PL 66 · cols. 125–204

Gregory the Great, Dialogues Book II: the Life of Benedict

Editors' preface

PL 66:125

ANNO DOMINI DXLIII.

IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD 543.

S. P. BENEDICTUS

ST BENEDICT, FATHER

MONACHORUM OMNIUM OCCIDENTALIUM CAPUT ET SOSPITATOR.

HEAD AND PRESERVER OF ALL THE MONKS OF THE WEST.

PROLEGOMENA.

Vita S. Benedicti

Life of St Benedict

(Ex libro II Dialogorum S. Gregorii Magni excerpta).

(Excerpted from Book II of the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great).

Editors' notes and page, col. 125

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: καὶ σφριγῶν› · call in col 125

Colb. σφριγγωτάτῳ σώματι.

The Colbert manuscript reads σφριγγωτάτῳ σώματι ("with a most vigorous body").

(printed under page 66)

(2) ‹anchor: εἰς ἀνήκεστον› · call in col 125

Reg. ἀπέραντον κρημνόν.

The Royal manuscript reads ἀπέραντον κρημνόν ("a boundless precipice").

(printed under page 66)

(3) ‹anchor: ὅλως καταπέσειε› · call in col 125

Colb. καταπεσεῖν.

The Colbert manuscript reads καταπεσεῖν.

(printed under page 66)

(4) ‹anchor: πολλοῖς ἔτεσι› · call in col 125

Colb. τὴν Λατερανῶν.

The Colbert manuscript reads τὴν Λατερανῶν ("that of the Lateran").

(printed under page 66)

(5) ‹anchor: κατὰ διαδοχὴν› · call in col 125

Colb. τρίτου. Reg. habet τρίτον, quidquid dicat Gussanv. in nota marg.

The Colbert manuscript reads τρίτου. The Royal manuscript has τρίτον, whatever Goussainville says in his marginal note.

(printed under page 66)

Page

running head: 125 S. P. BENEDICTUS. PROLEGOMENA.
marginal letters: A ‹Ἀνήρ τις ὑπῆρχε›; B ‹νος τοίνυν τῶν γραμμάτων›; C ‹(at the footnotes) ¹ Colb.›; D (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; the page caption is set here; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:126

Fuit vir vitae venerabilis, gratia Benedictus et nomine, ab ipso suae pueritiae tempore cor gerens senile. Aetatem quippe moribus transiens, nulli animum voluptati dedit: sed dum in hac terra adhuc esset, quo temporaliter libere uti potuisset, despexit jam quasi aridum mundum cum flore. Qui liberiori genere ex provincia Nursiae exortus, Romae liberalibus litterarum studiis traditus fuerat. Sed cum in eis multos ire per abrupta vitiorum cerneret, eum quem quasi in ingressu mundi posuerat, retraxit pedem: ne si quid de scientia ejus attingeret, ipse quoque postmodum in immane praecipitium totus iret. Despectis itaque litterarum studiis, relicta domo rebusque patris, soli Deo placere desiderans, sanctae conversationis habitum quaesivit. Recessit igitur scienter nescius, et sapienter indoctus. Hujus ego omnia gesta non didici, sed pauca quae narro, quatuor discipulis illius referentibus agnovi: Constantino scilicet reverentissimo valde viro, qui ei in monasterii regimine successit; Valentiniano quoque, qui annis multis Lateranensi monasterio praefuit; Symplicio, qui congregationem illius post eum tertius rexit; Honorato etiam, qui nunc adhuc cellae ejus, in qua prius conversatus fuerat, praeest.

There was a man of venerable life, Benedict [blessed] both by grace and by name, bearing from the very time of his boyhood an old man's heart. For, surpassing his age in his ways, he gave his mind to no pleasure; but while he was still in this earth, which he could freely have used for a time, he despised the world, already as it were dry, together with its flower. Born of a free family in the province of Nursia, he had been handed over at Rome to the liberal studies of letters. But when he saw many in them going down the steep places of vice, he drew back the foot which he had set, as it were, at the entrance of the world, lest, if he touched anything of its knowledge, he too should afterwards go wholly into the monstrous precipice. Despising therefore the studies of letters, leaving his father's house and goods, desiring to please God alone, he sought the habit of holy monastic life. He withdrew, then, knowingly unknowing and wisely untaught. I have not learned all his deeds, but the few that I relate I came to know from the account of four of his disciples: namely Constantine, a most reverend man indeed, who succeeded him in the government of the monastery; Valentinian also, who for many years presided over the Lateran monastery; Symplicius, who ruled his congregation third after him; and Honoratus, who even now presides over his cell, in which he had first lived the religious life.

