History of the Franks 1 part 9/38

Without delay Chlothar, seizing the elder boy by the arm, dashed him to the ground, and plunging his dagger into his armpit, cruelly slew him. As he cried out, his brother cast himself at Childebert's feet, and grasping his knees, said with tears: 「Help me, most merciful father, lest I too perish like my brother.」 Then Childebert, his face bathed in tears, said: 「I beg you, sweetest brother, that you grant me his life by your bounty; and I will bestow whatever you command for his life, only let him not be slain.」 But he, provoked by reproaches, said: 「Either thrust him from you, or surely you shall die in his stead. You,」 he said, 「are the instigator of this affair, and do you so swiftly recoil from your pledge?」

Hearing this, Childebert thrust the boy from himself and cast him to him; and he, receiving him, ran the dagger through into his side, as he had done to his brother before, and cut his throat; then they slew the boys together with their tutors. These being slain, Chlothar, mounting his horses, departed, making little account of the slaughter of his nephews; and Childebert too withdrew to the suburbs. But the queen, having laid the little bodies upon a bier, with great chanting of psalms and immense mourning, escorted them all the way to the basilica of Saint Peter, and buried both together. Of these one was ten years old, the other seven. The third, Chlodoald, they could not seize, because by the aid of brave men he was set free.

He, setting aside the earthly kingdom, passed over to the Lord, and cutting off his own hair with his own hand, was made a cleric; and persevering in good works, he departed from this world as a priest. They too divided between themselves the kingdom of Chlodomer with an equal balance. But Queen Chrotechild showed herself such and so great that she was honored by all: constant in almsgiving, sleepless in vigils; in chastity and all honor she ever showed herself pure; she provided estates and necessities for churches, monasteries, and whatever holy places, and distributed them with a generous and ready will, so that she was thought in that time to be no queen, but the very handmaid of God diligently serving Him.

Her neither the kingdom of her sons, nor worldly ambition, nor wealth raised up to ruin, but humility lifted up to grace. XIX. For there was at that time also the blessed Gregory at the city of Langres, a great priest of God, renowned for signs and wonders. But since we have made mention of this bishop, I have judged it pleasing to insert into this account the situation of the place of Dijon, in which he was especially assiduous. Now it is a fortress with the strongest walls, set in the midst of a plain and a most pleasant spot, having lands very fertile and fruitful, so that, the fields once cut by the plowshare, seeds may be cast in and a great abundance of crops follow. On the south it has the river Ouche, very rich in fish;

but from the north comes another little river, which entering through a gate and running beneath a bridge, goes out again through another gate, flowing around the whole place of the stronghold with a placid wave; and before the gate it turns the mills with marvelous swiftness. Four gates are set at the four quarters of the world; and thirty-three towers adorn the whole edifice; but its wall is built of squared stones up to twenty feet, and above is built of small stone, having in height thirty feet and in breadth fifteen feet. Why it is not called a city, I do not know. For it has round about precious springs;

and on the western side there are most fertile hills, filled with vineyards, which yield to the inhabitants so noble a Falernian wine that they scorn that of Chalon; for the ancients relate that it was built by this emperor Aurelian. XX. Now Theuderic had betrothed to his son Theudebert Uvisigardis, the daughter of a certain king. XXI. But the Goths, when after the death of Chlodovech they had seized much of what he had acquired, Theuderic sends Theudebert, and Chlothar his elder son Gunthar, to reclaim these things. But Gunthar, advancing as far as Rodez, by some cause I know not, turned back;

but Theudebert, advancing as far as the city of Béziers, obtained the fortress of Dio, and from there carried off plunder. Then he sends envoys to another fortress, by name Capraria, saying that, unless they submit themselves to him, the whole of that place would be consumed by fire, and those who dwelt there would be taken captive. XXII. Now there was at that place at that time a matron, by name Deuteria, very capable and wise, whose husband had withdrawn to the city of Béziers. She sent messengers to the king, saying: 「No one is able to resist you, most merciful lord. We acknowledge our lord: come, and do what is well-pleasing in your eyes.」 So Theudebert, coming to the fortress, entered in with peace;

and seeing the people subdued to him, he did no evil there. But Deuteria came out to meet him; and he, seeing her beautiful, was inflamed with love of her, and joined her to his bed. XXIII. In those days Theuderic slew his kinsman Sigivald with the sword, sending secretly to Theudebert that he too should put to death Sigivald's son, whom he then had with him: but because he had received him from the holy font, he was unwilling to destroy him. The letters which his father had sent him he gave to the young man himself to read, saying: 「Flee hence, for I have received my father's command that I should slay you: but if he dies, and you hear that I reign, then you shall return to me secure.」

