have

had from thee, I will believe in thee and be baptized in thy name.

For I have invoked my own gods, but, as I find, they have withdrawn

from aiding me; and therefore I believe that they possess no power,

since they do not help those who obey them. I now call upon thee, I

desire to believe thee, only let me be rescued from my adversaries.”

And when he said this, the Alamanni turned their backs, and began to

disperse in flight. And when they saw that their king was killed,

they submitted to the dominion of Clovis, saying: “Let not the people

perish further, we pray; we are yours now.” And he stopped the

fighting, and after encouraging his men, retired in peace and told

the queen how he had had merit to win the victory by calling on the

name of Christ. This happened in the fifteenth year of his reign.

31. Then the queen asked saint Remi, bishop of Rheims, to summon

Clovis secretly, urging him to introduce the king to the word of

salvation. And the bishop sent for him secretly and began to urge

him to believe in the true God, maker of heaven and earth, and to

cease worshiping idols, which could help neither themselves nor any

one else. But the king said: “I gladly hear you, most holy father;

but there remains one thing: the people who follow me cannot endure

to abandon their gods; but I shall go and speak to them according to

your words.” He met with his followers, but before he could speak

the power of God anticipated him, and all the people cried out

together: “O pious king, we reject our mortal gods, and we are ready

to follow the immortal God whom Remi preaches.” This was reported to

the bishop, who was greatly rejoiced, and bade them get ready the

baptismal font. The squares were shaded with tapestried canopies,

the churches adorned with white curtains, the baptistery set in

order, the aroma of incense spread, candles of fragrant odor burned

brightly, and the whole shrine of the baptistery was filled with a

divine fragrance: and the Lord gave such grace to those who stood

by that they thought they were placed amid the odors of paradise.

And the king was the first to ask to be baptized by the bishop.

Another Constantine advanced to the baptismal font, to terminate the

disease of ancient leprosy and wash away with fresh water the foul

spots that had long been borne. And when he entered to be baptized,

the saint of God began with ready speech: “Gently bend your neck,

Sigamber;[Y] worship what you burned; burn what you worshipped.” The

holy bishop Remi was a man of excellent wisdom and especially trained

in rhetorical studies, and of such surpassing holiness that he

equalled the miracles of Silvester. For there is extant a book of his

life which tells that he raised a dead man. And so the king confessed

all-powerful God in the Trinity, and was baptized in the name of the

Father, Son and holy Spirit, and was anointed with the holy ointment

with the sign of the cross of Christ. And of his army more than 3000

were baptized.[Z] His sister also, Albofled, was baptized, who not

long after passed to the Lord. And when the king was in mourning for

her, the holy Remi sent a letter of consolation which began in this

way: “The reason of your mourning pains me, and pains me greatly,

that Albofled your sister, of good memory, has passed away. But I can

give you this comfort, that her departure from the world was such

that she ought to be envied rather than mourned.” Another sister also

was converted, Lanthechild by name, who had fallen into the heresy of

the Arians, and she confessed that the Son and the holy Spirit were

equal to the Father, and was anointed.

32. At that time the brothers Gundobad and Godegisel were kings of

the country about the Rhone and the Saône together with the province

of Marseilles. And they, as well as their people, belonged to the

Arian sect. And since they were fighting with each other, Godegisel,

hearing of the victories of King Clovis, sent an embassy to him

secretly, saying: “If you will give me aid in attacking my brother,

so that I may be able to kill him in battle or drive him from the

country, I will pay you every year whatever tribute you yourself

wish to impose.” Clovis accepted this offer gladly, and promised

aid whenever need should ask. And at a time agreed upon he marched

his army against Gundobad. On hearing of this, Gundobad, who did

not know of his brother’s treachery, sent to him, saying: “Come to

my assistance, since the Franks are in motion against us and are

coming to our country to take it. Therefore let us be united against

a nation hostile to us, lest because of division we suffer in turn

what other peoples have suffered.” And the other said: “I will come

with my army, and will give you aid.” And these three, namely,

Clovis against Gundobad and Godegisel, were marching their armies

to the same point, and they came with all their warlike equipment

to the stronghold named Dijon. And they fought on the river Ouche,

and Godegisel joined Clovis, and both armies crushed the people of

Gundobad. And he perceived the treachery of his brother, whom he

had not suspected, and turned his back and began to flee, hastening

along the banks of the Rhone, and he came to the city of Avignon. And

Godegisel having won the victory, promised to Clovis a part of his

kingdom, and departed quietly and entered Vienne in triumph, as if he

now held the whole kingdom. King Clovis increased his army further,

and set off after Gundobad to drag him from his city and slay him.

He heard it, and was terrified, and feared that sudden death would

come to him. However he had with him Aridius, a man famed for energy

and wisdom, and he sent for him and said: “Difficulties wall me in on

every side, and I do not know what to do, because these barbarians

have come upon us to slay us and destroy the whole country.” To

this Aridius answered: “You must soften the fierceness of this man

in order not to perish. Now if it is pleasing in your eyes, I will

pretend to flee from you and to pass over to his side, and when I

come to him, I shall prevent his harming either you or this country.

Only be willing to do what he demands of you by my advice, until

the Lord in his goodness deigns to make your cause successful.” And

Gundobad said: “I will do whatever you direct.” When he said this,

Aridius bade him good-by and departed, and going to King Clovis he

said: “Behold I am your humble servant, most pious king, I come to

your protection, leaving the wretched Gundobad. And if your goodness

condescends to receive me, both you and your children shall have in

me a true and faithful servant.” Clovis received him very readily,

and kept him by him, for he was entertaining in story-telling, ready

in counsel, just in judgment, and faithful in what was put in his

charge. Then when Clovis with all his army sat around the walls of

the city, Aridius said: “O King, if the glory of your loftiness

should kindly consent to hear the few words of my lowliness,

though you do not need counsel, yet I would utter them with entire

faithfulness, and they will be advantageous to you and to the cities

through which you purpose to go. Why,” said he, “do you keep your

army here, when your enemy sits in a very strong place? If you ravage

the fields, lay waste the meadows, cut down the vineyards, lay low

the olive-yards, and destroy all the produce of the country, you do

not, however, succeed in doing him any harm. Send an embassy rather

and impose tribute to be paid you every year, so that the country

may be safe and you may rule forever over a tributary. And if he

refuses, then do whatever pleases you.” The king took this advice,

and commanded his army to return home. Then he sent an embassy to

Gundobad, and ordered him to pay him every year a tribute. And he

paid it at once and promised that he would pay it for the future.

33. Later he regained his power, and now contemptuously refused to

pay the promised tribute to king Clovis, and set his army in motion

against his brother Godegisel, and shut him up in the city of Vienne

and besieged him. And when food began to be lacking for the common

people, Godegisel was afraid that the famine would extend to himself,

and gave orders that the common people be expelled from the city.

When this was done, there was driven out, among the rest, the artisan

who had charge of the aqueduct. And he was indignant that he had been

cast out from the city with the rest, and went to Gundobad in a rage

to inform him how to burst into the city and take vengeance on his

brother. Under his guidance an army was led through the aqueduct, and

many with iron crowbars went in front, for there was a vent in the

aqueduct closed with a great stone, and when this had been pushed

away with crowbars, by direction of the artisan, they entered the

city, and surprised from the rear the defenders who were shooting

arrows from the wall. The trumpet was sounded in the midst of the

city, and the besiegers seized the gates, and opened them and entered

at the same time, and when the people between these two battle lines

were being slain by each army, Godegisel sought refuge in the church

of the heretics, and was slain there along with the Arian bishop.

Finally the Franks who were with Godegisel gathered in a tower. But

Gundobad ordered that no harm should be done to a single one of them,

but seized them and sent them in exile to king Alaric at Toulouse,

and he slew the Burgundian senators who had conspired with Godegisel.

He restored to his own dominion all the region which is now called

Burgundy. He established milder laws[AA] for the Burgundians lest

they should oppress the Romans.

[34. King Gundobad is converted to the doctrine of the Trinity but

will not confess it in public. The writings of bishop Avitus are

described.]

35. Now when Alaric, king of the Goths, saw Clovis conquering nations

steadily, he sent envoys to him saying: “If my brother consents, it

is the desire of my heart that with God’s favor we have a meeting.”

Clovis did not spurn this proposal but went to meet him. They met in

an island of the Loire which is near the village of Amboise in the

territory of Tours, and they talked and ate and drank together, and

plighted friendship and departed in peace. Even at that time many in

the Gauls desired greatly to have the Franks as masters.

36. Whence it happened that Quintian, bishop of Rodez, was driven

from his city through ill-will on this account. For they said: “It is

your desire that the rule of the Franks be extended over this land.”

A few days later a quarrel arose between him and the citizens, and

the Goths who dwelt in the city became suspicious when the citizens

charged that he wished to submit himself to the control of the

Franks; they took counsel and decided to slay him with the sword.

When this was reported to the man of God he rose in the night and

left the city of Rodez with his most faithful servants and went to

Clermont. There he was received kindly by the holy bishop Eufrasius,

who had succeeded Aprunculus of Dijon, and he kept Quintian with

him, giving him houses as well as fields and vineyards, and saying:

“The wealth of this church is enough to keep us both; only let the

charity which the blessed apostle preaches endure among the bishops

of God.” Moreover the bishop of Lyons bestowed upon him some of the

possessions of the church which he had in Auvergne. And the rest

about the holy Quintian, both the plottings which he endured and the

miracles which the Lord deigned to work through him, are written in

the book of his life.

[AB]37. Now Clovis the king said to his people: “I take it very

hard that these Arians hold part of the Gauls. Let us go with God’s

help and conquer them and bring the land under our control.” Since

these words pleased all, he set his army in motion and made for

Poitiers where Alaric was at that time. But since part of the host

was passing through Touraine, he issued an edict out of respect to

the blessed Martin that no one should take anything from that country

except grass for fodder, and water. But one from the army found a

poor man’s hay and said: “Did not the king order grass only to be

taken, nothing else? And this,” said he, “is grass. We shall not

be transgressing his command if we take it.” And when he had done

violence to the poor man and taken his hay by force, the deed came

to the king. And quicker than speech the offender was slain by the

sword, and the king said: “And where shall our hope of victory be

if we offend the blessed Martin? It would be better for the army to

take nothing else from this country.” The king himself sent envoys

to the blessed church saying: “Go, and perhaps you will receive some

omen of victory from the holy temple.” Then giving them gifts to set

up in the holy place, he said: “If thou, O Lord, art my helper, and

hast determined to surrender this unbelieving nation, always striving

against thee, into my hands, consent to reveal it propitiously at the

entrance to the church of St. Martin, so that I may know that thou

wilt deign to be favorable to thy servant.” Clovis’ servants went

on their way according to the king’s command, and drew near to the

place, and when they were about to enter the holy church, the first

singer, without any prearrangement, sang this response: “Thou hast

girded me, O Lord, with strength unto the battle; thou hast subdued

under me those that rose up against me, and hast made mine enemies

turn their backs unto me, and thou hast utterly destroyed them that

hated me.” On hearing this singing they thanked the Lord, and paying

their vow to the blessed confessor they joyfully made their report to

the king. Moreover, when he came to the river Vienne with his army,

he did not know where he ought to cross. For the river had swollen

from the rains. When he had prayed to the Lord in the night to show

him a ford where he could cross, in the morning by God’s will a hind

of wonderful size entered the river before them, and when it passed

over the people saw where they could cross. When the king came to the

neighborhood of Poitiers and was encamped some distance off, he saw

a ball of fire come out of the church of Saint Hilarius and pass, as

it were, over him, to show that, aided by the light of the blessed

confessor Hilarius, he should more boldly conquer the heretic armies,

against which the same bishop had often fought for the faith. And

he made it known to all the army that neither there nor on the way

should they spoil any one or take any one’s property.