Editors' notes and page, col. 126

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: Aetatem quippe› · call in col 126

Simili loquendi modo utitur infra l. iv, c. 47. Joannes . . . adolescens qui aetatem suam intellectu et humilitate, dulcedine et gravitate transibat. Et hom. 14 in Evang., ibi pueri qui hic annos suos moribus transcenderunt.

He uses a similar manner of speaking below, book IV, chapter 47: "John . . . a young man who surpassed his age in understanding and humility, in sweetness and gravity." And in Homily 14 on the Gospels: "there, boys who here surpassed their years in their conduct."

(printed under page 66)

(b) ‹anchor: provincia Nursiae› · call in col 126

Nursia urbs olim episcopalis in Sabinis, intra montes sita et ad Apennini radices, sub frigido coelo; hinc de ea canit Maro l. vii Aeneid.: Quos frigida misit Nursia.

Nursia, formerly an episcopal city among the Sabines, lies among the mountains at the foot of the Apennines, under a cold sky; hence Maro sings of it in Aeneid book VII: "those whom cold Nursia sent."

(printed under page 66)

De Constantino et Simplicio hic memoratis Paulus Diac. de gestis Langob. l. iv, c. 18: Post beatum Benedictum Constantinus, post hunc Simplicius; post quem Vitalis; ad extremum Bonitus congregationem ipsam rexit. Quod confirmat abbatum S. Benedicti successorum seriem a S. Greg. hic assertam, contra Baronium, qui ad an. 581 primum S. Benedicti successorum instituit, simulque Lateranensis monasterii abbatem, Valentinianum, cum quatuor praecesserint. Primus tamen rexit Lateranense monasterium, quod post dirutum Cassinense coenobium sub Bonito abbate teste Paulo Diac. loco laudato, constructum est.

On Constantine and Simplicius, mentioned here, Paul the Deacon, On the Deeds of the Lombards, book IV, chapter 18: "After blessed Benedict, Constantine; after him Simplicius; after whom Vitalis; last of all Bonitus ruled that community." This confirms the series of abbots succeeding St Benedict as St Gregory asserts it here, against Baronius, who under the year 581 makes Valentinian the first of St Benedict's successors and at the same time abbot of the Lateran monastery, when four had preceded him. He was, however, the first to rule the Lateran monastery, which was built after the Cassino monastery was destroyed under Abbot Bonitus, as Paul the Deacon testifies in the place cited.

(printed under page 66)

(d) ‹anchor: Valentiniano› · call in col 126

Germ., Valentiano, Big., Valentino. Consentit Graecus interpres.

The Germain manuscript reads Valentiano, the Bigot manuscript Valentino. The Greek translator agrees.

(printed under page 66)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 127

Uterque cod. Reg. sc. et Colb. πολλοῖς ἐν ἀρεταῖς.

Both manuscripts, namely the Royal and the Colbert, read πολλοῖς ἐν ἀρεταῖς ("in many virtues").

(printed under page 67)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 127

Iidem cod. πάνυ θερμῶς.

The same manuscripts read πάνυ θερμῶς ("very fervently").

(printed under page 67)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 127

Mss. Ἐφηδέ.

The manuscripts read Ἐφηδέ.

(printed under page 67)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 127

Hic ponitur titulus περὶ τοῦ κλασθέντος, etc. in Colb. ms.

Here the heading "On the broken [sieve]", etc., is placed in the Colbert manuscript.

(printed under page 67)

(5) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 127

Reg. μαγίδιν, quod etiam saepe in Colb. legitur. Infra tamen occurrit μαγίδιον, in Reg.

The Royal manuscript reads μαγίδιν, which is also often read in the Colbert. Below, however, μαγίδιον occurs in the Royal.

