E02901: Gregory of Tours, in his Miracles of Martin (1.23), recounts how, in 558 in Tours, a certain Wiliachar was freed from chains by *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/576.
Creators: name: Kwojtalik
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Miracles of Martin (Libri de virtutibus sancti Martini episcopi) 1.23<br><br>Dignum exaestimavi et illud non omittere in relatu, quid Wiliacharium presbiterum referentem audivi. Tempore, quo propter perfidiam Chramni Chlotharium regem incurrerat, ad basilicam sancti Martini confugit, atque ibi in catenis<br>positus custodiebatur, sed virtute beati praesolis comminutae catenae stare non potuerunt. Nescio qua autem inminente neglegentia foris atrio conprehensus est. Quem oneratum ferro, vinctis post tergum manibus, ducebant ad regem. At ille voce magna clamare coepit et, ut sibi beatus Martinus misereretur, orare, nec eum sineret ire captivum, cuius devotus expetierat templum. Statimque in eius vocibus, orante beato Eufronio episcopo de muro civitatis contra basilicam, dissolutae sunt manus eius, et omnes bacae catenarum confraetae caeciderunt. Perduetus autem usque ad regem, ibi iterum in compedibus et catenis constrictus retenebatur. Sed invocato nomine saepe dicti patroni, ita omne ferrum super eum comminutum est, ut putaris eum fuisse ceu figulum. Hoc tantum erat in spatiis, ut non solveretur a vinculo, quoadusque nomen illud sacratissimum invocasset; invocato autem, omnia solvebantur. Tunc rex altioris ingenii videns virtutem sancti Martini ibidem operari, et absolvit eum ab<br>onere vinculi et pristinae restituit libertati. <br><br>'I thought it appropriate not to omit from this account a story that I heard the priest Wiliachar tell. Once when he had offended King Chlothar on account of the treachery of Chramn, he fled to the church of Saint Martin. There he was bound in chains and kept under guard; but the chains could not withstand the power of the blessed champion and were broken. Through some kind of carelessness, he was seized outside the courtyard. The men loaded him with irons, bound his hands behind his back, and led him to King Chlothar. But Wiliachar began to cry out in a loud voice and to pray that the blessed Martin have pity on him and not allow a man who had piously come to his church to leave as a captive. The blessed bishop Eufronius was praying on the wall of the city opposite the church. As Wiliachar shouted, immediately his hands were freed, and all the chains fell away as their links were broken. But he was led to King Chlothar and there again bound and held in fetters and chains. After he had repeatedly called upon the name of his oft-mentioned patron, all the iron on him was shattered so [completely] that you might have thought it was pottery. During this time this was the situation: he was not released from his bonds until he had called upon that most sacred name, but once he invoked it, all his bonds were released. Then King Chlothar, being of superior intelligence, realised that the power of St. Martin was at work here; so he released Wiliachar from the burden of his chains and restored him to his original freedom.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 150. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 218-219, lightly modified (de Nie 2015, 491-493).