Sulpicius Severus (d. 420): Life
of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours (d. 397)
NOW, it
came to pass some time after the above, that while Martin was going a journey,
he met the body of a certain heathen, which was being carried to the tomb with
superstitious funeral rites. Perceiving from a distance the crowd that was
approaching, and being ignorant as to what was going on, he stood still for a
little while. For there was a distance of nearly half a mile between him and the
crowd, so that it was difficult to discover what the spectacle he beheld really
was. Nevertheless, because he saw it was a rustic gathering, and when the linen
clothes spread over the body were blown about by the action of the wind, he
believed that some profane rites of sacrifice were being performed. This thought
occurred to him, because it was the custom of the Gallic rustics in their
wretched folly to carry about through the fields the images of demons veiled
with a white covering. Lifting up, therefore, the sign of the cross opposite to
them, he commanded the crowd not to move from the place in which they were, and
to set down the burden. Upon this, the miserable creatures might have been seen
at first to become stiff like rocks. Next, as they endeavored, with every
possible effort, to move forward, but were not able to take a step farther, they
began to whirl themselves about in the most ridiculous fashion, until, not able
any longer to sustain the weight, they set down the dead body. Thunderstruck,
and gazing in bewilderment at each other as not knowing what had happened to
them, they remained sunk in silent thought. But when the saintly man discovered
that they were simply a band of peasants celebrating funeral rites, and not
sacrifices to the gods, again raising his hand, he gave them the power of going
away, and of lifting up the body. Thus he both compelled them to stand when he
pleased, and permitted them to depart when he thought good.
CHAPTER
XIII.
Martin escapes from a falling pine-tree.
AGAIN,
when in a certain village he had demolished a very ancient temple, and had set
about cutting down a pine-tree, which stood close to the temple, the chief
priest of that place, and a crowd of other heathens began to oppose him. And
these people, though, under the influence of the Lord, they had been quiet while
the temple was being overthrown, could not patiently allow the tree to be cut
down. Martin carefully instructed them that there was nothing sacred in the
trunk of a tree, and urged them rather to honor God whom he himself served. He
added that there was a moral necessity why that tree should be cut down, because
it had been dedicated to a demon. Then one of them who was bolder than the
others says, "If you have any trust in thy God, whom you say you worship, we
ourselves will cut down this tree, and be it your part to receive it when
falling; for if, as you declare, your Lord is with you, you will escape all
injury." Then Martin, courageously trusting in the Lord, promises that he would
do what had been asked. Upon this, all that crowd of heathen agreed to the
condition named; for they held the loss of their tree a small matter, if only
they got the enemy of their religion buried beneath its fall. Accordingly, since
that pine-tree was hanging over in one direction, so that there was no doubt to
what side it would fall on being cut, Martin, having been bound, is, in
accordance with the decision of these pagans, placed in that spot where, as no
one doubted, the tree was about to fall. They began, therefore, to cut down
their own tree, with great glee and joyfulness, while there was at some distance
a great multitude of wondering spectators. And now the pine-tree began to
totter, and to threaten its own ruin by falling. The monks at a distance grew
pale, and, terrified by the danger ever coming nearer, had lost all hope and
confidence, expecting only the death of Martin. But he, trusting in the Lord,
and waiting courageously, when now the falling pine had uttered its expiring
crash, while it was now falling, while it was just rushing upon him, simply
holding up his hand against it, he put in its way the sign of salvation. Then,
indeed, after the manner of a spinning-top (one might have thought it driven back), it swept round to the opposite side, to such a degree that it almost
crushed the rustics, who had taken their places there in what was deemed a safe
spot. Then truly, a shout being raised to heaven, the heathen were amazed by the
miracle, while the monks wept for joy; and the name of Christ was in common
extolled by all. The well-known result was that on that day salvation came to
that region. For there was hardly one of that immense multitude of heathens who
did not express a desire for the imposition of hands, and abandoning his impious
errors, made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus. Certainly, before the
times of Martin, very few, nay, almost none, in those regions had received the
name of Christ; but through his virtues and example that name has prevailed to
such an extent, that now there is no place thereabouts which is not filled
either with very crowded churches or monasteries. For wherever he destroyed
heathen temples, there he used immediately to build either churches or
monasteries.
