[55] Cf. ad aratrum reducere, to ravage thoroughly.
[56] Great-uncle of Gregory on his mother’s side.
[57] Gregory’s great uncle.
HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE SIXTH BOOK
- 1. Childebert goes over to Chilperic; Mummulus flees.
- 2. Return of Chilperic’s legates from the East.
- 3. Childebert’s legates to Chilperic.
- 4. How Lupus was driven from Childebert’s kingdom.
- 5. Argument with a Jew.
- 6. The holy recluse Hospicius, his abstinence and miracles.
- 7. Passing away of Ferreolus, bishop of Uzès.
- 8. The recluse Ebarchius of Angoulême.
- 9. Domnolus, bishop of Mans.
- 10. St. Martin’s church is broken into.
- 11. Bishop Theodore and Dinamius.
- 12. An army marches against Bourges.
- 13. The killing of Lupus and Ambrosius, citizens of Tours.
- 14. The portents which appeared.
- 15. Death of bishop Felix.
- 16. Pappolenus recovers his wife.
- 17. Conversion of Jews by king Chilperic.
- 18. Return of king Chilperic’s legates from Spain.
- 19. King Chilperic’s men at the river Orge.
- 20. Death of duke Chrodinus.
- 21. Signs that appeared.
- 22. Bishop Cartherius.
- 23. A son is born to king Chilperic.
- 24. A second time about the plots against bishop Theodore and about Gundovald.
- 25. Signs.
- 26. Gunthram and Mummolus.
- 27. King Chilperic enters Paris.
- 28. Marcus the referendary.
- 29. The nuns of Poitiers.
- 30. Death of the emperor Tiberius.
- 31. The many evil deeds that king Chilperic ordered to be done, or did himself, in his brother’s cities.
- 32. Leudast’s death.
- 33. Locusts, plagues, and prodigies.
- 34. Death of Chilperic’s son named Theodoric.
- 35. Death of the prefect Mummulus and the women who were put to death.
- 36. Bishop Etherius.
- 37. Killing of Lupentius, abbot of Javols.
- 38. Death of bishop Theodosius and his successor.
- 39. Death of bishop Remedius and his successor.
- 40. My argument with a heretic.
- 41. King Chilperic retires to Cambrai with his treasures.
- 42. Childebert goes to Italy.
- 43. The kings of Gallicia.
- 44. Various prodigies.
- 45. Marriage of Riguntha, Chilperic’s daughter.
- 46. King Chilperic’s death.
HERE END THE CHAPTERS, THANKS BE TO GOD
Sixth Book
HERE BEGINS THE SIXTH BOOK, STARTING WITH THE SIXTH YEAR OF KING CHILDEBERT
[1. Childebert allies himself with Chilperic instead of with Gunthram; a synod meets at Lyons.]
2. Meantime king Chilperic’s legates, who had gone three years before to the emperor Tiberius, returned, but not without severe loss and danger. For as they did not dare to enter the harbor of Marseilles on account of the quarrels among the kings, they made for Agde[58] which is situated in the Gothic kingdom. But before they could reach the shore the ship was driven by the wind and dashed on the land and broken to fragments. The legates and their men, seeing they were in danger, seized planks and with difficulty reached the shore, many of the men being lost; but most escaped. The inhabitants took the articles that the waves carried ashore, but they recovered the more valuable of them and carried them to king Chilperic. The people of Agde nevertheless kept much. At that time I had gone to the villa of Nogent to see the king, and there he showed me a great basin of fifty pounds’ weight which he had made of gold and gems and he said: “I made this to bring honor and glory to the Frankish people. And I shall make many more if I live.” He showed me also gold coins each of a pound’s weight sent by the emperor having on one side the likeness of the emperor and the inscription in a circle: Tiberii Constantini Perpetui Augusti and on the other a four-horse chariot and charioteer with the inscription: Gloria Romanorum. He showed me also many other beautiful things brought by the legates.