There was in these days a man of praiseworthy holiness, the abbot

Maxentius, who had become a recluse in his own monastery in Poitou

because of his fear of God. We have not put the name of the monastery

in this account because the place is called to the present day

_Cellula sancti Maxentii_. And when his monks saw a division of the

host approaching the monastery, they prayed to the abbot to come

forth from his cell to consult with them. And as he stayed, they were

panic-stricken and opened the door and dragged him from his cell. And

he hastened boldly to meet the enemy to ask for peace. And one of

them drew out his sword to launch a stroke at his head, and when he

had raised his hand to his ear it became rigid and the sword fell.

And he threw himself at the feet of the blessed man, asking pardon.

And the rest of them seeing this returned in great fear to the army,

afraid that they should all perish together. The man’s arm the holy

confessor rubbed with consecrated oil, and made over it the sign of

the cross and restored it to soundness. And owing to his protection

the monastery remained uninjured. He worked many other miracles also,

and if any one diligently seeks for them he will find them all in

reading the book of his Life. In the twenty-fifth year of Clovis.

Meantime king Clovis met with Alaric, king of the Goths, in the plain

of Vouillé[AC] at the tenth mile-stone from Poitiers, and while the

one army was for fighting at a distance the other tried to come to

close combat. And when the Goths had fled as was their custom, king

Clovis won the victory by God’s aid. He had to help him the son of

Sigibert the lame, named Chloderic. This Sigibert was lame from a

wound in the leg, received in a battle with the Alemanni near the

town of Zülpich. Now when the king had put the Goths to flight and

slain king Alaric, two of the enemy suddenly appeared and struck

at him with their lances, one on each side. But he was saved from

death by the help of his coat of mail, as well as by his fast horse.

At that time there perished a very great number of the people of

Auvergne, who had come with Apollinaris and the leading senators.

From this battle Amalaric, son of Alaric, fled to Spain and wisely

seized his father’s kingdom. Clovis sent his son Theodoric to

Clermont by way of Albi and Rodez. He went, and brought under his

father’s dominion the cities from the boundaries of the Goths to

the limit of the Burgundians. Alaric reigned twenty-two years. When

Clovis had spent the winter in Bordeaux and taken all the treasures

of Alaric at Toulouse, he went to Angoulême. And the Lord gave him

such grace that the walls fell down of their own accord when he gazed

at them. Then he drove the Goths out and brought the city under his

own dominion. Thereupon after completing his victory he returned to

Tours, bringing many gifts to the holy church of the blessed Martin.

38. Clovis received an appointment to the consulship from the emperor

Anastasius, and in the church of the blessed Martin he clad himself

in the purple tunic and chlamys, and placed a diadem on his head.

Then he mounted his horse, and in the most generous manner he gave

gold and silver as he passed along the way which is between the gate

of the entrance [of the church of St. Martin] and the church of the

city, scattering it among the people who were there with his own

hand, and from that day he was called _consul_ or _Augustus_.[AD]

Leaving Tours he went to Paris and there he established the seat of

his kingdom. There also Theodoric came to him.

[39. Licinius was bishop of Tours at the time of Clovis’ visit. His

travels.]

40. When King Clovis was dwelling at Paris he sent secretly to the

son of Sigibert saying: “Behold your father has become an old man and

limps in his weak foot. If he should die,” said he, “of due right

his kingdom would be yours together with our friendship.” Led on by

greed the son plotted to kill his father. And when his father went

out from the city of Cologne and crossed the Rhine and was intending

to journey through the wood Buchaw, as he slept at midday in his

tent his son sent assassins in against him, and killed him there,

in the idea that he would get his kingdom. But by God’s judgment he

walked into the pit that he had cruelly dug for his father. He sent

messengers to king Clovis to tell about his father’s death, and to

say: “My father is dead, and I have his treasures in my possession,

and also his kingdom. Send men to me, and I shall gladly transmit to

you from his treasures whatever pleases you.” And Clovis replied: “I

thank you for your good will, and I ask that you show the treasures

to my men who come, and after that you shall possess all yourself.”

When they came, he showed his father’s treasures. And when they were

looking at the different things he said: “It was in this little

chest that my father used to put his gold coins.” “Thrust in your

hand,” said they, “to the bottom, and uncover the whole.” When he

did so, and was much bent over, one of them lifted his hand and

dashed his battle-ax against his head, and so in a shameful manner he

incurred the death which he had brought on his father. Clovis heard

that Sigibert and his son had been slain, and came to the place and

summoned all the people, saying: “Hear what has happened. When I,”

said he, “was sailing down the river Scheldt Cloderic, son of my

kinsman, was in pursuit of his own father, asserting that I wished

him killed. And when his father was fleeing through the forest of

Buchaw, he set highwaymen upon him, and gave him over to death, and

slew him. And when he was opening the treasures, he was slain himself

by some one or other. Now I know nothing at all of these matters. For

I cannot shed the blood of my own kinsmen, which it is a crime to

do. But since this has happened, I give you my advice, if it seems

acceptable; turn to me, that you may be under my protection.” They

listened to this, and giving applause with both shields and voices,

they raised him on a shield, and made him king over them. He received

Sigibert’s kingdom with his treasures, and placed the people, too,

under his rule. For God was laying his enemies low every day under

his hand, and was increasing his kingdom, because he walked with an

upright heart before him, and did what was pleasing in his eyes.

41. After this he turned to Chararic. When he had fought with

Siagrius this Chararic had been summoned to help Clovis, but stood at

a distance, aiding neither side, but awaiting the outcome, in order

to form a league of friendship with him to whom victory came. For

this reason Clovis was angry, and went out against him. He entrapped

and captured him and his son also, and kept them in prison, and gave

them the tonsure; he gave orders to ordain Chararic priest and his

son deacon. And when Chararic complained of his degradation and wept,

it is said that his son remarked: “It was on green wood,” said he,

“that these twigs were cut, and they are not altogether withered.

They will shoot out quickly, and be able to grow; may he perish as

swiftly who has done this.” This utterance was reported to the ears

of Clovis, namely, that they were threatening to let their hair grow,

and kill him. And he ordered them both to be put to death. When they

were dead, he took their kingdom with the treasures and people.

42. Ragnachar was then king at Cambrai, a man so unrestrained in his

wantonness that he scarcely had mercy for his own near relatives. He

had a counsellor Farro, who defiled himself with a like vileness.

And it was said that when food, or a gift, or anything whatever was

brought to the king, he was wont to say that it was enough for him

and his Farro. And at this thing the Franks were in a great rage.

And so it happened that Clovis gave golden armlets and belts, but

all only made to resemble gold--for it was bronze gilded so as to

deceive--these he gave to Ragnachar’s _leudes_ to be invited to

attack him. [AE]Moreover, when Clovis had set his army in motion against

him, and Ragnachar was continually sending spies to get information,

on the return of his messengers he used to ask how strong the force

was. And they would answer: “It is a great sufficiency for you and

your Farro.” Clovis came and made war on him, and he saw that his

army was beaten and prepared to slip away in flight, but was seized

by his army, and with his hands tied behind his back, he was taken

with Ricchar his brother before Clovis. And Clovis said to him: “Why

have you humiliated our family in permitting yourself to be bound?

It would have been better for you to die.” And raising his ax he

dashed it against his head, and he turned to his brother and said:

“If you had aided your brother, he would not have been bound.” And

in the same way he smote him with his ax and killed him. After their

death their betrayers perceived that the gold which they had received

from the king was false. When they told the king of this, it is said

that he answered: “Rightly,” said he, “does he receive this kind of

gold, who of his own will brings his own master to death;” it ought

to suffice them that they were alive, and were not put to death, to

mourn amid torments the wicked betrayal of their masters. When they

heard this, they prayed for mercy, saying it was enough for them if

they were allowed to live. The kings named above were kinsmen of

Clovis, and their brother, Rignomer by name, was slain by Clovis’

order at the city of Mans. When they were dead Clovis received all

their kingdom and treasures. And having killed many other kings and

his nearest relatives, of whom he was jealous lest they take the

kingdom from him, he extended his rule over all the Gauls. However

he gathered his people together at one time, it is said, and spoke

of the kinsmen whom he had himself destroyed. “Woe to me, who have

remained as a stranger among foreigners, and have none of my kinsmen

to give me aid if adversity comes.” But he said this not because of

grief at their death but by way of a ruse, if perchance he should be

able to find some one still to kill.

43. After all this he died at Paris, and was buried in the church

of the holy apostles, which he himself had built together with his

queen Clotilda. He passed away in the fifth year after the battle of

Vouillé, and all the days of his reign were thirty years, and his age

was forty-five. From the death of St. Martin to the death of king

Clovis, which happened in the eleventh year of the episcopate of

Licinius, bishop of Tours, one hundred and twelve years are reckoned.

Queen Clotilda came to Tours after the death of her husband and

served there in the church of St. Martin, and dwelt in the place with

the greatest chastity and kindness all the days of her life, rarely

visiting Paris.

HERE ENDS THE SECOND BOOK

FOOTNOTES:

[47] For _aqua sanguine cuncta infecit_ read _digne aquas

unguine infecit_. See Bonnet, _Le Latin de Gregoire de

Tours_, p. 457.

[48] _Regalibus._

[49] Alamanni for Alani.

[50] _papa._ The word was used in the early Middle Ages in

unrestricted, informal sense, and applied widely to

bishops. Cf. Du Cange, _Glossarium_.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE THIRD BOOK

1. The sons of Clovis.

2. Episcopates of Dinifius, Apollinaris and Quintian.

3. The Danes make an attack on the Gauls.

4. The kings of the Thuringi.

5. Sigimund kills his own son.

6. Death of Chlodomer.

7. War with the Thuringi.

8. Hermenfled’s death.

9. Childebert visits Auvergne.

10. Amalaric’s death.

11. Childebert and Clothar go to the Burgundies, Theodoric to

Auvergne.

12. Devastation of Auvergne.

13. Lovolautrum and Chastel-Marlhac.

14. Munderic’s death.

15. Captivity of Attalus.

16. Sigivald.

17. The bishops of Tours.

18. Death of Chlodomer’s sons.

19. The holy Gregory and the site of Dijon.

20. Theodobert is betrothed to Visigard.

21. Theodobert departs for Provence.

22. He later marries Deoteria.

23. Sigivald’s death.

24. Childebert makes gifts to Theodobert.

25. Theodobert’s goodness.

26. Death of Deoteria’s daughter.

27. Theodobert marries Visigard.

28. Childebert and Theodobert march against Clothar.

29. Childebert and Clothar march into the Spains.

30. The Spanish kings.

31. The daughter of Theodoric, king of Italy.

32. Theodobert marches into Italy.

33. Asteriolus and Secundinus.

34. Theodobert’s gift to the citizens of Verdun.

35. Sirivald’s death.

36. Theodobert’s death and the slaying of Parthenius.

37. A severe winter.

HERE ENDS THE LIST OF CHAPTERS

IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE BEGINS THE THIRD BOOK

I wish, if it is agreeable, to make a brief comparison of the

successes that have come to Christians who confess the blessed

Trinity and the ruin which has come to heretics who have tried to

destroy the same. And let us omit how Abraham worshipped the Trinity

at the oak,[51] and Jacob preached it in his blessing, and Moses

recognized it in the bush, and the people followed it in the cloud

and dreaded the same in the mountain, and how Aaron carried it on

his breastplate, or how David made it known in the Psalms, praying

to be made new by a right spirit and that the holy spirit should

not be taken from him and that he be comforted by the chief spirit.