Hearing this, giving thanks and bidding farewell, he departed. For the Goths had then seized the city of Arles, from which Theudebert held hostages: to it Sigivald's son fled. But seeing himself there too little protected, he made for Latium, and there he lay hidden. While these things were happening, it was announced to Theudebert that his father was gravely ill, and that unless he hastened more swiftly to him, so as to find him alive, he would be excluded by his uncles and would not return thither again. Hearing this, setting all else aside, he hastened thither, leaving Deuteria with her daughter in the Auvergne. And when he had departed, Theuderic, not many days after, died, in the twenty-third year of his reign.

But Childebert and Chlothar, rising up against Theudebert, wished to take away his kingdom. But he, having appeased them with gifts, was defended by his leudes and established in the kingdom. Afterward, sending to the Auvergne, he summoned Deuteria thence, and joined her to himself in marriage. XXIV. Now Childebert, seeing that he could not prevail against him, sent a legation to him, and bade him come to him, saying: 「I have no sons; I desire to have you as a son.」 When he came, he enriched him with such great gifts that he was a marvel to all. For of good things — both arms and garments and other ornaments such as it befits a king to have — he bestowed on him three pairs of each; likewise of horses and Latin servants.

Hearing this, Sigivald's son — namely that Theudebert had obtained his father's kingdom — returned to him from Italy. And he, rejoicing over him and kissing him, bestowed upon him a third part of the gifts which he had received from his uncle; and all that his father had placed in the treasury from the goods of his father Sigivald, he ordered to be restored to him. XXV. But he, established in the kingdom, showed himself great and preeminent in all goodness. For he was ruling the kingdom with justice, venerating the priests, endowing the churches, relieving the poor, and bestowing many benefits on many with a pious and most sweet will. All the tribute that was rendered to his treasury by the churches situated in the Auvergne, he mercifully remitted. XXVI.

But Deuteria, seeing that her daughter had grown quite mature, and fearing that the king might desire her and take her for himself, placed her in a cart, yoked to it untamed oxen, and hurled her down from the bridge, so that she gave up her spirit in that very river. This was done at the city of Verdun. XXVII. And when it was now the seventh year since he had Wisigard betrothed to him, and yet for Deuteria's sake he was unwilling to take her, the Franks who had joined him were greatly scandalized, asking why he was abandoning his betrothed. Then, moved by this, having left Deuteria, by whom he had a little son named Theudebald, he took Wisigard to wife. Having had her for a long time, when she died, he took another. Yet he did not take Deuteria back again. XXVIII.

Now Childebert and Theudebert, mustering an army, made ready to march against Chlothar. But he, hearing this, and judging that he could not withstand their army, fled into a forest, made great barricades of felled trees in those woods, and poured out all his hope upon the mercy of God. Queen Chrotechildis too, hearing of this, went to the tomb of the blessed Martin, and there prostrated herself in prayer, and kept vigil the whole night, praying that no civil war might arise between her sons. And when these two came with their armies and besieged him, plotting to kill him the next day, at daybreak, in the place where they were encamped, a storm arose that overturned their tents, scattered their goods, and threw everything into confusion;

and lightning mingled with thunder and hailstones came down upon them. They themselves fell on their faces upon the hail-stricken ground, and were grievously battered by the falling stones; for no covering remained to them save only their shields, fearing above all that they might be consumed by the fires of heaven. Their horses too were so scattered that they could scarcely be found within twenty stadia; indeed many of them were not found at all. Then they, as we have said, struck down by the stones and laid low upon the ground, did penance and begged pardon of God for having wished to do these things against their own blood.