(printed under page 67)

(6) ‹anchor: συμφοραῖς, ἀκέραιον› · call in col 127

Reg. σῶον... μαγίδιον.

The Royal manuscript reads σῶον ... μαγίδιον ("the sieve ... whole").

(printed under page 67)

(7) ‹anchor: τῆς τῶν Λογγοβάρδων› · call in col 127

Mss. Λογγιβάρδων.

The manuscripts read Λογγιβάρδων.

(printed under page 67)

Page

running head: 127 S. P. BENEDICTUS. PROLEGOMENA.
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Α΄›; B ‹τραπέζης ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν›; C ‹φοραῖς, ἀκέραιον αὐτῇ τὸ μαγίδιν›; D ‹τροφόν, ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἐρημίας›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:128

CAPUT PRIMUM.

CHAPTER I.

De capisterii fracti reparatione

Of the repairing of the broken sieve

Hic itaque cum jam relictis litterarum studiis petere deserta decrevisset, nutrix quae hunc arctius amabat, sola secuta est. Cumque ad locum venisset qui Enfide dicitur, multisque honestioribus viris charitate se illic detinentibus, in beati Petri apostoli ecclesia demorarentur, praedicta nutrix illius ad purgandum triticum a vicinis mulieribus praestari sibi capisterium petiit, quod super mensam incaute derelictum, casu accidente fractum est, sic ut in duabus partibus inveniretur divisum. Quod mox rediens nutrix illius, ut ita invenit, vehementissime flere coepit, quia vas quod praestitum acceperat, fractum videbat. Benedictus autem religiosus et pius puer cum nutricem suam flere conspiceret, ejus dolori compassus, ablatis secum utrisque fracti capisterii partibus, sese cum lacrymis in orationem dedit: qui ab oratione surgens, ita juxta se vas sanum reperit, ut in eo inveniri fracturae nulla vestigia potuissent. Mox autem nutricem suam blande consolatus, ei sanum capisterium reddidit, quod fractum tulerat. Quae res in eodem loco a cunctis est agnita, atque in tanta admiratione habita, ut hoc ipsum capisterium ejus loci incolae in ecclesiae ingressu suspenderent: quatenus praesentes et secuturi omnes agnoscerent, Benedictus puer conversationis gratiam a quante perfectione coepisset, quod annis multis illic ante omnium oculos fuit, et usque ad haec Langobardorum tempora super fores ecclesiae pependit. Sed Benedictus plus appetens mala mundi perpeti quam laudes, et plus pro Deo laboribus fatigari quam vitae hujus favoribus extolli, nutricem suam occulte fugiens, deserti loci secessum petiit cui Sublacus vocabulum est, qui ab Romana urbe quadraginta fere millibus distans, frigidas atque perspicuas emanat aquas. Quae illic videlicet aquarum abundantia in extenso prius lacu colligitur, ad postremum vero in amnem derivatur. Quo dum fugiens pergeret, monachus quidam Romanus nomine, hunc euntem reperit, quo tenderet requisivit. Cujus cum desiderium cognovisset, et secretum tenuit, et adjutorium impendit, eique sanctae conversationis habitum tradidit, et in quantum licuit, ministravit. Vir autem Dei ad eumdem locum perveniens, in arctissimum specum se tradidit, et tribus annis, excepto Romano monacho, hominibus incognitus mansit: qui videlicet Romanus non longe in monasterio sub Adeodati patris regula degebat. Sed pie ejusdem Patris sui