And, for my part, I consider this a great mystery, namely that the

voice of the prophet proclaimed as the chief spirit that which the

heretics assert to be the lesser. But passing over these, as we

have said, let us return to our times. For Arius, who was the first

wicked inventor of this wicked sect, was subjected to infernal fires

after he had lost his entrails in a privy. But Hilarius, the blessed

defender of the undivided Trinity, though sent into exile for its

sake, was restored both to his native land and to Paradise. King

Clovis confessed it, and crushed the heretics by its aid and extended

his kingdom over all the Gauls; Alaric, on the other hand, who

denied it, was deprived of kingdom and people, and what is more, of

eternal life itself. And to true believers, even if through the plots

of the enemy they lose something, the Lord restores it a hundred

fold, but heretics do not gain any advantage, but what they seem to

have is taken from them. This is proved by the deaths of Godegisel,

Gundobad,[AF] and Godomar, who at the same time lost their country

and their souls. But we confess one God, invisible,[52] infinite,

incomprehensible, glorious, always the same, and everlasting, one

in Trinity in respect to the number of persons, that is, the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit; we confess him also triple in unity in

respect to equality of substance, deity, omnipotence or power, the

one greatest omnipotent God ruling for eternal centuries.

[AG]1. Now on the death of king Clovis, his four sons, namely,

Theodoric, Chlodomer, Childebert and Chlothar, received his kingdom

and divided it among them in equal parts. Theodoric had already at

that time a handsome and valiant son named Theodobert. And since they

were very brave and had abundant strength in their army, Amalaric,

son of Alaric, king of Spain, asked for their sister in marriage,

and they kindly granted his request, and sent her into the Spanish

country with a great quantity of beautiful things.

[2. Quintianus, ex-bishop of Rodez, is rewarded for his faithfulness

to the Franks by being made bishop of Clermont. 3. The Danes plunder

the coast of Theodoric’s kingdom. 4. Hermenfred becomes sole king of

the Thuringi by Theodoric’s help.]

5. Now on Gundobad’s death his son Sygismund held his kingdom, and

he built with great skill the monastery of St. Maurice, with its

dwellings and churches. And losing his first wife, the daughter of

Theodoric,[AH] king of Italy, he married another, and she began

to malign his son bitterly and make charges against him as is the

custom of stepmothers. From this it came about that on a day of

ceremonial when the boy recognized his mother’s dress on her, he was

filled with anger, and said to her: “You are not worthy to have on

your back those garments which are known to have belonged to your

mistress, that is, my mother.” And she was set on fire with rage and

she stirred her husband up with crafty words, saying: “The wicked boy

wishes to possess your kingdom, and he plans when you are killed to

extend it as far as Italy, forsooth, that he may possess the kingdom

which his grandfather Theodoric held in Italy. For he knows that

while you live he cannot accomplish this; and unless you fall he

will not rise.” Sygismund was aroused by these words, and taking the

advice of his wicked wife he became a wicked parricide. For when his

son had been made drowsy by wine he bade him sleep in the afternoon;

and while he slept a napkin was placed under his neck and tied

under his chin, and he was strangled by two servants who drew in

opposite directions. When it was done the father repented too late,

and falling on the lifeless corpse began to weep most bitterly. And

a certain old man is reported to have spoken to him in these words:

“Henceforth wail for yourself,” said he, “that you have become a most

cruel parricide through base counsel. For there is no need to wail

for this innocent boy who has been strangled.” Nevertheless he went

off to the holy Saint Maurice and spending many days in weeping and

fasting he prayed for pardon. After establishing there a perpetual

service of song he returned to Lyons, the divine vengeance attending

on his footsteps. King Theodoric had married his daughter.

[AI]6. Queen Clotilda spoke to Chlodomer and her other sons, saying:

“Let me not repent, dearest sons, that I have nursed you lovingly;

be angry, I beg you, at the insult to me, and avenge with a wise

zeal the death of my father and mother.” They heeded this; and they

hastened to the Burgundies and marched against Sygismund and his

brother Godomar. Their army was completely routed and Godomar fled.

But Sygismund was taken by Chlodomer when he was endeavoring to make

his escape to the holy St. Maurice, and led away captive with his

wife and sons, and was placed under guard and kept prisoner in the

territory of the city of Orleans. When the kings departed Godomar

recovered his courage and gathered the Burgundians and gained his

kingdom back. And Chlodomer was making preparations to march against

him a second time and determined to kill Sygismund. And the blessed

abbot Avitus, a great priest of that time, said to him: “If,” said

he, “you would look to God and amend your counsel so as not to allow

these men to be killed, God will be with you and you shall go and win

the victory; but if you kill them you shall be surrendered yourself

into the hands of your enemies and shall perish in the same way. And

what you do to Sygismund and his wife and children shall be done

to you and your wife and sons.” But he despised listening to this

counsel, and said: “I think it is foolish advice to leave enemies

at home and march against the rest, and when the former rise up in

the rear and the latter in front I shall fall between two armies.

The victory will be won better and more easily if one is separated

from the other; if one is slain it will be possible to doom the

others to death easily.” He gave orders to slay Sygismund at once,

with his wife and children, by casting them into a well in the

village Columna, of the city Orleans, and hastened to the Burgundies,

summoning to his aid king Theodoric. And the latter promised to go,

not caring to avenge the wrong done to his father-in-law. And when

they met near Visorontia, a place of the city of Vienne, they fought

with Godomar. And when Godomar had fled with his army and Chlodomer

was pursuing and was separated a considerable distance from his men,

the others, imitating his rallying cry, called to him saying: “This

way, come this way, we are your men.” And he believed it and went,

and fell into the midst of his enemies, and cutting off his head and

setting it on a pike they raised it aloft. The Franks saw this and

perceived that Chlodomer was dead, and rallying, they put Godomar

to flight and crushed the Burgundians and reduced their country to

subjection, and Clothar immediately married his brother’s wife,

Guntheuca by name. And queen Clotilda, after the period of mourning

was past, took his sons and kept them; and one of these was called

Theodoald, a second, Gunther, a third, Chlodovald. Godomar recovered

his kingdom a second time.

7. Afterward Theodoric, remembering the wrongs done by Hermenfred,

king of the Thuringi,[AJ] called his brother Clothar to his aid and

prepared to march against him, promising that a share of the plunder

should be given to king Clothar, if by God’s help the gift of victory

should come to them. So he called the Franks together and said to

them: “Be angry, I beg of you, both because of my wrong and because

of the death of your kinsmen, and recollect that the Thuringi once

made a violent attack upon our kinsmen and inflicted much harm on

them. And they gave hostages and were willing to conclude peace with

them, but the Thuringi slew the hostages with various tortures, and

made an attack upon our kinsmen, took away all their property, and

hung youths by the sinews of their thighs to trees, and cruelly

killed more than two hundred maidens, tying them by their arms to

the necks of horses, which were then headed in opposite directions,

and being started by a very sharp goad tore the maidens to pieces.

And others were stretched out upon the city streets and stakes were

planted in the ground, and they caused loaded wagons to pass over

them, and having broken their bones they gave them to dogs and birds

for food. And now Hermenfred has deceived me in what he promised, and

refuses to perform it at all. [AK]Behold, we have a plain word. Let

us go with God’s aid against them.” They heard this and were angry at

such a wrong, and with heart and mind they attacked Thuringia. And

Theodoric took his brother Clothar and his son Theodobert to help

him and went with his army. And the Thuringi prepared stratagems

against the coming of the Franks. For they dug pits in the plain

where the fight was to take place, and covering the openings with

thick turf they made it seem a level plain. So when they began to

fight, many of the Frankish horsemen fell into these pits and it was

a great obstacle to them, but when this stratagem was perceived they

began to be on their guard. When finally the Thuringi saw that they

were being fiercely cut to pieces and when their king Hermenfred

had taken to flight, they turned their backs and came to the stream

Unstrut. And there such a slaughter of the Thuringi took place that

the bed of the stream was filled with heaps of corpses, and the

Franks crossed upon them as if on a bridge to the further shore. The

victory being won they took possession of that country and brought

it under their control. And Clothar went back, taking with him as

a captive Radegunda, daughter of king Berthar, and he married her,

and her brother he afterwards killed unjustly by the hands of wicked

men. She also turned to God, changing her garments, and built a

monastery for herself in the city of Poitiers. And being remarkable

for prayer, fasting and charity, she attained such fame that she was

considered great by the people. And when the kings who have been

mentioned were still in Thuringia, Theodoric wished to kill his own

brother Clothar, and preparing armed men secretly, he summoned him on

the pretext that he wished to consult him privately. And stretching

a tent-cloth in one part of the house from one wall to the other, he

ordered the armed men to stand behind it. And since the cloth was

somewhat short the feet of the armed men were in full sight. Clothar

learned of this, and came into the house with his men armed also. And

Theodoric perceived that he had learned of these things and he made a

pretence, and talked of one thing after another. Finally, not knowing

how to put a good appearance on his stratagem, he gave him as a

favor a great silver dish. And Clothar said good-by and thanked him

for the gift and returned to his place of encampment. But Theodoric

complained to his people that he had lost his dish for no evident

reason, and he said to his son Theodobert; “Go to your uncle and ask

him to give you of his own free will the gift I gave him.” He went,

and got what he asked for. In such stratagems Theodoric was very

skilful.

8. He returned to his own country and urged Hermenfred to come to him

boldly, pledging his faith, and he enriched him with honorable gifts.

It happened, however, when they were talking one day on the walls of

the city of Tolbiac that Hermenfred was pushed by some one or other,

and fell from the height of the wall to the ground and there died.

But we do not know who cast him down from there; many however assert

that a stratagem of Theodoric was plainly revealed in this.

[9. King Childebert takes possession of Auvergne on a false report

of Theodoric’s death. 10. He leaves Auvergne and makes an expedition

into Spain to avenge the ill-treatment of his sister Chlotchild by

her husband Amalaric. 11-13. King Theodoric takes vengeance on the

people of Auvergne for receiving Childebert.]

14. Now Munderic, who asserted that he was a kinsman of the king,

was puffed up with pride and said: “What have I to do with king

Theodoric. For the throne of the kingdom is as much my due as his.