But upon Chlothar not so much as a single drop of rain fell, nor was any sound of thunder heard; nor did they feel even a breath of any wind in that place. They too, sending envoys to him, sought peace and concord; and when these were granted, they returned to their own lands. Let no one doubt that this was a miracle wrought through the queen's intercession at the prayer of the blessed Martin. XXIX. After this King Childebert went into Spain; and having entered it with Chlothar, with their army they encircled and besieged the city of Saragossa. But the people within turned to God in such great humility that, clothed in haircloth and abstaining from food and drink, they went round the walls of the city chanting psalms, bearing the tunic of the blessed martyr Vincent:

the women too, wrapped in black mantles, with hair loosed and ashes strewn upon them, so that you would have thought them attending the funerals of their husbands, followed weeping. And so that place referred all its hope to the mercy of the Lord, so that it was said that a fast of the Ninevites was being celebrated there; nor was it supposed that anything else could come to pass, unless the divine mercy were moved by their prayers. But those who were besieging, not knowing what the besieged were doing, when they saw the wall circled in this way, supposed that they were working some sorcery. Then, seizing one of the country folk from the city, they questioned him as to what this was that they were doing. He said: 'They are carrying the tunic of the blessed Vincent, and with it they are entreating that the Lord may have mercy on them.'

At this they, taking fright, withdrew from that city; nevertheless, having gained a very great part of Spain, they returned into Gaul with great spoils. XXX. After Amalaric, Theuda was ordained king in Spain. When he was slain, they raised up Theudegisel as king. While he was feasting at supper with his friends and was very merry, suddenly, the lamps being put out at the banqueting-couch, he was struck through by the sword of his enemies and died; after him Agila received the kingdom. For the Goths had taken up this detestable custom, that if any of their kings did not please them, they would assail him with the sword, and whoever was pleasing to their mind, him they would set up as king for themselves. XXXI.

And because Theodoric, king of Italy, had taken in marriage the sister of King Clovis, when he died he left a little daughter with his wife. Now when she had grown up, through the levity of her own mind she abandoned her mother's counsel, who was providing a king's son for her, and took her own slave, named Traguilan, and fled with him to a city where she might be protected. And when her mother gnashed her teeth fiercely against her, and begged her not to debase any longer so noble a stock, but, dismissing the slave, to take one of her own kind, of royal lineage, whom her mother had provided, she would by no means consent. Then her mother, gnashing her teeth against her, set an army in motion.

And those men, coming upon them, slew Traguilan with the sword, and, striking the woman herself too, brought her back to her mother's house. Now they were living under the Arian sect. And because their custom is that, when coming to the altar, the kings communicate from one chalice and the lesser folk from another, she put poison into that chalice from which the mother was to communicate. When she had drunk it, the mother straightway died; for there is no doubt that such wickedness is on the devil's part. What will the wretched heretics answer against these things, that the enemy should have a place among their saints?

But we, who confess the Trinity alike in one equality and omnipotence, even if we should drink something deadly, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the true and incorruptible God, it shall do us no harm. The Goths, indignant against this woman, invited Theodahad, king of Tuscany, and set him up as king over themselves. But he, when he had learned what that harlot had committed—how, for the sake of the slave whom she had taken, she had become a parricide against her mother—commanded that, a bath being heated to a fierce heat, she be shut up in it together with a single maidservant. She, without delay, entering amid the scorching vapors, fell down upon the pavement and died and was consumed.

When these kings, Childebert and Chlothar, her cousins, and likewise Theudebert, learned this—namely that she had been put to death by so shameful a punishment—they sent an embassy to Theodahad, reproaching him for her death, and saying: 'If you do not make amends with us for these things you have done, we will take away your kingdom and condemn you to a like penalty.' Then he, taking fright, sent them fifty thousand gold pieces. But Childebert, as he was always envious and crafty against King Chlothar, joining himself with his nephew Theudebert, divided this gold between them and would give nothing thereof to King Chlothar. But he, falling upon the treasures of Chlodomer, carried off far more from them than these two had defrauded him.

XXXII. Theudebert went off into Italy, and from it gained harm. But because those places, as is reported, are unhealthy, his army, falling into divers fevers, was sorely afflicted. For many of them died in those places. Seeing this, Theudebert returned from it, he himself and his men carrying off much spoil with them; yet it is said that at that time he reached as far as the city of Pavia, in which he stationed Buccelin again. He, when that lesser Italy had been captured and brought under the dominion of the aforesaid king, sought the greater; and there, fighting many times against Belisarius, he obtained the victory. And when the emperor saw that Belisarius was being too often defeated, he removed him and set Narses in his place.

But Belisarius he appointed as count of the stable—as if for humility's sake—which office he had held before. Now Buccelin waged great contests against Narses; and, all Italy being captured, he extended his boundary as far as the sea, and sent great treasures from Italy to Theudebert. When this had come to the emperor's notice through Narses, the emperor, peoples having been hired for a price, sent relief to Narses; and afterward, when battle was joined, Buccelin was defeated and withdrew. Thereafter Buccelin occupied Sicily, and exacting tribute from it as well, he sent it to the king. For his good fortune in these circumstances was great. XXXIII. Asteriolus and Secundinus were at that time held in great regard with the king. Now each of them was wise and steeped in the letters of rhetoric.

