3. Later when the blessed bishop Quintian passed from this world by God’s command, the holy Gall was living in Clermont, and the people of the city assembled at the house of the priest Inpetratus, Gall’s uncle on his mother’s side, lamenting at the bishop’s death and asking who should be appointed in his place. After long debate they returned each to his own house. On their departure the holy Gall called one of the clerks and said, the holy spirit rushing into him: “What are these people muttering about? Why are they running to and fro? What are they debating? They are wasting their time,” said he. “I am going to be bishop; the Lord will deign to bestow this honor on me. Now when you hear that I am returning from the king’s presence, take my predecessor’s horse with the saddle on him and come and bring him to me. If you refuse to obey me, take care you are not sorry for it later.” As he said this, he was lying on his bed. The clerk was angry at him and abused him and struck him on the side, breaking the bed at the same time, and went off in a rage. On his departure the priest Inpetratus said to the blessed Gall: “My son, hear my advice: don’t waste a minute, but go to the king and tell him what has happened here, and if the Lord inspires him to bestow this holy office on you, I shall give thanks to God; otherwise you can at least recommend yourself to the man who is appointed.” He went and reported to the king what had happened.… And the clerks of Clermont, with the choice of the foolish, went to the king with many gifts. Even then that seed of iniquity had begun to germinate, that bishoprics were sold by kings and bought by the clerks. Then they heard from the king that they were going to have St. Gall as bishop. He was ordained priest and the king gave orders to invite the citizens to a feast at the expense of the treasury and to make merry over the promotion of Gall the future bishop. This was done. He was in the habit of telling that he had given no more for the office of bishop than a third of a gold piece which he had given to the cook who prepared the feast. Then the king appointed two bishops to accompany him to Clermont. And the clerk, Viventius by name, who had struck him on the side when he was in bed, hastened to meet the bishop according to his command, but not without great shame, and he presented himself and the horse which Gall had ordered. When they had gone into the bath together, Gall gently reproached him for the pain in his side which he had incurred from the contemptuous violence of the clerk, and he caused him great shame, not in a spirit of anger, however, but only delighting in a pious joke. After that he was received into the city with much singing and was ordained bishop in his own church. FOOTNOTES: [83] The following brief selections serve to illustrate Gregory’s personality and point of view.