I shall go out and gather my people, and exact an oath from them,

that Theodoric may know that I am king just as much as he.” And he

went out, and began to lead the people astray, saying: “I am a chief,

follow me, and it will be well with you.” A multitude of country

people followed him, as one might expect from the frailty of mankind,

taking the oath of fidelity and honoring him as a king. And when

Theodoric found this out he sent a command to him, saying: “Come to

see me, and if any share of my kingdom is due you, take it.” Now

Theodoric said this deceitfully, thinking that he would kill him

when he came. But the other was unwilling and said: “Go, bear back

word to your king that I am king just as he is.” Then the king gave

orders to set his army in motion, in order to crush him by force

and punish him. And he learned this, and not being strong enough

to defend himself, he hastened to the walls of the stronghold of

Vitry,[AL] and strove to fortify himself in it with all his property,

gathering together those whom he had led astray. Now the army got

under way, and surrounded the stronghold, and besieged it for seven

days. And Munderic resisted with his people, saying: “Let us make a

brave stand, and fight together even to death, and not submit to the

enemy.” And when the army kept hurling javelins against them on every

side, and accomplished nothing, they reported this to the king. And

he sent for a certain one of his people, named Aregyselus, and said

to him: “You see,” said he, “what this traitor is able to do in his

arrogance. Go and swear an oath to him that he shall go forth safe.

And when he has come forth, kill him, and blot out his memory from

our kingdom.” He went away and did as he had been ordered. He had

however first given a sign to the people, saying: “When I speak words

thus and so, rush upon him immediately and kill him.” Now Aregyselus

went in and said to Munderic: “How long will you sit here like one

without sense? You will not be able to resist the king long, will

you? Behold, your food has been cut off. When hunger overcomes you,

you will come forth whether or no, and surrender yourself into the

hands of the enemy, and you will die like a dog. Listen rather to my

advice, and submit to the king, that you may be able to live, you and

your sons.” Then the other, disheartened by these words, said: “If I

go out, I shall be seized by the king and slain, both I and my sons

and all my friends who are gathered with me.” And Aregyselus said

to him: “Do not be afraid, but if you decide to go forth, receive

my oath as to your crime, and stand securely before the king. Do

not be afraid. You shall be on the same terms with him as you were

before.” To this Munderic answered: “I wish I were sure I should not

be killed.” Then Aregyselus put his hands on the holy altar, and

swore to him that he should go out safely. So when the oath had been

taken, Munderic went out from the gate of the stronghold, holding

Aregyselus’ hand, and the people gazed at him from a distance. Then

as a sign Aregyselus said: “Why do you gaze so intently, O people?

Did you never see Munderic before?” And at once the people rushed

upon him. But he understood and said: “I see very plainly that by

these words you gave a sign to the people to kill me, but I tell you

who have deceived me by perjury, no one shall ever see you alive

again.” And he drove his lance into his back, and thrust it through

him and he fell and died. Then Munderic unsheathed his sword, and

with his followers made great slaughter of the people, and until he

died did not shrink back from any one he could reach. And after he

had been slain his property was added to the treasury.

[AM]15. Theodoric and Childebert made a treaty, and swearing to each

other that neither would attack the other, they took hostages from

each other, in order that their agreement might be more secure. Many

sons of senators were given as hostages on that occasion, but a

quarrel arose later between the kings, and they were given over to

servitude and those who had taken them to guard now made slaves of

them. Many of them however escaped by flight, and returned to their

native place, but a good many were kept in slavery. Among these was

Attalus, nephew of the blessed Gregory, bishop of Langres, who became

a slave and was appointed keeper of horses. He was in servitude to

a certain barbarian[AN] in the territory of Trèves. Now the blessed

Gregory sent servants to inquire for him, who found him, and offered

presents to the man, but he rejected them contemptuously, saying:

“This fellow, belonging to such a family, ought to be ransomed with

ten pounds of gold.” And when they had returned, a certain Leo,

belonging to the kitchen of his master, said: “I wish you would give

me permission, and perhaps I might be able to bring him back from

captivity.” His master was glad of the offer, and he went straight to

the place, and desired to carry the youth away secretly, but could

not. Then bargaining with a certain man he said: “Come with me, and

sell me in the house of that barbarian, and take the profit of my

price, only let me have a freer opportunity of doing what I have

decided.” After taking an oath, the man went and sold him for twelve

gold pieces, and departed. The purchaser asked the new slave what

work he could do, and he answered: “I am very skilled in preparing

all the things that ought to be eaten at the tables of masters, and

I am not afraid that my equal in skill can be found. For I tell you

that even if you desire to make ready a feast for the king, I can

prepare kingly viands, and no one better than I.” And he said: “The

day of the sun is near,”--for thus the Lord’s day is usually named in

the barbarian fashion--“on this day my neighbors and kinsmen shall

be invited to my house. I ask you to make me such a feast as to make

them wonder and say ‘we have not seen better in the king’s palace.’”

And the other said: “Let my master order a great number of fowls,

and I will do what you command.” Accordingly the preparations which

the slave had asked for were made, and the Lord’s day dawned, and

he made a great feast full of delicacies. And when all had feasted

and praised the viands, the master’s kinsmen went away. The master

thanked this slave, and gave him authority over the food that he had

ready for use, and he loved him greatly, and the slave used to serve

food to all who were with his master. After the space of a year, when

his master was now certain of him, Leo went out into a meadow which

was near the house, with the slave Attalus, the keeper of the horses,

and lying on the ground with him a long distance off, with their

backs turned so they would not be recognized as together, he said to

the youth: “It is time that we ought to be thinking of our native

place. Therefore I advise you not to allow yourself to go to sleep

to-night when you bring the horses to be shut in, but as soon as I

call you, come, and let us undertake the journey.” Now the barbarian

had invited many of his kinsmen to a feast, and among them was his

son-in-law, who had married his daughter. And at midnight they rose

from the banquet and retired to rest, and Leo attended his master’s

son-in-law to the place assigned and offered him drink. The man said

to him: “Tell me, if you can, trusted servant of my father-in-law,

when will you decide to take his horses and go to your own country.”

He said this in a joking way. In the same way the other jokingly gave

the truthful answer: “To-night, I think, if it is God’s will.” And

he said: “I hope my attendants will be on the watch that you take

nothing of mine.” They parted laughingly. And when all were asleep,

Leo called Attalus, and when the horses were saddled, he asked him

if he had a sword. He answered: “I do not need one, I have only a

small lance.” But the other went into his master’s house, and took

his shield and spear. And when he asked who it was, and what he

wanted, he answered: “I am Leo, your slave, and I am waking Attalus,

so that he may rise quickly and take the horses to pasture; for he

is sleeping as soundly as if he were drunk.” And he said: “Do as you

please.” And saying this he fell asleep. The other went out of doors

and armed the youth, and found unbarred, by divine help, the gates of

the yard, which at nightfall he had barred with wedges driven by a

hammer, to keep the horses safe; thanking God they took the remaining

horses and went off, taking also a roll of garments. They came to

the river Moselle[AO] in order to cross it, and being detained by

certain persons they left their horses and clothes and swam over the

river, supported on a shield, and climbing the further bank they hid

themselves in the woods amid the darkness of the night. The third

night was come since they had been on their way without tasting food.

Then by God’s will they found a tree full of the fruit which is

commonly called plums, and ate and were strengthened somewhat, and

began the journey through Champagne. And as they hastened, they heard

the tramping of horses going at a rapid gait, and they said: “Let us

throw ourselves down on the ground, so as not to be seen by the men

who are coming.” And behold they suddenly came upon a great bramble

bush, and they passed behind and threw themselves on the ground with

their swords unsheathed, in order to defend themselves quickly from

wicked men if they should be noticed. And when the others had come

to the thorn-bush they stopped; and one of them said, while their

horses were making water: “Woe is me that these accursed wretches

are escaped and cannot be found; but by my salvation, if they are

found I command one to be condemned to the gallows, and the other to

be cut to fragments by strokes of the sword.” Now the barbarian who

said this was their master who was coming from the city of Rheims

seeking for them, and he would certainly have found them on the way

if night had not prevented. Then starting their horses, they went

off. The fugitives reached the city on this very night, and going

in, they found a man of whom they made inquiries, and he told them

where the house of the priest Paulellus was. And while they were

passing through the square, the bell was rung for matins--for it was

the Lord’s day--and knocking at the priest’s door, they went in, and

Leo told about his master. And the priest said to him: “It was a

true vision I had. For last night I saw two doves fly toward me and

settle on my hand, and one of them was white, and the other black.”

And Leo said to the priest: “May the Lord be kind as the day is holy.

For we ask you to give us some food; for the fourth day is dawning

since we have tasted bread and meat.” He hid the slaves, and gave

them bread soaked in wine, and went away to matins. The barbarian

followed them, asking for the boys a second time, but he was deceived

by the priest, and he went back. For the priest had an old friendship

with the blessed Gregory. Then the youths, after refreshing their

strength with food, and remaining two days in the home of the priest,

departed, and thus they came to the holy Gregory. The bishop rejoiced

at seeing them, and wept on the neck of Attalus his nephew; he set

Leo free from the yoke of slavery with all his family, and gave him

land of his own, on which he lived a free man with his wife and

children all the days of his life.

[16. Sigivald, duke of Auvergne, is miraculously punished for taking

church property. 17. Seven successive bishops of Tours are mentioned,

one of them, Leo, being “a man of energy and skill in the building of

wooden structures.”]

18. While queen Clotilda was staying at Paris, Childebert saw that

his mother loved with especial affection the sons of Chlodomer, whom

we have mentioned above, and being envious and fearful that they

would have a share in the kingdom through the favor of the queen,

he sent secretly to his brother king Clothar, saying: “Our mother

keeps our brother’s sons with her, and wishes them to be kings. You

must come swiftly to Paris, where we will take counsel together and

discuss what ought to be done about them, whether their hair shall

be cut and they be treated like the rest of the common people, or

whether we shall kill them and divide our brother’s kingdom between

ourselves equally.” And Clothar was very glad at these words, and

came to Paris. Now Childebert had spread the report among the people

that the kings were meeting for the purpose of raising the little

ones to the throne. And when they met, they sent to the queen, who

was then dwelling in the city, saying: “Send the little ones to us,

that they may be raised to the throne.” And she rejoiced, not knowing

their treachery, and giving the boys food and drink, she sent them

saying: “I shall not think that I have lost my son, if I see you

occupy his place in the kingdom.” And they went, and were seized

at once, and were separated from their servants and tutors, and

they were guarded separately, in one place the servants, in another

these little ones. Then Childebert and Clothar sent Arcadius, whom

we have mentioned before, to the queen, with a pair of scissors and

a naked sword. And coming he showed both to the queen, and said:

“Most glorious queen, your sons, our masters, ask your decision as

to what you think ought to be done with the boys, whether you give

command for them to live with shorn hair,[AP] or for both to be

put to death.” She was terrified by the news and at the same time

enraged, especially when she saw the naked sword and the scissors,

and being overcome with bitterness, and not knowing in her grief

what she was saying, she said imprudently: “It is better for me

to see them dead rather than shorn, if they are not raised to the

kingship.” But he wondered little at her grief, and did not think

what she would say later in less haste, but went swiftly, taking the

news and saying: “Finish the task you have begun with the queen’s

favor; for she wishes your design to be accomplished.” There was no

delay. Clothar seized the older boy by the arm, and dashed him to

the earth, and plunging his hunting knife into his side, he killed

him pitilessly. And while the child was screaming, his brother threw

himself at Childebert’s feet and seized his knees and said: “Help me,

kind father, lest I perish like my brother.” Then Childebert, his

face covered with tears, said: “Dearest brother, I ask you to grant

his life to me in your generosity, and let me pay for his life what

you wish, only let him not be killed.” But the other attacked him

with abuse, and said: “Cast him from you, or you shall surely die in

his place. It is you,” said he, “that are the guilty instigator[53]

of this matter. Do you so easily break faith?” Childebert heeded

this and cast the boy away from him to the other, who seized him and

plunged his knife into his side and slew him as he had his brother

before: then they killed the servants and the tutors. When they

were killed Clothar mounted his horse and went off, making a small

matter of the killing of his nephews. And Childebert retired to the

outskirts of the city. And the queen placed their little bodies on a

bier and followed them to the church of St. Peter with loud singing

and unbounded grief, and buried them side by side. One was ten years

old, the other seven. But the third, Clodoald, they were unable to

seize, since he was freed by the aid of brave men. He gave up his

earthly kingdom and passed to the Lord’s service, and cutting his

hair with his own hand he became a clerk, busied with good works,

and as a priest passed from this life. The two kings divided equally

between them the kingdom of Chlodomer. And queen Clotilda showed

herself such that she was honored by all; she was always diligent

in alms, able to endure the whole night in watching, unstained in

chastity and uprightness; with a generous and ready good-will she

bestowed estates on churches, monasteries, and holy places wherever

she saw there was need, so that she was believed to serve God

diligently, not as a queen but as his own handmaid, and neither her

royal sons, nor worldly ambition, nor wealth, raised her up for

destruction, but her humility exalted her to grace.