But Secundinus, being sent by the king, often conveyed an embassy to the emperor, and on this account had taken on arrogance, and did many things contrary to reason. For this cause it came about that a savage quarrel arose between him and Asteriolus, which went so far that, the verbal reproaches being forgotten, they tore at each other with their own hands. And when these matters had been pacified by the king, and Secundinus still smarted over his beating, a fresh dispute arose between them. And the king, taking up Secundinus's cause, handed Asteriolus over into his power. He was greatly humbled and deposed from his honor; but through Queen Wisigard he was again restored.

But when she had died, Secundinus rose up again and killed him. Now this man, dying, left a son who, when he had grown up and reached manhood, began to wish to avenge the wrong done to his father. Then Secundinus, struck with terror, while he was fleeing before him from estate to estate, when he now saw that, with him pressing close, he could not escape, lest he fall into the hands of his enemy, killed himself with poison, as is said. XXXIV.

Now Desideratus, bishop of Verdun, upon whom King Theuderic had inflicted many wrongs, when, after many ruins and losses and hardships, he had now by the Lord's command returned to his own liberty and gained possession, as we have said, of the bishopric in the city of Verdun, seeing its inhabitants very poor and destitute, grieved over them; and since he himself had been left a stranger to his own goods through Theuderic, and had nothing of his own wherewith to console them, perceiving the goodness and clemency of King Theudebert toward all, he sent an embassy to him, saying: 'The fame of your goodness is spread abroad through all the land, since so great is your generosity that you grant aid even to those who do not ask.

'I beg, if your piety has anything of money, lend it to us, that we may be able to relieve our citizens. And when these, plying their trade, have made their return in our city, as the rest have, we will repay your money with lawful interest.' Then he, moved by piety, lent him seven thousand gold pieces. Receiving these, he distributed them among his citizens. And they, plying their trades, were thereby made wealthy, and to this day are reckoned great men. And when the aforesaid bishop had offered the owed money to the king, the king replied: 'I have no need to take this back;

'this suffices me, if by your stewardship the poor who were oppressed by want have, through your suggestion or through my generosity, been relieved.' And exacting nothing, he made the aforesaid citizens wealthy. XXXV. Now when the aforementioned prelate had died in the above-named city, a certain Agiricus, one of the citizens, was substituted in his chair. But Syagrius, the son of that prelate, recalling the wrongs done to his father—how he had been accused before King Theuderic by Sirivald, and not only despoiled but also subjected to torments—slew the said Sirivald in this manner, overpowering him with an armed band.

Then, at daybreak, when the fog was dense, and one could still scarcely discern anything as the darkness was being broken up, he came to his estate in the territory of Dijon, whose name is Fleurey; and when one of his friends had gone out of the house, supposing him to be Sirivald himself, they killed him; and as they were returning, as though they had won a victory over their enemy, one of the household informed them that they had not killed the master but a subordinate. But they, going back and seeking him out, came upon the little cell in which he was wont to sleep, having found it. Fighting for a very long time at its door, they could prevail nothing against him. Then, the wall having been broken through on one side, they entered and slew him with the sword.

For it was after the death of Theuderic that this man was slain. XXXVI. When at length these things had been done, King Theudebert began to fall ill. The physicians bestowed much effort upon him, but it availed nothing, because the Lord was now commanding him to be summoned. So when he had been ill for a very long time, failing from that very sickness, he gave up his spirit. But the Franks, since they held Parthenius in great hatred, because in the time of the aforesaid king he had imposed tributes upon them, began to persecute him. He, seeing himself placed in peril, made flight from the city, and humbly entreated two bishops to conduct him to the city of Trier and, by their preaching, to suppress the sedition of the raging people.

While these men were going on, at night, as he lay reclined upon his bed, suddenly through a dream he uttered a great cry, saying: 'Alas, alas! Help, you who are present, and bring aid to one who is perishing!' Awakened by this cry, those who were present asked what this was. He replied: 'Ausanius my friend, with Papianilla my wife, whom I once killed, were summoning me to judgment, saying: Come to answer, for you are to plead with us in the presence of the Lord.' For, driven by jealousy some years before, he had slain his innocent wife and his friend.

