E05759: Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem on the oratory dedicated to *Gabriel (the Archangel, S00192) by Gregory (bishop of Tours 573-594) in Artannes (north-west Gaul), lists the relics housed there. Poem 10.10, written in Latin in Gaul, 576/594.
Creators: name: Kwojtalik
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: Venantius Fortunatus, Poems 10.10 (Versus de oratorio Artannensi, 'Verses on the oratory of Artannes')<br><br>Magna beatorum retinet haec terra talenta,<br> divinis opibus dives habetur humus.<br>Pars dextra angelico Gabrielis honore coruscat,<br> gaudia qui mundo detulit ore sacro,<br>quando aeternalem concepit virgo salutem, 5<br> dona redemptoris nuntius iste ferens.<br>Laeva est parte lapis tumuli, quem corpore Christus<br> pressit morte brevi, victor eundo patri.<br>Hic quoque reliquiis micat ille Gregorius almis,<br> qui probus igne redit nec pice mersus obit. 10<br>Sunt etiam Cosmas, Damianus et ipse, salubres<br> non ferro artifices, sed medicante fide.<br>Est Iulianus item, gladio iugulatus amico,<br> plebs quem Arverna colens arma salutis habet;<br>Martinusque sacer, retinet quem Gallicus orbis, 15<br> cuius Christum operit dimidiata chlamys,<br>se tunica spolians nudum qui vestit egenum,<br> unde datae sibi sunt alba topazus onyx,<br>quae meruere aliqui hoc in corpore cernere sancti,<br> gemmarumque sonus quod patefecit opus. 20<br>Additur hic mentis cum nomine Victor opimis,<br> munere martyrii qui tenet alta poli;<br>hic veteris virtute viri nova palma Niceti,<br> urbem Lugdunum qui fovet ore, sinu.<br>Horum pastor opem corde, ore Gregorius orat, 25<br> vivat ut altithrono vir sine fine deo.<br><br>'This spot possesses a great wealth of the blessed; the earth is rich with the riches of God. The right side shines brightly with the glory of the angel Gabriel, who brought joy to the world from his sacred lips, when a virgin conceived eternal salvation, and who carried the message of the redeemer’s bounty. (7) On the left is a stone from the tomb that Christ with his body burdened briefly in death before returning in victory to his father. Here too that Gregory shines with his bountiful relics who by his virtue emerged unscathed from fire and when plunged in pitch did not die. (11) Also here are the physicians Cosmas and Damian, who practice not with a scalpel, but by the healing power of faith. Again there is Julian, whose throat was cut by a kindly sword - in honoring him the people of Auvergne win the weapons of salvation - (15) and saintly Martin, whom the Gallic realm claims for itself, whose halved cloak served to cover Christ, who stripped off his tunic to clothe a naked poor man, for which he received pearls, topaz, and onyx, which some were found worthy to see on the body of the saint, while the sound of the jewels revealed what had happened. (20) Present here too is Victor, victorious in name and in his rich virtues, who as a reward for martyrdom possesses the heights of heaven; and here too Nicetius, whose palm is new but powers of long standing, who protects the city of Lyon with voice and embrace. (25) Gregory begs for the aid of all these with heart and with speech, to live forever, though a man, with God the high-enthroned.'<br><br>Text: Leo 1881, 244-245. Translation: Roberts 2017, 681 and 683.