19. There lived at that time in the city of Langres the blessed

Gregory, a great bishop of God, renowned for his signs and miracles.

And since we have spoken of this bishop, I think it not unpleasing

to insert in this place an account of the site of Dijon, where he

was especially active. It is a stronghold with very solid walls,

built in the midst of a plain, a very pleasant place, the lands rich

and fruitful, so that when the fields are ploughed once the seed is

sown and a great wealth of produce comes in due season. On the south

it has the Ouche, a river very rich in fish, and from the north

comes another little stream, which runs in at the gate and flows

under a bridge and again passes out by another gate, flowing around

the whole fortified place with its quiet waters, and turning with

wonderful speed the mills before the gate. The four gates face the

four regions of the universe, and thirty-three towers adorn the whole

structure, and the wall is thirty feet high and fifteen feet thick,

built of squared stones up to twenty feet, and above of small stone.

And why it is not called a city I do not know. It has all around it

abundant springs, and on the west are hills, very fertile and full of

vineyards, which produce for the inhabitants such a noble Falernian

that they disdain wine of Ascalon. The ancients say this place was

built by the emperor Aurelian.

[20. Betrothal of Theodoric’s son Theodobert to Visigard. 21. The

Franks retake some of the cities taken by Clovis from the Goths. 22.

Theodobert falls in love with Deoteria.]

23. In those days Theodoric killed his kinsman Sigivald with the

sword, sending secretly to Theodobert that he should slay Sigivald’s

son Sigivald whom he had with him. But he was unwilling to destroy

him, because he had taken him from the sacred font.[AQ] But he gave

him the letter to read which his father had sent, saying: “Flee

from here, because I have received my father’s command to kill you;

and if he dies and you hear that I am reigning, then return to me

safely.” On hearing this Sigivald thanked him, said good-by, and

departed. Now at that time the Goths had taken possession of the

city of Arles,[AR] from which Theodobert still had hostages. To it

Sigivald fled. But he saw that he was not safe there, and went to

Latium, and remained hidden there. While this was going on, word was

brought to Theodobert that his father was seriously ill, and that if

he did not hasten swiftly to him so as to find him alive, he would be

excluded by his uncles, and would never be allowed to return. And he

postponed everything on hearing this, and hastened thither, leaving

Deoteria with her daughter at Clermont. And not many days after he

had gone, Theodoric died, in the twenty-third year of his reign. And

Childebert and Clothar rose against Theodobert and wished to take the

kingdom from him, but he was defended by his _leudes_, after they had

received gifts from him, and was established in his kingdom. He sent

later to Clermont and summoned Deoteria thence, and married her.

24. Childebert saw that he was not able to prevail, and sent an

embassy to him, and bade him come to him, saying: “I have no sons,

I wish to treat you as a son.” And when he came he bestowed such

rich gifts upon him that all wondered. For he presented him with

three pairs of all the articles of armor, vestments, and other

equipments that it becomes a king to have, and likewise with horses

and chains. Sigivald heard this, namely, that Theodobert had received

his father’s kingdom, and returned to him from Italy. And Theodobert

rejoiced, and kissed him, and bestowed upon him a third part of the

gifts which he had received from his uncle, and he gave orders that

all that his father had seized of the property of Sigivald’s father,

should be returned to him.

25. And he was established in his kingdom, and showed himself great,

and distinguished by every goodness. For he ruled his kingdom with

justice, respecting the bishops, making gifts to the churches,

relieving the poor, and doing kindnesses to many persons with a pious

and generous heart. He kindly remitted all the tribute which was

payable to his treasury from the churches situated in Auvergne.

26. Now Deoteria saw that her daughter was quite grown up, and was

afraid that the king would desire and take her. She placed her in a

litter to which wild oxen were yoked, and sent her headlong over a

bridge; and she lost her life in the river. This happened in the city

of Verdun.

27. As it was now the seventh year since Theodobert and Visigard

had been betrothed, and he was unwilling to take her on account of

Deoteria, the Franks, when they met, were greatly scandalized at him

because he had abandoned his betrothed. Then he was alarmed, and

abandoning Deoteria, by whom he had a little son named Theodobald, he

married Visigard. And when she died not long after, he took another

wife. But he did not have Deoteria after that.

[28. Childebert and Theodobert march against Chlothar but are turned

back by a miraculous hailstorm sent by St. Martin.]

29. Later king Childebert set out for Spain. And entering the country

with Clothar, they surrounded the city of Saragossa with their army,

and besieged it. But the besieged turned to God in such humility that

they put on haircloth, abstained from food and drink, and made the

round of the walls of the city with psalm-singing, carrying the tunic

of the blessed Vincent, the martyr; the women, too, followed wailing,

clothed in black robes, with their hair hanging loose and ashes upon

it, so that one would think they were attending the funerals of their

husbands. And to such a degree did that city place its whole hope in

God’s mercy that it was said they were celebrating the fast of the

Ninevites[AS] there, and there was no idea of any other possibility

than that the divine mercy might be won by prayers. But the besiegers

did not know what was going on, and when they saw them go around the

wall in such a way they supposed they were engaged in some sorcery.

Then seizing one of the common people of the place, they asked him

what it was they were doing. And he said: “They are carrying the

blessed Vincent’s tunic, and at the same time they are praying the

Lord to pity them.” And they were afraid at this, and went away from

that city. However, they acquired a very large part of Spain, and

returned to the Gauls with great spoils.

30. After Amalaric, Theoda was ordained king in the Spains. But when

he was slain they raised Theodegisil to the throne. When he was

dining with his friends and was very cheerful, suddenly the lights

were put out in the dining hall and he was slain by his enemies,

being thrust through with a sword. After him Agila became king. For

the Goths had formed the detestable habit of attacking with the

sword any one of their kings who did not please them, and they would

appoint as king any one that took their fancy.

31. Theodoric of Italy having married a sister of king Clovis, died,

and left his wife and a little daughter. When this girl was grown,

because of her fickle temper she refused the counsel of her mother,

who was looking out for a king’s son for her, and took her slave

named Traguilanis, and fled with him to a city where she hoped to

defend herself. And when her mother raged at her furiously, and

begged her not to disgrace further a noble family, and said it was

her duty to send the slave off and take one of equal rank with

herself from a royal family, whom her mother had provided, she was

by no means willing to agree to it. Then her mother, still raging

at her, set an army in motion. And they came upon them, and killed

Traguilanis with the sword, chastised the girl herself, and took

her to her mother’s house. Now they belonged to the Arian sect, and

as it is their custom that of those going to the altar the kings

receive one cup and the lesser people another, she put poison in

the cup from which her mother was going to receive the communion.

And she drank it and died forthwith. There is no doubt that such

harm is from the devil. What shall the wretched heretics answer to

this charge that the enemy dwells in their holy place? But as for

us who confess the Trinity in one similar equality and omnipotence,

even if we should drink a deadly draught in the name of the Father,

Son and holy Spirit, the true and incorruptible God, it would not

do us any harm. The Italians were indignant at this woman, and they

invited Theodad, king of Tuscia, and made him king over them. When

he learned what the harlot had been guilty of, how she had slain

her mother on account of a slave whom she had taken, he gave orders

that a bath be raised to a great heat, and that she be shut in the

same with one maid. And when she entered the hot vapors she fell at

once on the pavement, and died, and was consumed. And when the kings

Childebert and Chlothar, her cousins, as well as Theodobert, learned

this, namely, that she had been put to death in so shameful a manner,

they sent an embassy to Theodad, blaming him for her death, and

saying: “If you do not make an arrangement with us for what you have

done, we will take your kingdom from you, and condemn you to a like

punishment.” Then he was afraid, and sent to them fifty thousand gold

pieces. And Childebert, being as ever envious of king Clothar, and

deceitful, joined with Theodobert his nephew, and they divided the

gold between them, and refused to give any of it to king Clothar. But

he made an attack upon the treasures of Chlodomer, and took much more

from them than that of which they had defrauded him.

32. Theodobert went to Italy, and there made great gains. But as

those places according to report are full of diseases, his army was

attacked by various fevers, and many of them died there. Seeing this,

Theodobert returned from the country and brought much spoil, himself

and his men. It is related that at that time he went as far as the

city of Pavia to which he again sent Buccelenus. And he captured

lesser Italy and brought it under the sway of the king who has

been mentioned, and attacked greater Italy; here he fought against

Belsuarius many times and won the victory. And when the emperor saw

that Belsuarius was being beaten more frequently he removed him, and

put Narses in his place, and, as a humiliation, he made Belsuarius

count of the stable, a place he had held before. But Buccelenus

fought great battles against Narses: capturing all Italy he extended

his boundaries to the sea, and he sent great treasures from Italy to

Theodobert. When Narses made this known to the emperor, the emperor

hired nations and sent aid to Narses, and in the battle later he was

defeated. Then Buccelenus seized Sicily and exacting tribute from it

he sent it to the king. He enjoyed great prosperity in these matters.

[33. Feud between Asteriolus and Secundinus, advisers of King

Theodobert.]

[AT]34. Desideratus, bishop of Verdun, to whom king Theodoric had

done many wrongs, was restored to liberty at the Lord’s command,

after many losses and reverses and griefs, and received the office

of bishop, as we have said, at the city of Verdun, and seeing its

inhabitants very poor and destitute he grieved for them, and since

he was left without his own property because of Theodoric, and had

nothing of his own with which to relieve them, knowing the goodness

and kindness to all of king Theodobert, he sent an embassy to him

saying: “The fame of your goodness is spread over all the earth,

since your generosity is such that you give aid even to those who do

not seek it. I beg of your kindness if you have any money, that you

lend it to us that we may be able to relieve our fellow-citizens; and

when those in charge of business secure a return in our city such

as the rest have, we will repay your money with lawful interest.”