Therefore, when the bishops were approaching the aforesaid city, since they could not endure the sedition of the clamoring people, they wished to hide him in the church, namely placing him in a chest and spreading over it the vestments that were for the use of the church. But the people, having entered and searched through all the corners of the church, when they had found nothing, went out gnashing their teeth. Then one, speaking from suspicion, said: 'Behold the chest, in which our adversary has not been sought.' And when the keepers said that nothing else was contained in it but the ornaments of the church, they demanded the key, saying: 'Unless you unlock it quickly, we ourselves will break it open of our own accord.'

At last, the chest being unlocked and the linens removed, they drew out the man they had found, clapping and saying: 'God has delivered our enemy into our hands.' Then, striking him with their fists and assailing him with spittle, they bound his hands behind his back and overwhelmed him with stones at a pillar. Now he had been exceedingly greedy in his eating; but whatever he took, in order to be the more quickly moved to eat again, having taken aloe, he would quickly digest it, and he would also let out the rumbling of his belly in public without any regard for those who heard. Thus he perished, brought to this end. XXXVII. In that year there was a severe winter, harsher than usual, so that the torrents, chained together with frost, afforded a passable way for the people, like the rest of the ground.

Birds too, stricken by the cold or by hunger, when the snows were great, were caught by hand without any trickery of men. From the passing of Clovis, then, to the passing of Theudebert, thirty-seven years are reckoned. Theudebert therefore having died in the fourteenth year of his reign, Theudebald his son reigned in his stead. HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOURTH BOOK. I. Of the death of Queen Chrotechildis. II. That King Chlothar wished to take away from the churches a third part of their fruits. III. Of his wives and sons. IV. Of the counts of the Bretons. V. Of Saint Gall the bishop. VI. Of Cato the presbyter. VII. Of the bishopric of Cautinus. VIII. Of the kings of the Spaniards. IX. Of the death of King Theudebald. X. Of the rebellion of the Saxons. XI.

That by royal command they sought Cato for the bishopric of Tours. XII. Of Anastasius the presbyter. XIII. Of the levity and malice of Chramn; and of Cautinus and Firminus. XIV. That Chlothar went against the Saxons a second time. XV. Of the bishopric of Saint Euphronius. XVI. Of Chramn and his followers, and the evils he did; and how he came to Dijon. XVII. That Chramn passed over to Childebert. XVIII. Of Duke Austrapius. XIX. Of the death of Saint Medard the bishop, and his burial. XX. Of the death of Childebert, and the destruction of Chramn. XXI. Of the death of King Chlothar. XXII. The division of the kingdom among his sons. XXIII. That Sigibert went against the Huns; and Chilperic invaded his cities. XXIV.

Of the patriciate of Celsus. XXV. Of the wives of Guntram. XXVI. Of the wives of Charibert. XXVII. That Sigibert took Brunhild. XXVIII. Of the wives of Chilperic. XXIX. Of the second war of Sigibert against the Huns. XXX. That the men of Auvergne went to take the city of Arles by command of King Sigibert. XXXI. Of the fortress of Tauredunum, and other signs. XXXII (new). Of Julian the monk. XXXIII (new). Of Senoch the abbot. XXXIV (new). Of the monk of Bordeaux. XXXV (new). Of the bishopric of Avitus of Auvergne. XXXVI (new). Of Saint Nicetius of Lyons. XXXVII (new). Of Saint Friard the recluse. XXXVIII (otherwise XXXII). Of the kings of the Spaniards. XXXIX (otherwise XXXIII). Of the rule of Justin. XL (otherwise XXXIV).

Of the destruction of Palladius of Auvergne. XLI (otherwise XXXV). That Alboin with the Lombards occupied Italy. XLII (otherwise XXXVI). Of the origin of Eunius, surnamed Mummolus. XLIII (otherwise XXXVII). Of the wars of Mummolus with the Lombards. XLIV (otherwise XXXVIII). Of the archdeacon of Marseilles. XLV (otherwise XXXIX). Of the Lombards and Mummolus. XLVI (otherwise XL). That Mummolus came to Tours. XLVII (otherwise XLI). Of the destruction of Andarchius. XLVIII (otherwise XLII). That Theudebert invaded cities. XLIX (otherwise XLIII). Of the monastery of Latta. L (otherwise XLIV). Of the remaining deeds of Sigibert; and that he came to Paris. LI (otherwise XLV). That Chilperic made a treaty with Guntram; and of the death of Theudebert his son. LII (otherwise XLVI).