E02032: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (2.37), tells how, in 507, Clovis, king of the Franks, marching to confront the Arian Visigoths at Vouillé, out of respect for *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), protected the property of Tours and Poitiers (both in western Gaul), and received favourable omens from both saints. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
Creators: name: Robert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2016
Subjects: History

description: Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 2.37<br><br>Igitur Chlodovechus rex ait suis: 'Valde molestum fero, quod hi Arriani partem teneant Galliarum. Eamus cum Dei adiutorium, et superatis redegamus terram in ditione nostra'. Cumque placuisset omnibus hic sermo, conmoto exercitu, Pectavus dirigit. Ibi tunc Alaricus commorabatur. Sed quoniam pars hostium per territurium Turonicum transiebat, pro reverentia beati Martini dedit edictum, ut nullus de regione illa aliud quam herbarum alimenta aquamque praesumeret. Quidam autem de exercitu, inventum cuiusdam pauperis faenum, ait: 'Nonne rex herbam tantum praesumi mandavit, nihil aliud? Et hoc, inquid, 'herba est. Non enim erimus transgressores praecepti eius, si eam praesumimus'. Cumque vim faciens pauperi faenum vertute tulisset, factum pervenit ad regem. Quem dicto citius gladio peremptum, ait: 'Et ubi erit spes victuriae, si beato Martino offendimus?' Satisque fuit exercitui nihil ulterius ab ac regione praesumere. Ipsi vero rex direxit nuntius ad beatam basilicam, dicens: 'Ite et forsitan aliquod victuriae auspicium ab aedae sancta suscipitis'. Tunc datis muneribus, quod loco sancto exhiberent, ait: 'Si tu, Domine, adiutor mihi es et gentem hanc incredulam semperque aemulam tibi meis manibus tradere decrevisti, in ingressu basilicae sancti Martini dignare propitius revelare, ut cognuscam, quia propitius dignaberis esse famulo tuo'. Maturantibus autem pueris et ad locum accedentibus iuxta imperium regis, dum sanctam ingrederentur basilicam, hanc antefanam ex inproviso primicirius, qui erat, inposuit: Praecinxisti me, Domine, virtutem ad bellum, subplantasti insurgentes in me subtus me et inimicorum meorum dedisti mihi dorsum et odientes me disperdedisti. Quod psallentium audientes, Domino gratias agentes et vota beato confessori promittentes, laeti nuntiaverunt regi. Porro ille cum ad fluvium Vigennam cum exercitu advenisset, in quo loco eum transire deberit, paenitus ignorabat. Intumuerat enim ab inundationem pluviarum. Cumque illa nocte Dominum depraecatus fuisset, ut ei vadum quo transire possit dignaretur ostendere, mane facto cerva mirae magnitudinis ante eos nuto Dei flumine ingreditur, illaque vadante, populus quo transire possit agnovit. Veniente autem rege apud Pictavus, dum eminus in tenturiis commoraret, pharus ignea, de basilica sancti Helari egressa, visa est ei tamquam super se advenire, scilicet ut, lumine beati confessoris adiutus Helarii, liberius hereticas acies, contra quas saepe idem sacerdos pro fide conflixerat, debellaret. Contestatus est autem omni exercitu, ut nec ibi quidem aut in via aliquem expoliarent aut res cuiusquam direperent. <br><br>'"I find it hard to go on seeing these Arians occupy a part of Gaul," said Clovis to his ministers. "With God's help let us invade them. When we have beaten them, we will take over their territory." They all agreed to this proposal. An army was assembled and Clovis marched on Poitiers. Some of his troops passed through land belonging to Tours. In respect for Saint Martin Clovis ordered that they should requisition nothing in this neighbourhood except fodder and water. One of the soldiers found some hay belonging to a poor man. The king commanded that nothing should be requisitioned except fodder, didn’t he?’ said this man. ‘Well, this is fodder. We shan’t be disobeying his orders if we take it.’ He laid hands on the poor man and took his hay by main force. This was reported to Clovis. He drew his sword and killed the soldier on the spot. "It is no good expecting to win this fight if we offend Saint Martin," said he. This was enough to ensure that the army took nothing else from this region. The king sent messengers to the church of Saint Martin. "Go," he said, "and perhaps you will bring back some auspices of victory from the holy house." He loaded them with gifts which they were to offer to the church. "Lord God," said he, "if You are on my side and if You have decreed that this people of unbelievers, who have always been hostile to You, are to be delivered into my hands, deign to show me a propitious sign as these men enter Saint Martin’s church, so that I may know that You will support your servant Clovis." The messengers set out on their journey and came to Tours as Clovis had commanded. As they entered the church, it happened that the precentor was just beginning to intone this antiphon: "For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies: that I might destroy them that hate me." When the messengers heard this psalm, they gave thanks to God. They made their vows to the Saint and went happily back to report to the King. When Clovis reached the River Vienne with his army, he was at a loss to know where to cross, for the river was swollen with heavy rains. That night he prayed that God might deign to indicate a ford by which he might make the crossing. As day dawned an enormous doe entered the water, as if to lead them at God’s command. The soldiers knew that where the doe had crossed they could follow. The King marched towards Poitiers, and while he and his army were encamped there a pillar of fire rose from the church of Saint Hilary. It seemed to move towards Clovis as a sign that with the support of the blessed Saint he might the more easily overcome the heretic host, against which Hilary himself had so often done battle for the faith. Clovis forbade his troops to take any booty as they marched in, or to rob any man of his possessions.'<br><br>After a passage describing the miracle of the Abbot Maxentius (E02029), Gregory gives his account of the Battle of Vouillé and Clovis's victory over the Goths. The passage concludes:<br><br>Post haec, patrata victuria, Turonus est regressus, multae sanctae basilicae beati Martini munera offerens.<br><br>'With his victory consolidated he then returned to Tours. There he gave many gifts to the church of Saint Martin.'<br><br>Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 85-86, 88. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 151-152, 154, lightly modified.