E00062: Gregory of Tours, in his Life of *Nicetius (bishop of Lyon, ob. 573, S00049), recounts how Nicetius' successor, an opponent of the saint, gave Nicetius' cape to a deacon who misused it, and was miraculously punished; in Lyon (central Gaul), shortly after 573. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.
Creators: name: Admin, CSLA
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2014
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers 8.5<br><br>(Ch.5) Et quia novimus, Priscum episcopum huic sancto semper fuisse adversum, diacono cuidam huius casublam tribuit. Erat autem valida, eo quod et ipse vir Dei robusto fuisset corpore. Cappa autem huius indumenti ita dilatata erat atque consuta, ut solent in illis candidis fieri, quae per paschalia festa sacerdotum umeris inponuntur. Ibatque diaconus cum hoc vestimento discurrens, ac parvi pendens, de cuius usibus remansisset; hoc habens in lectulo, hoc utens in foro, de cuius fimbriis, si credulitas certa fuisset, reddi potuit salus infirmis. Cui ait quidam: "O diacone, si scires virtutem Dei, et quis fuit, cuius vestimentum uteris, cautius te cum eo vivere oportebat". Cui ille: "Vere", inquid, "dico tibi, quia et hanc casublam tergo utor et de cappa eius, parte prolixiore decisa, tegumen pedum aptabo". Fecit ilico miser quae pollicitus est, suscepturus protinus divini iudicii ultionem. Verum ubi, deciso cucullo, aptatis pedulibus, pedes operuit, extemplo arreptus a daemone, ruit in pavimento. Erat enim solus in domo, nec erat qui succurreret misero. Cumque spumas cruentas ore proiceret, extensis ad focum pedibus, pedes cum pedulibus ignis pariter devoravit. Actenus de ultionibus.<br><br>(Ch.5) 'Bishop Priscus, whom we know to have been a strong opponent of the holy man, gave to a certain deacon the cape (casubla) which Nicetius had worn. It was ample, for the man of God was large in body. The hood (cappa) of the garment was wide, and sewn, as was the custom, with the white bands which priests wear on the shoulder during the Easter festivities. The deacon went everywhere in this garment, and thought little about the use to which he had put it. He kept it on his bed, he wore it in the forum, never thinking that its fringes, if his faith had been firm enough, could have brought health to the sick. Someone said to him, "O deacon, if you knew the power of God, and that of him whose garment you wear, you would use it with more care." He replied, "I tell you in truth that I wear this cape to cover my back - and as the hood is too big for me, I shall make socks (tegumen pedum) out of it!" The wretched man did that straight away, and fell immediately to the vengeance of divine judgement. Indeed, as soon as he had cut the hood, made the socks and put them on his feet, the devil seized him and threw him to the ground. He was then left alone in the house, and there was no-one to help the wretched man. A bloody foam came from his mouth, and his feet were stretched towards the hearth; the fire devoured his feet, and the socks as well. This is all I have to say concerning vengeance.'<br><br>Text: Krusch 1969, 245-246. Translation: James 1991, 54-56. Summary: Marta Tycner.