Then Theodobert was stirred with pity and furnished seven thousand

gold pieces, which the bishop received and paid out among his

fellow-citizens. And they who were engaged in business were made rich

through this and are considered great to the present day. And when

the bishop who has been just mentioned offered the money which was

due to the king, the king answered: “I have no need to take this; it

is enough for me if the poor men who were suffering want have been

relieved by your care because of your suggestion and my generosity.”

And he whom we have mentioned made the citizens rich without

demanding anything.

[35. Syagrius avenges wrongs done to his father by killing Syrivald.]

[AU]36. After this king Theodobert began to be sick. And the

physicians gave him much care; but he did not get well because the

Lord was already bidding him be summoned. And so after a very long

illness he died of his infirmity. And as the Franks hated Parthenius

intensely, because he had subjected them to tribute in the time of

the king just mentioned, they began to attack him. He saw that he

was in danger, and fled from the city, and humbly begged two bishops

to conduct him to the city of Trèves, and check the sedition of the

frenzied people by their preaching. While they were on their way he

was lying on his bed at night, and suddenly he made a loud cry in his

sleep, saying: “Ho! Ho! Help, you who are here, and assist one who

is perishing.” By this shouting those who were there were awakened,

and they asked him what the matter was. He answered: “Ausanius, my

friend, and my wife Papianella, whom I slew long ago, were summoning

me to judgment, saying: ‘Come to defend yourself, since you are

going to plead with us in the presence of the Lord.’” Now he had

slain his innocent wife and his friend some years before, under the

influence of jealousy. Accordingly, the bishops approached the city

just mentioned, and since they could not calm the sedition among the

rebellious people, they wished to hide him in the church, placing

him in a chest, and strewing above him vestments which were used in

the church. The people came in, and after searching every corner of

the church, went out in a rage when they found nothing. Then one

said suspiciously: “Behold a chest in which our enemy has not been

sought for.” And when the guards said that there was nothing in it

except that it contained furniture of the church, they demanded

the key, saying: “Unless you quickly unlock it we will break it

open ourselves.” Finally the chest was unlocked, the linen cloths

were removed, and they found him and dragged him out, rejoicing and

saying: “God has delivered our enemy into our hands.” Then they

struck him with their fists, and spat on him, and tying his hands

behind his back, they stoned him to death beside a column. He was

very voracious in eating, and what he ate he digested speedily,

taking aloes in order to be made hungry soon again…. And so he

perished, meeting this kind of end.

37. In that year the winter was a grievous one and more severe than

usual, so that the streams were held in the chains of frost and

furnished a path for the people like dry ground. Birds, too, were

affected by the cold and hunger, and were caught in the hand without

any snare when the snow was deep.

Now from the death of Clovis to the death of Theodobert there are

reckoned thirty-seven years. When Theodobert died in the fourteenth

year of his reign, Theodoald his son reigned in his stead.

HERE ENDS THE THIRD BOOK.

FOOTNOTES:

[51] _ad ilicem._ Not in the Vulgate. Gregory probably used

in part a rude popular version of the Scriptures. See

Bonnet, p. 61.

[52] Reading _invisibilem_ for _indivisibilem_.

[53] Reading for _incestator_, _instecator_. Bonnet, _Le

Latin de Gregoire de Tours_, p. 454, 5.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOURTH BOOK

1. Queen Clotilda’s death.

2. King Clothar attempts to take a third of the revenues of the

churches.

3. His wives and children.

4. The counts of the Bretons.

5. The holy bishop Gallus.

6. The priest Cato.

7. The episcopate of Cautinus.

8. The kings of the Spaniards.

9. Theodovald’s death.

10. Rebellion of the Saxons.

11. The people of Tours at the bidding of the king invite Cato to

be their bishop.

12. The priest Anastasius.

13. Chramnus’s frivolity and wickedness and about Cautinus and

Firmin.

14. Clothar makes a second expedition against the Saxons.

15. Episcopate of the holy Eufronius.

16. Chramnus and his followers and the crimes he committed and

how he went to Dijon.

17. How Chramnus deserted to Childebert.

18. Duke Austrapius.

19. Death of the holy bishop Medard.

20. Death of Childebert and killing of Chramnus.

21. King Clothar’s death.

22. Division of the kingdom among his sons.

23. Sigibert marches against the Huns and Chilperic seizes his

cities.

24. The patrician Celsus.

25. Gunthram’s wives.

26. Charibert’s wives.

27. Sigibert marries Brunhilda.

28. Chilperic’s wives.

29. Sigibert’s second war with the Huns.

30. The people of Auvergne at King Sigibert’s bidding go to take

Arles.

31. About the town of Tauredunum and other marvels.

32. The monk Julian.

33. The abbot Sunniulf.

34. The monk of Bordeaux.

35. The episcopate of Avitus in Auvergne.

36. The holy Nicetius of Lyons.

37. The holy recluse Fiard.

38. The Spanish kings.

39. Death of Palladius at Clermont.

40. Emperor Justinus.

41. Albin and the Lombards settle in Italy.

42. Wars between them and Mummulus.

43. The archdeacon of Marseilles.

44. The Lombards and Mummulus.

45. Mummulus goes to Tours.

46. The killing of Andarchius.

47. Theodobert takes possession of the cities.

48. The monastery of Latta.

49. Sigibert goes to Paris.

50. Chilperic enters into a treaty with Gunthram; death of

Theodobert his son.

51. Death of king Sigibert.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS

HERE BEGINS THE FOURTH BOOK WITH HAPPY AUSPICES

[1. Queen Clotilda dies at Tours and is buried at Paris.]

[AV]2. King Clothar had ordered all the churches of his kingdom to

pay into his treasury a third of their revenues. But when all the

other bishops, though grudgingly, had agreed to this and signed

their names, the blessed Injuriosus scorned the command and manfully

refused to sign, saying, “If you attempt to take the things of God

the Lord will take away your kingdom speedily because it is wrong

for your storehouses to be filled with the contributions of the poor

whom you yourself ought to feed.” He was irritated with the king and

left his presence without saying farewell. Then the king was alarmed

and being afraid of the power of the blessed Martin he sent after him

with gifts, praying for pardon and admitting the wrongfulness of what

he had done, and asking also that the bishop avert from him by prayer

the power of the blessed Martin.

3. The king had seven sons by several wives; namely, by Ingunda,

Gunthar, Childeric, Charibert, Gunthram, Sigibert, and a daughter

Chlotsinda; by Aregunda, sister of Ingunda, Chilperic; and by

Chunsina he had Chramnus. I will tell why it was he married his

wife’s sister. When he was already married to Ingunda and loved her

alone, he received a hint from her saying: “My Lord has done with his

handmaid what he pleased and has taken me to his couch. Now let my

lord the king hear what his servant would suggest to make his favor

complete. I beg that you consent to find a husband for my sister, a

man who will be of advantage to your servant and possess wealth, so

that I shall not be humiliated but rather exalted and shall be able

to serve you more faithfully.” To this request he gave heed and being

of a wanton nature he fell in love with Aregunda and went to the

estate on which she was living and married her himself. Having done

this he returned to Ingunda and said: “I have tried to do the favor

which your sweet self asked of me. I sought for a man of riches and

wisdom to unite to your sister but I found no one better than myself.

And so allow me to tell you that I have married her, which I think

will not displease you.” And she replied; “Let my Lord do what seems

good in his eyes; only let his handmaid live in favor with the king.”

Now Gunthar, Chramnus and Childeric died in their father’s lifetime.

Of the death of Chramnus I shall write later. And Albin, king of the

Lombards, married Chlotsinda, his daughter. Injuriosus, bishop of

Tours, died in the seventeenth year of his episcopate and Baudinus, a

former official of king Clothar, succeeded him, the sixteenth after

the death of the blessed Martin.

4. Chanao, count of the Bretons, killed three of his brothers. He

wished to kill Macliavus also, and seized him and kept him in prison

loaded with chains. But he was freed from death by Felix, bishop

of Nantes. After this he swore that he would be faithful to his

brother, but from some reason or other he became inclined to break

his oath. Chanao was aware of this and began to attack him again

and when Macliavus saw that he could not escape, he fled to another

count of that district, Chonomor by name. When Chonomor learned

that Macliavus’ pursuers were near at hand, he hid him in a box

underground and heaped a mound over it in the regular way leaving a

small airhole so that he could breathe. And when his pursuers came,

they said: “Behold here lies Macliavus dead and buried.” On hearing

this they were glad and drank on his tomb and reported to his brother

that he was dead. And his brother took the whole of his kingdom.

For since Clovis’s death the Bretons have always been under the

dominion of the Franks and their rulers[AW] have been called counts,

not kings. Macliavus rose from underground and went to the city of

Vannes and there received the tonsure and was ordained bishop. But

when Chanao died he left the priesthood, let his hair grow long, and

took back not only his brother’s kingdom but also the wife whom he

had abandoned when he became a priest. However he was excommunicated

by the bishops. What his end was I shall describe later. Now bishop

Baudinus died in the sixth year of his episcopate, and the abbot

Gunthar was appointed in his place, the seventeenth after the passing

of the blessed Martin.

[5. How St. Gall, bishop of Clermont, averted the plague from his

people.]

And when Saint Gall had departed from this world and his body had

been washed and carried to the church, Cato the priest immediately

received the congratulations of the clergy on becoming bishop. And as

if he were already bishop he took under his control all the church

property, removed the superintendents and cast the lesser officials

out and regulated everything himself.

[AX]6. The bishops who came to St. Gall’s funeral said to Cato the

priest after the funeral: “We see that you are the choice of by far

the largest part of the people; come then, join us, and we will

bless and ordain you as bishop. The king is very young and if any

fault is found with you, we will take you under our protection and

deal with the leading men of Theodovald’s kingdom so that no wrong

shall be done you. Trust us faithfully, since we promise that even

if some loss shall come to you, we will make it all good from our

own properties.” But he was puffed up with the pride of vainglory

and said: “You know from widespread report that from the beginning

of my life I have always lived religiously, that I have fasted,

delighted in almsgiving, often kept watch without ceasing and have

frequently continued the singing of psalms without a break the whole

night through. The Lord God to whom I have paid such service will not

allow me to be deprived of this office. For I attained all the grades

of the clergy as directed in the canons. I was reader ten years, I

performed the duties of sub-deacon five years, I have been priest

now for twenty years. What more is left for me except to receive

the office of bishop which my faithful service deserves. You then

return to your cities and busy yourselves with whatever tends to your

advantage. For I intend to gain this office in the manner prescribed

by the canons.” The bishops heard this and departed cursing his empty

boasting.

7. He was accordingly designated to be bishop by the choice of the

clergy, and when he had taken charge of everything though he was not

yet ordained, he began to make various threats against the archdeacon

Cautinus, saying: “I will cast you out, I will degrade you, I will

cause many sorts of violent death to threaten you.” And he answered:

“I wish to have your favor, pious master; and if I win it, there is

one kindness I can do. Without any trouble on your part and without

any deceit I will go to the king and obtain the office of bishop

for you, asking no reward except to win your favor.” But the other

was suspicious that he meant to make a mock of him and rejected the

offer with great disdain. And when Cautinus perceived that he was

in disgrace and was the object of ill report he pretended sickness,

and left the city by night, going to king Theodovald and reporting

the death of Saint Gall. And when he and his court were informed of

it they assembled the bishops at the city of Metz, and Cautinus the

archdeacon was ordained bishop. And on the arrival of the messengers

of the priest Cato he was already bishop. Then by the king’s order

these clerks were delivered over to him and all that they had

brought from the property of the church, and bishops and officials

of the treasury were appointed to accompany him, and they sent him

on his way to Clermont. And he was gladly received by the clergy

and citizens and was thus made bishop of Clermont. But later enmity

arose between him and Cato the priest because no one was ever able

to influence Cato to submit to his bishop. A division of the clergy

appeared and some followed the bishop Cautinus and others the priest

Cato. This was a great drawback to them. And Cautinus saw that Cato

could not be forced in any way to submit to him and took all church

property from him and his friends and whoever took his part, and

left them weak and empty. But whoever of them returned to him, again

received what he had lost.