So when, having now left the studies of letters, he had resolved to make for the desert, his nurse, who loved him very closely, alone followed him. And when he had come to the place called Enfide, and, many worthier men keeping them there out of charity, they were staying in the church of the blessed apostle Peter, his aforesaid nurse asked the neighbouring women to lend her a sieve for cleaning wheat; and this, left carelessly on the table, was broken by an accident, so that it was found divided into two parts. As soon as his nurse returned and found it so, she began to weep most vehemently, because she saw broken the vessel she had received on loan. But Benedict, a devout and godly boy, when he saw his nurse weeping, feeling for her grief, took with him both parts of the broken sieve and gave himself with tears to prayer; and rising from prayer, he found the vessel beside him so sound that no traces of a break could be found in it. Then, comforting his nurse gently, he gave back to her sound the sieve which he had taken away broken. This thing became known to all in that place and was held in such wonder that the inhabitants of the place hung up this very sieve at the entrance of the church, so that all, present and to come, might know with what perfection the boy Benedict had begun the grace of his way of life; and for many years it was there before the eyes of all, and down to these times of the Lombards it has hung over the doors of the church. But Benedict, desiring more to suffer the ills of the world than its praises, and to be wearied with labours for God rather than to be lifted up by the favours of this life, secretly fleeing his nurse, sought the retreat of a desert place whose name is Sublacus, which, about forty miles distant from the city of Rome, sends forth cold and clear waters. This abundance of waters is there first gathered in a broad lake, and at last is drawn off into a river. While he was going there in flight, a certain monk named Romanus found him on his way and asked where he was heading. When he had learned his desire, he both kept the secret and gave him help, and handed to him the habit of holy monastic life, and ministered to him as far as he was able. The man of God, coming to that place, betook himself to a very narrow cave, and for three years remained unknown to men, except the monk Romanus; this Romanus lived not far off in a monastery under the rule of the father Adeodatus. But piously, of that same Father of his

Editors' notes and page, col. 128

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: Enfide› · call in col 128

Germ. Beccens. et secundus Aud., Fide. Alii, Enfidus, Effide. Vulgo Afide in Aequicolis, duobus mill. a Sublaco.

The Germain manuscript, the Bec manuscript and the second Saint-Ouen manuscript read Fide. Others have Enfidus, Effide. Commonly Afide, among the Aequi, two miles from Subiaco.

(printed under page 67)

(b) ‹anchor: capisterium petiit› · call in col 128

Ventilabrum a καπύω flo. Cribrum esse putavit interpres Gallicus.

A winnowing-fan, from καπύω, "I blow". The French translator took it to be a sieve.

(printed under page 67)

Obscure et corrupte plerique editi: a quanta Bene‹?›. puer conversationis gratia perfectione coepisset.

Most printed editions read, obscurely and corruptly: "with what perfection the boy Bene[dict] had begun, by the grace of his way of life." (The abbreviation after Bene is unclear on the scan.)

(printed under page 67)

(d) ‹anchor: mundi perpeti› · call in col 128

Gussanvillaeus, invitis tribus German. Regio, Norm. etc., addit, ab hominibus quaerere.

Goussainville, against the three Germain manuscripts, the Royal, the Norman, etc., adds "to seek from men".

(printed under page 67)

(e) ‹anchor: cui Sublacus› · call in col 128

Nunc Subiaco, in Aequicolis.

Now Subiaco, among the Aequi.

(printed under page 67)

(f) ‹anchor: in amnem› · call in col 128

Nimirum Anienem.

That is, the Anio.

(printed under page 67)

(g) ‹anchor: Romanus› · call in col 128

S. Romanus colitur die 22 Maii.

St Romanus is venerated on 22 May.

(printed under page 67)

(h) ‹anchor: sub Adeodati› · call in col 128

Aliter Deodati, aut Theodati.

Otherwise Deodati, or Theodati.

(printed under page 67)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Reg. πορευθῆναι τόν.

The Royal manuscript reads πορευθῆναι τόν.

(printed under page 68)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Idem τόπῳ ἀπήει.

The same reads τόπῳ ἀπήει ("went off to the place").

(printed under page 68)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Ita mss., at editi καὶ συντροφήν.

So the manuscripts; but the printed editions read καὶ συντροφήν.

(printed under page 68)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Uterque cod. ἀμφιάσας αὐτῷ καὶ τό.

Both manuscripts read ἀμφιάσας αὐτῷ καὶ τό ("having clothed him also with the").

(printed under page 68)

(5) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Colb. addit ἁγιωτάτου.

The Colbert manuscript adds ἁγιωτάτου ("most holy").

(printed under page 68)

(6) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Mss. εἴσοδος.

The manuscripts read εἴσοδος.

(printed under page 68)

(7) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Reg. μικρὸν κώδωνα.