NOR did he
show less eminence, much about the same time, in other transactions of a like
kind. For, having in a certain village set fire to a very ancient and celebrated
temple, the circle of flames was carried by the action of the wind upon a house
which was very close to, yea, connected with, the temple. When Martin perceived
this, he climbed by rapid ascent to the roof of the house, presenting himself in
front of the advancing flames. Then indeed might the fire have been seen thrust
back in a wonderful manner against the force of the wind, so that there appeared
a sort of conflict of the two elements fighting together. Thus, by the influence
of Martin, the fire only acted in the place where it was ordered to do so. But
in a village which was named Leprosum, when he too wished to overthrow a temple
which had acquired great wealth through the superstitious ideas entertained of
its sanctity, a multitude of the heathen resisted him to such a degree that he
was driven back not without bodily injury. He, therefore, withdrew to a place in
the vicinity, and there for three days, clothed in sackcloth and ashes fasting and praying the whole time, he besought the Lord, that, as he
had not been able to overthrow that temple by human effort, Divine power might
be exerted to destroy it. Then two angels, with spears and shields after the
manner of heavenly warriors, suddenly presented themselves to him, saying that
they were sent by the Lord to put to flight the rustic multitude, and to furnish
protection to Martin, lest, while the temple was being destroyed, any one should
offer resistance. They told him therefore to return, and complete the blessed
work which he had begun. Accordingly Martin returned to the village; and while
the crowds of heathen looked on in perfect quiet as he razed the pagan temple
even to the foundations, he also reduced all the altars and images to dust. At
this sight the rustics, when they perceived that they had been so astounded and
terrified by an intervention of the Divine will, that they might not be found
fighting against the bishop, almost all believed in the Lord Jesus. They then
began to cry out openly and to confess that the God of Martin ought to be
worshiped, and that the idols should be despised, which were not able to help
them.
CHAPTER
XV.
Martin offers his neck to an assassin.
I SHALL
also relate what took place in the village of the Ædui. When Martin was there
overthrowing a temple, a multitude of rustic heathen rushed upon him in a frenzy
of rage. And when one of them, bolder than the rest, made an attack upon him
with a drawn sword, Martin, throwing back his cloak, offered his bare neck to
the assassin. Nor did the heathen delay to strike, but in the very act of
lifting up his right arm, he fell to the ground on his back, and being
overwhelmed by the fear of God, he entreated for pardon. Not unlike this was
that other event which happened to Martin, that when a certain man had resolved
to wound him with a knife as he was destroying some idols, at the very moment of
fetching the blow, the weapon was struck out of his hands and disappeared. Very
frequently, too, when the pagans were addressing him to the effect that he would
not overthrow their temples, he so soothed and conciliated the minds of the
heathen by his holy discourse that, the light of truth having been revealed to
them, they themselves overthrew their own temples.
CHAPTER
XVI.
Cures effected by St. Martin.
MOREOVER,
the gift of accomplishing cures was so largely possessed by Martin, that
scarcely any sick person came to him for assistance without being at once
restored to health. This will clearly appear from the following example. A
certain girl at Treves
was so completely prostrated by a terrible paralysis that for a long time she
had been quite unable to make use of her body for any purpose, and being, as it
were, already dead, only the smallest breath of life seemed still to remain in
her. Her afflicted relatives were standing by, expecting nothing but her death,
when it was suddenly announced that Martin had come to that city. When the
father of the girl found that such was the case, he ran to make a request in
behalf of his all but lifeless child. It happened that Martin had already
entered the church. There, while the people were looking on, and in the presence
of many other bishops, the old man, uttering a cry of grief, embraced the
saint's knees and said: "My daughter is dying of a miserable kind of infirmity;
and, what is more dreadful than death itself, she is now alive only in the
spirit, her flesh being already dead before the time. I beseech thee to go to
her, and give her thy blessing; for I believe that through you she will be
restored to health." Martin, troubled by such an address, was bewildered, and
shrank back, saying that this was a matter not in his own hands; that the old
man was mistaken in the judgment he had formed; and that he was not worthy to be
the instrument through whom the Lord should make a display of his power. The
father, in tears, persevered in still more earnestly pressing the case, and
entreated Martin to visit the dying girl. At last, constrained by the bishops
standing by to go as requested, he went down to the home of the girl. An immense
crowd was waiting at the doors, to see what the servant of the Lord would do.
And first, betaking himself to his familiar arms in affairs of that kind, he
cast himself down on the ground and prayed. Then gazing earnestly upon the
ailing girl, he requests that oil should be given him. After he had received and
blessed this, he poured the powerful sacred liquid into the mouth of the girl,
and immediately her voice returned to her. Then gradually, through contact with
him, her limbs began, one by one, to recover life, till, at last, in the
presence of the people, she arose with firm steps.