[8. King Agila of Spain loses cities to the emperor which his

successor Athanagild recovers.]

9. When Theodovald[AY] had grown up he married Vuldetrada. This

Theodovald, they say, had a bad disposition so that when he was angry

with any one whom he suspected of taking his property he would make

up a fable, saying: “A snake found a jar full of wine. He went in

by its neck and greedily drained what was inside. But being puffed

out by the wine he could not go out by the opening by which he had

entered. And the owner of the wine came, and when the snake tried to

get out but could not, he said to him: ‘First vomit out what you have

swallowed and then you will be able to go free.’” This fable made

him greatly feared and hated. Under him Buccelenus after bringing all

Italy under the rule of the Franks was slain by Narses, and Italy

was taken by the emperor’s party and there was no one to recover it

later. In his time we saw grapes grow on the tree we call _saucum_

[elder-tree] without having any vine on it, and the blossoms of the

same trees, which as you know usually produce black seeds, yielded

the seeds of grapes. At that time a star coming from the opposite

direction was seen to enter the disk of the fifth moon. I suppose

these signs announced the death of the king. He became very sick and

could not move from the waist down. He gradually grew worse and died

in the seventh year of his reign, and king Clothar took his kingdom,

taking Vuldetrada his wife to his bed. But being rebuked by the

bishops he left her, giving her to duke Garivald and sending his son

Chramnus to Clermont.

[10. King Clothar destroys the greater part of the rebellious Saxons

and lays Thuringia waste.]

11. Bishop Gunthar died at Tours, and at a suggestion, it is said,

of bishop Cautinus the priest Cato was requested to undertake the

government of the church at Tours. And the clergy accompanied by

Leubastes, keeper of the relics and abbot, went in great state to

Clermont. And when they had declared the king’s will to Cato he

would not answer them for a few days. But they wished to return and

said: “Declare your will to us so that we may know what we ought to

do; otherwise we will return home. For it was not of our own will

that we came to you but at the command of the king.” And Cato in his

greed for vainglory got together a crowd of poor men and instructed

them to shout as follows: “Good father, why do you abandon us your

children, whom you taught until now? Who will strengthen us with food

and drink if you go away? We beg you not to leave us whom you are

wont to support.” Then he turned to the clergy of Tours and said:

“You see now, beloved brothers, how this multitude of the poor loves

me; I cannot leave them to go with you.” They received this answer

and returned to Tours. Now Cato had made friends with Chramnus and

got a promise from him that if king Clothar should die at that time,

Cautinus was to be cast out at once from the bishop’s office and Cato

was to be given control of the church. But he who despised the chair

of the blessed Martin did not get what he desired, and in this was

fulfilled that which David sang, saying: “He refused the blessing and

it shall be kept far from him.” He was puffed up with vanity thinking

that no one was superior to him in holiness. Once he hired a woman to

cry aloud in the church as if possessed and say that he was holy and

great and beloved by God, but Cautinus the bishop was guilty of every

crime and unworthy to hold the office of bishop.

12. Now Cautinus on taking up the duties of bishop became greatly

addicted to wine, and proved to be of such a character that he was

loathed by all. He was often so befuddled by drink that four men

could hardly take him away after dinner. Because of this habit he

became an epileptic later on--a disease which frequently showed

itself in public. He was also so avaricious that if he could not get

some part of the possessions of those whose boundaries touched him he

thought it was ruin for him. He took from the stronger with quarrels

and abuse, and violently plundered the weaker. And as our Sollius[54]

says, he would not pay the price because he despised doing so, and

would not accept deeds because he thought them useless.

There was at that time a priest Anastasius, of free birth, who held

some property secured by deeds of queen Clotilda of glorious memory.

Usually when he met him the bishop would entreat him to give him the

deeds of the queen mentioned above, and place the property under his

charge. And when Anastasius postponed complying with the will of his

bishop, the latter would try now to coax him with kind words and

now to terrify him with threats. When he continued unwilling to the

end, he ordered him to be brought to the city and there shamelessly

detained, and unless he surrendered the deeds, he was to be loaded

with insults and starved to death. But the other made a spirited

resistance and never surrendered the deeds, saying it was better

for him to waste away with hunger for a time than to leave his

children in misery. Then by the bishop’s command he was given over

to the guards with instructions to starve him to death if he did not

surrender these documents. Now there was in the church of St. Cassius

the martyr a very old and remote crypt, in which was a great tomb of

Parian marble wherein it seems the body of a certain man of long ago

had been placed. In this tomb upon the dead body the living priest

was placed and the tomb was covered with the stone with which it had

been covered before, and guards were placed at the entrance. But

the faithful guards seeing that he was shut in by a stone as it was

winter lit a fire and under the influence of hot wine fell asleep.

But the priest like a new Jonah prayed insistently to the Lord to

pity him from the interior of the tomb as from the belly of hell,

and the tomb being large, as we have said, he was able to extend his

hands freely wherever he wished although he could not turn his whole

body. There came from the bones of the dead, as he used to relate,

a killing stench, which made him shudder not only outwardly but in

his inward parts as well. While he held his robe tightly against his

nose and could hold his breath his feelings were not the worst, but

when he thought that he was suffocating and held the robe a little

away from his face he drank in the deadly smell not merely through

mouth and nose but even, so to speak, through his very ears. Why

make too long a story! When he had suffered, as I suppose, like the

Divine Nature, he stretched out his right hand to the side of the

sarcophagus and found a crowbar which had been left between the cover

and the edge of the tomb when the cover sank into place. Moving this

by degrees he found that with God’s help the stone could be moved,

and when it had been moved so far that the priest could get his

head out he made a larger opening with greater ease and so came out

bodily. Meanwhile the darkness of night was overspreading the day

though it had not spread everywhere as yet. So he hastened to another

entrance to the crypt. This was closed with the strongest bars and

bolts, but was not so smoothly fitted that a man could not see

between the planks. The priest placed his head close to this entrance

and saw a man go by. He called to him in a low voice. The other

heard, and having an ax in his hand he at once cut the wooden pieces

by which the bars were held and opened the way for the priest. And he

went off in the darkness and hastened home after vigorously urging

the man to say nothing of the matter to any one. He entered his home

and finding the deeds which the queen mentioned before had given him

took them to king Clothar, informing him at the same time how he

had been committed to a living burial by his own bishop. All were

amazed and said that never had Nero or Herod done such a deed as to

place a live man in the grave. Then bishop Cautinus appeared before

king Clothar but upon the priest’s accusation he retreated in defeat

and confusion. The priest, according to directions received from the

king, maintained his property as he pleased and kept possession of it

and left it to his children. In Cautinus[AZ] there was no holiness,

no quality to be esteemed. He was absolutely without knowledge of

letters both ecclesiastical and secular. He was a great friend of the

Jews and subservient to them, not for their salvation, as ought to be

the anxious care of a shepherd, but in order to purchase their wares

which they sold to him at a higher price than they were worth, since

he tried to please them and they very plainly flattered him.

[BA]13. At this time Chramnus lived at Clermont.[BB] He did many

things contrary to reason and for this his departure from the world

was hastened; and he was bitterly reviled by the people. He made

friends with no one from whom he could get good and useful counsel,

but he gathered together young men of low character and no stability

and made friends of them only, listening to their advice and at

their suggestion he even directed them to carry off daughters of

senators by force. He offered serious insults to Firmin and drove

him out of his office as count of the city, and placed Salust son of

Euvodius in his place. Firmin with his mother-in-law took refuge in

the church. It was Lent and bishop Cautinus had made preparations to

go in procession singing psalms to the parish of Brioude, according

to the custom established by St. Gall as we described above. And so

the bishop went forth from the city with loud weeping, afraid that

he would meet some danger on the way. For king[BC] Chramnus had been

uttering threats against him. And while he was on the way the king

sent Innachar and Scaphthar his chief adherents, saying: “Go and

drag Firmin and Cæsaria his mother-in-law away from the church by

force.” So when the bishop had departed with psalm singing, as I have

said before, the men sent by Chramnus entered the church and strove

to calm the suspicions of Firmin and Cæsaria with many deceitful

words. And when they had talked over one thing after another for a

long time, walking to and fro in the church, and the fugitives had

their attention fixed on what was being said, they drew near to the

doors of the sacred temple which were then open. Then Innachar seized

Firmin in his arms and Scaphthar Cæsaria, and cast them out from the

church, where their slaves were ready to lay hold of them. And they

sent them into exile at once. But on the second day their guards were

overcome with sleep and they saw that they were free and hastened to

the church of the blessed Julian, and so escaped from exile. However

their property was confiscated. Now Cautinus had suspected that he

himself would be subjected to outrage, and as he walked along on the

journey I have told of, he kept near by a saddled horse, and looking

back he saw men coming on horseback to overtake him and he cried:

“Woe is me, for here are the men sent by Chramnus to seize me.” And

he mounted his horse and gave up his psalm singing and plying his

steed with both heels arrived all alone and half dead at the entrance

of Saint Julian’s church. As I tell this tale I am reminded of

Sallust’s[BD] saying which he uttered with reference to the critics

of historians. He says: “It seems difficult to write history; first

because deeds must be exactly represented in words and second because

most men think that the condemnation of wrong-doing is due to ill

will and envy.” However let us continue.

14. Now when Clothar after Theodovald’s death had received the

kingdom of Francia and was making a progress through it,[BE] he

heard from his people that the Saxons were engaged in a second mad

outburst and were rebelling against him and contemptuously refusing

to pay the tribute which they had been accustomed to pay every year.

Aroused by the reports he hastened toward their country, and when

he was near their boundary the Saxons sent legates to him saying:

“We are not treating you contemptuously, and we do not refuse to

pay what we have usually paid to your brothers and nephews, and we

will grant even more if you ask for it. We ask for only one thing,

that there be peace so that your army and our people shall not come

into conflict.” King Clothar heard this and said to his followers:

“These men speak well. Let us not go against them for fear that we

sin against God.” But they said: “We know that they are deceitful and

will not do at all what they have promised. Let us go against them.”

Again the Saxons offered half of their property in their desire for

peace. And Clothar said to his men: “Give over, I beg you, from

these men, lest the anger of God be kindled against us.” But they

would not agree to it. Again the Saxons brought garments, cattle and

every kind of property, saying: “Take all this together with half of

our land, only let our wives and little ones remain free and let war

not arise between us.” But the Franks were unwilling to agree even

to this. And king Clothar said to them: “Give over, I beseech you,

give over from this purpose; for we have not the right word; do not

go to war in which we may be destroyed. If you decide to go of your

own will I will not follow.” Then they were enraged at king Clothar

and rushed upon him and tore his tent in pieces and overwhelmed

him with abuse and dragged him about violently and wished to kill

him if he would not go with them. Upon this Clothar went with them

though unwillingly. And they began the battle and were slaughtered

in great numbers by their adversaries and so great a multitude from

both armies perished that it was impossible to estimate or count

them. Then Clothar in great confusion asked for peace, saying that

it was not of his own will that he had come against them. And having

obtained peace he returned home.