The Royal manuscript reads μικρὸν κώδωνα ("a small bell").

(printed under page 68)

(8) ‹anchor: ταύτην ἀμβλῦναι› · call in col 129

Idem ἀπαλῦναι.

The same reads ἀπαλῦναι.

(printed under page 68)

(9) ‹anchor: Ὅτε δὲ ηὐδόκησεν› · call in col 129

Εὐδόκησεν in duob. mss. et paulo post φιλοθέου ἐκείνης.

Εὐδόκησεν in two manuscripts, and a little after, φιλοθέου ἐκείνης.

(printed under page 68)

(10) ‹anchor: τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ› · call in col 129

Reg. τὸν δι' αὐτοῦ. Colb. τὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ.

The Royal manuscript reads τὸν δι' αὐτοῦ; the Colbert, τὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ.

(printed under page 68)

(11) ‹anchor: τοῦτον ὑπεράνω› · call in col 129

Sic mss. unica voce, cum in ed. legatur, ὑπὲρ ἄνω.

So the manuscripts, as a single word, whereas the printed edition reads ὑπὲρ ἄνω.

(printed under page 68)

(12) ‹anchor: ἐκεῖνῳ› · call in col 129

Reg. ἐν ἐκείνῳ.

The Royal manuscript reads ἐν ἐκείνῳ ("in that [cave]").

(printed under page 68)

(13) ‹anchor: ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ› · call in col 129

Idem, αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ καὶ ἑορτῇ τοῦ πάσχα μεθ' ὧν παρ' ἑαυτῷ ἦν.

The same reads αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ καὶ ἑορτῇ τοῦ πάσχα μεθ' ὧν παρ' ἑαυτῷ ἦν ("at that very hour and feast of Easter, with what he had by him").

(printed under page 68)

Page

running head: 129 PROLEGOMENA.
marginal letters: A ‹ῥυάκων ἀποφέρεται›; B ‹ἡμερῶν τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθρώπῳ Βενεδίκτῳ›; C ‹τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν ἐχθρός, ῥίψας›; D ‹(at the footnotes) ¹¹ Sic mss.›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:130

oculis furabatur horas, et quem sibi ad manducandum subripere poterat, diebus certis Benedicto panem ferebat. Ad eumdem vero specum a Romani cella iter non erat, quia excelsa desuper rupes eminebat; sed ex eadem rupe in longissimo fune religatum Romanus deponere panem consueverat; in qua etiam resti parvum tintinnabulum inseruit, ut ad sonum tintinnabuli vir Dei cognosceret quando sibi Romanus panem praeberet, quem exiens acciperet. Sed antiquus hostis unius charitati invidens, et alterius refectioni, cum quadam die submitti panem conspiceret, jactavit lapidem, et tintinnabulum fregit. Romanus tamen modis congruentibus ministrare non desiit. Cum vero jam Deus omnipotens et Romanum vellet a labore quiescere, et Benedicti vitam in exemplum hominibus demonstrare, ut posita supra candelabrum lucerna claresceret, quatenus omnibus qui in domo Dei sunt luceret, cuidam presbytero longius manenti, qui refectionem sibi in Paschali festivitate paraverat, per visum Dominus apparere dignatus est, dicens: Tu tibi delicias praeparas, et servus meus illo in loco fame cruciatur. Qui protinus surrexit, atque in ipsa solemnitate Paschali cum alimentis quae sibi paraverat, ad locum tetendit, et virum Dei per abrupta montium, per concava vallium, per defossa terrarum quaesivit, eumque latere in specu reperit. Cumque oratione facta, benedicentes Dominum omnipotentem consedissent, post dulcia vitae colloquia, is qui advenerat presbyter dixit: Surge, sumamus cibum, quia hodie Pascha est. Cui vir Dei respondit, dicens: Scio quia Pascha est, quia videre te merui. Longe quippe ab hominibus positus, quia die eodem Paschalis solemnitas esset ignorabat. Venerabilis autem presbyter rursus asseruit, dicens: Veraciter hodie Resurrectionis Dominicae Paschalis dies est; abstinere tibi minime congruit, quia et ego ad hoc missus sum, ut omnipotentis dona Dei pariter sumamus. Benedicentes igitur Dominum sumpserunt cibum. Expleta itaque refectione et colloquio, ad ecclesiam presbyter recessit.

