History of the FranksGregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
History
History of the Franks
Gregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
France -- Church history -- To 987; France -- History -- To 987; Franks -- History -- To 768
And they went on to king Sigibert and were settled in the land
they had left.
[43. Albinus, governor of Provence, seizes archdeacon Virgilius on
Christmas day in the church for failing to punish his men; Albinus
is fined. 44. Three Lombard chiefs invade Gaul but are defeated and
driven back into Italy by Mummolus. 45. Mummolus recovers Tours and
Poitiers for Sigibert from Chilperic.]
46. As I am about to speak of the death of Andarchius, it seems best
to tell first of his birth and native place. He was a slave of the
senator Felix as they say, and being assigned to attend his young
master he entered with him upon the study of letters and became
distinguished for his learning. For he was fully instructed in the
works of Virgil, the books of the Theodosian law, and the art of
calculation. Being puffed up with such knowledge he began to hold
his masters in contempt, and devoted himself to the service of
duke Lupus when he went to the city of Marseilles by order of king
Sigibert. When Lupus left Marseilles he told Andarchius to go with
him and secured for him the favor of king Sigibert and put him at
his service. And Sigibert sent him to various places and gave him an
opportunity for military service. Being held in a sort of honor[BO]
because of this he came to Clermont and there entered into friendship
with Ursus, a citizen of the city. Then being of an ambitious temper
he wished to be betrothed to Ursus’ daughter, and concealed a coat
of mail, as they tell, in a chest in which documents used to be
kept, and said to Ursus’ wife: “I give in your care a multitude of
gold pieces, more than sixteen thousand, which I have placed in
this chest, and it shall be yours if you will cause your daughter
to be betrothed to me.” [BP]“To what do you not drive the hearts
of men, accursed greed for gold?” The woman believed him without
reserve and in her husband’s absence agreed to betroth the girl to
him. He went back to the king and brought an order to the judge of
the place[BQ] commanding him to marry this girl, saying: “I paid
the earnest money at the betrothal.” But Ursus denied it saying: “I
do not know who you are and I have none of your property.” When the
quarrel continued and grew hotter Andarchius had Ursus summoned to
the presence of the king. And coming to the village of Braine he
found another man named Ursus whom he caused to be taken secretly to
the altar and to swear and say: “By this holy place and the relics
of the blessed martyrs I will not delay in paying you the sixteen
thousand _solidi_, since I am not to give my daughter in marriage
to you.” Now witnesses were standing in the sanctuary listening
secretly to what was said but not seeing the person who spoke. Then
Andarchius soothed Ursus with gentle words and caused him to return
to his native place without seeing the king. After this he made an
oath and when Ursus went away he produced before the king a document
containing the oath and said: “Such and such is the writing I have
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account