15. The people of Tours heard that the king had returned from the

battle with the Saxons and making choice of the priest Eufronius

they hastened to him. When their suggestion had been made the king

replied: “I had given directions for Cato the priest to be ordained

there; why has my command been slighted?” They answered: “We invited

him but he refused to come.” And while they were speaking Cato the

priest suddenly appeared to request the king to expel Cautinus and

command that he himself be appointed in Clermont. When the king

laughed at him he made a second request, that he should be ordained

at Tours which he had contemptuously refused before. And the king

said to him: “I at first gave directions that they should ordain

you bishop of Tours, but as I hear, you looked down on that church;

therefore you shall be kept from becoming master of it.” And so he

went off in confusion. When the king asked about the holy Eufronius

they told him that he was grandson of the blessed Gregory, whom I

have mentioned before. The king answered:[BF] “It is a great and

leading family. Let the will of God and the blessed Martin be done;

let the choice be confirmed.” And according to his command the holy

Eufronius was ordained bishop, the eighteenth after the blessed

Martin.

[16. Chramnus, king Clothar’s son, opposes bishop Cautinus at

Clermont. He goes to Poitiers and enters into an agreement with his

uncle Childebert against Clothar. He assumes authority over part

of Clothar’s realm and Clothar sends two other sons, Charibert and

Gunthram, against him. When they are ready to fight Chramnus causes a

report of Clothar’s death to be circulated and Charibert and Gunthram

hasten off; Chramnus marches to Dijon where he consults the Bible as

to his future. King Clothar meanwhile fights the Saxons. 17. Chramnus

joins Childebert in Paris. Childebert ravages Clothar’s territory

as far as Rheims. 18. Duke Austrapius takes refuge in St. Martin’s

church in fear of Chramnus. Chramnus orders him to be starved in the

church. But he obtains drink miraculously and is saved. He later

becomes a priest. 19. Medard bishop of Soissons dies.]

20. King Childebert fell ill and after being bedridden for a long

time died at Paris. He was buried in the church of the blessed

Vincent which he had built. King Clothar took his kingdom and

treasures and sent into exile Vulthrogotha and her two daughters.

Chramnus presented himself before his father, but later he proved

disloyal. And when he saw he could not escape punishment he fled to

Brittany and there with his wife and daughters lived in concealment

with Chonoober count of the Bretons. And Wilichar, his father-in-law,

fled to the church of Saint Martin.[BG] Then because of Wilichar

and his wife the holy church was burned for the sins of the people

and the mockeries which occurred in it. This we relate not without

a heavy sigh. Moreover the city of Tours had been burned the year

before and all the churches built in it were deserted. Then by order

of king Clothar the church of the blessed Martin was roofed with tin

and restored in its former beauty. Then two hosts of locusts appeared

which passed through Auvergne and Limousin and, they say, came to the

plain of Romagnac where a battle took place between them and there

was great destruction. Now king Clothar was raging against Chramnus

and marched with his army into Brittany against him. Nor was Chramnus

afraid to come out against his father. And when both armies were

gathered and encamped on the same plain and Chramnus with the Bretons

had marshaled his line against his father, night fell and they

refrained from fighting. During the night Chonoober, count of the

Bretons, said to Chramnus: “I think it wrong for you to fight against

your father; allow me to-night to rush upon him and destroy him with

all his army.” But Chramnus would not allow this to be done, being

held back I think by the power of God. When morning came they set

their armies in motion and hastened to the conflict. And king Clothar

was marching like a new David to fight against Absalom his son,

crying aloud and saying: “Look down, Lord, from heaven and judge my

cause since I suffer wicked outrage from my son; look down, Lord, and

judge justly, and give that judgment that thou once gavest between

Absalom and his father.” When they were fighting on equal terms

the count of the Bretons fled and was slain. Then Chramnus started

in flight, having ships in readiness at the shore; but in his wish

to take his wife and daughters he was overwhelmed by his father’s

soldiers and was captured and bound fast. This news was taken to king

Clothar and he gave orders to burn Chramnus with fire together with

his wife and daughters. They were shut up in a hut belonging to a

poor man and Chramnus was stretched on a bench and strangled with a

towel; and later the hut was burned over them and he perished with

his wife and daughters.

21. In the fifty-first year of his reign king Clothar set out for the

door of the blessed Martin with many gifts and coming to the tomb

of the bishop just mentioned at Tours, and repeating all the deeds

he had perhaps done heedlessly, and praying with loud groaning that

the blessed confessor of God would obtain God’s forgiveness for his

faults and by his intercession blot out what he had done contrary to

reason, he then returned, and in the fifty-first year of his reign,

while hunting in the forest of Cuise, he was seized with a fever

and returned thence to a villa in Compiègne. There he was painfully

harassed by the fever and said: “Alas![BH] What do you think the

king of heaven is like when he kills such great kings in this way?”

Laboring under this pain he breathed his last, and his four sons

carried him with great honor to Soissons and buried him in the church

of St. Medard. He died the next day in the revolving year after

Chramnus had been slain.

[22. The four sons of Clothar make “a lawful division” of his

kingdom. To Charibert is assigned Paris for his capital, to Gunthram,

Orleans, to Chilperic, Soissons, to Sigibert, Rheims. 23. The Huns

attack Sigibert and Chilperic takes the opportunity to seize some of

his cities. Sigibert recovers them.]

24. When king Gunthram had taken his part of the realm like his

brothers, he removed the patrician[BI] Agricola and gave the office

of patrician to Celsus, a man of tall stature, strong shoulders,

strong arms and boastful words, ready in retort and skilled in the

law. And then such a greed for possessing came upon him that he often

took the property of the churches and made it his own. Once when he

heard a passage from the prophet Isaiah being read in the church,

which says: “Woe to those who join house to house and unite field

to field even to the boundaries of the place,” he is said to have

exclaimed: “It is out of place to say; woe to me and my sons.” But he

left a son who died without children and left the greater part of his

property to the churches which his father had plundered.

25. The good king Gunthram first took a concubine Veneranda, a slave

belonging to one of his people, by whom he had a son Gundobad. Later

he married Marcatrude, daughter of Magnar, and sent his son Gundobad

to Orleans. But after she had a son Marcatrude was jealous, and

proceeded to bring about Gundobad’s death. She sent poison, they say,

and poisoned his drink. And upon his death, by God’s judgment she

lost the son she had and incurred the hate of the king, was dismissed

by him, and died not long after. After her he took Austerchild, also

named Bobilla. He had by her two sons, of whom the older was called

Clothar and the younger Chlodomer.

26. Moreover king Charibert married Ingoberga, by whom he had a

daughter who afterwards married a husband in Kent and was taken

there. At that time Ingoberga had in her service two daughters of a

certain poor man, of whom the first was called Marcovefa, who wore

the robe of a nun, and the other was Merofled. The king was very

much in love with them. They were, as I have said, the daughters of

a worker in wool. Ingoberga was jealous that they were loved by the

king and secretly gave the father work to do, thinking that when

the king saw this he would dislike his daughters. While he was

working she called the king. He expected to see something strange,

but only saw this man at a distance weaving the king’s wool. Upon

this he was angry and left Ingoberga and married Merofled. He also

had another, a daughter of a shepherd, named Theodogild, by whom he

is said to have had a son who when he came from the womb was carried

at once to the grave. In this king’s time Leontius gathered the

bishops of his province at the city of Saintes and deposed Emeri

from the bishopric, saying that this honor had not been given him in

accordance with the canons. For he had had a decree of king Clothar

that he should be ordained without the consent of the metropolitan

who was not present. When he had been expelled from his office they

made choice of Heraclius, then a priest of the church of Bordeaux,

and they sent word of these doings in their own handwriting by the

priest just named to king Charibert. He came to Tours and related to

the blessed Eufronius what had been done, begging him to consent to

subscribe to this choice. But the man of God flatly refused to do so.

Now after the priest had come to the gates of the city of Paris and

approached the king’s presence he said: “Hail, glorious king. The

apostolic see sends to your eminence the most abundant greetings.”

But the king replied: “You haven’t been at Rome, have you, to bring

us the greeting of the pope?” “It is your father Leontius” the priest

went on, “who, together with the bishops of his province, sends you

greeting and informs you that Cymulus--this was what they used to

call Emeri as a child--has been expelled from the episcopate because

he neglected the sacred authority of the canons and sought actively

for the office of bishop in the city of Saintes. And so they have

sent you their choice in order that his place may be filled, so that

when men who violate the canons are condemned according to rule,

the authority of your kingdom will be extended into distant ages.”

When he said this the king gnashed his teeth and ordered him to be

dragged from his sight, and placed on a wagon covered with thorns

and thrust off into exile, saying: “Do you think that there is no

one left of the sons of king Clothar to uphold his father’s acts,

since these men have cast out without our consent the bishop whom he

chose?” And he at once sent men of religion and restored the bishop

to his place, sending also certain of his officers of the treasury

who exacted from bishop Leontius 1000 gold pieces and fined the other

bishops up to the limit of their power of payment. And so the insult

to the prince was avenged. After this he married Marcovefa, sister

of Merofled. For which reason they were both excommunicated by the

holy bishop Germanus. But since the king did not wish to leave her,

she was struck by a judgment of God and died. Not long after the king

himself died. And after his death, Theodogild, one of his queens,

sent messengers to king Gunthram offering herself in marriage to

him. To which the king sent back this answer: “Let her not be slow

to come to me with her treasures. For I will take her and make her

great among the people, so that she will surely have greater honor

with me than with my brother who has just died.” And she was glad and

gathered all together and set out to him. And the king seeing this

said: “It is better for these treasures to be in my control than in

the hands of this woman who has unworthily gone to my brother’s bed.”

Then he took away much and left little, and sent her to a convent at

Arles. But she took it very hard to be subject to fasts and watches,

and made proposals to a Goth by secret messengers, promising that

if he would take her to Spain and marry her she would leave the

monastery with her treasures and follow him willingly. This promise

he made without hesitation, but when she had got her things together

and packed and was ready to go from the convent, the diligence of the

abbess frustrated her purpose, and the wicked project was detected,

and orders were given to beat her severely and put her under guard.

And she continued in confinement to the end of her life on earth,

consumed with no slight passions.

27. Now when king Sigibert saw that his brothers were taking wives

unworthy of them, and to their disgrace were actually marrying slave

women, he sent an embassy into Spain and with many gifts asked for

Brunhilda, daughter of king Athanagild. She was a maiden beautiful in

her person, lovely to look at, virtuous and well-behaved, with good

sense and a pleasant address. Her father did not refuse, but sent her

to the king I have named with great treasures. And the king collected

his chief men, made ready a feast, and took her as his wife amid

great joy and mirth. And though she was a follower of the Arian law

she was converted by the preaching of the bishops and the admonition

of the king himself, and she confessed the blessed Trinity in unity,

and believed and was baptized. And she still remains catholic in

Christ’s name.