he stole hours from the eyes, and the bread which he could take away for himself to eat he brought to Benedict on certain days. To that cave there was no path from Romanus's cell, because a lofty rock towered above it; but from that same rock Romanus had been accustomed to let down the bread tied to a very long rope; on this rope he also fixed a little bell, so that at the sound of the bell the man of God might know when Romanus was offering him bread, and might come out and take it. But the ancient enemy, envying the charity of the one and the refreshment of the other, when one day he saw the bread being let down, threw a stone and broke the bell. Yet Romanus did not cease to minister by fitting means. But when almighty God now willed both to let Romanus rest from his labour and to display Benedict's life as an example to men, so that the lamp set upon the lampstand might shine out, to give light to all who are in the house of God, the Lord deigned to appear in a vision to a certain priest living some way off, who had prepared himself a meal on the feast of Easter, saying: You are preparing delicacies for yourself, and My servant in that place is tormented with hunger. He rose at once, and on that very solemnity of Easter made for the place with the food he had prepared for himself, and sought the man of God through the steeps of the mountains, the hollows of the valleys, the pits of the earth, and found him hidden in the cave. And when they had prayed and, blessing the Lord almighty, had sat down, after sweet conversation about life, the priest who had come said: Rise, let us take food, for today is Easter. The man of God answered him, saying: I know that it is Easter, because I have been found worthy to see you. For, placed far from men, he did not know that the solemnity of Easter was on that day. But the venerable priest asserted again, saying: Truly today is the Easter day of the Lord's Resurrection; it is not at all fitting for you to fast, for I too have been sent for this, that we may partake together of the gifts of almighty God. So, blessing the Lord, they took food. And when the meal and the conversation were finished, the priest went back to his church.

Editors' notes and page, col. 130

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 130

Becc. et secundus Aud., in quo etiam resti.

The Bec manuscript and the second Saint-Ouen manuscript read "on which also, to the rope".

(printed under page 68)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 130

Secundus Carnot. primus Aud. Bigot. Lyr., quem accipiens ederet.

The second Chartres manuscript, the first Saint-Ouen, the Bigot and the Lyre manuscripts read "which he would take and eat".

(printed under page 68)

Germ. Gemet. aliique Norm., horis congruentibus.

The Germain, the Jumièges and other Norman manuscripts read "at fitting hours".

(printed under page 68)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 131

Reg. πρὸς σὲ ἀπεστάλην.

The Royal manuscript reads πρὸς σὲ ἀπεστάλην ("I was sent to you").

(printed under page 69)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 131

Reg. ὁ γέρων.

The Royal manuscript reads ὁ γέρων ("the old man").

(printed under page 69)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 131

Idem παρέβαλλον.

The same reads παρέβαλλον.

(printed under page 69)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 131

Reg. κόσσυφον.

The Royal manuscript reads κόσσυφον ("blackbird").

(printed under page 69)

(5) ‹anchor: οἷος οὐ πώποτε› · call in col 131

Ibid. οἷος οὐδέποτε.

In the same: οἷος οὐδέποτε ("such as never").

(printed under page 69)

(6) ‹anchor: τῆς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ πανουργίας› · call in col 131

Uterque cod. περιεφρόνησεν.

Both manuscripts read περιεφρόνησεν ("he despised").

(printed under page 69)

(7) ‹anchor: τῷ Θεῷ μεγάλῳ› · call in col 131

Mss. διέμεινεν.

The manuscripts read διέμεινεν.

(printed under page 69)

Page

running head: 131 S. P. BENEDICTUS.
marginal letters: A ‹Ἐν αὐτῷ οὖν τῷ καιρῷ›; B ‹ὅπερ ἐπιχωρίως κόσσυφον›; C ‹ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον παλινδρομῆσαι›; D ‹καὶ ἀπὸ τότε λοιπόν›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:132

Eodem quoque tempore hunc in specu latitantem etiam pastores invenerunt: quem dum vestitum pellibus inter fruteta cernerent, aliquam bestiam esse crediderunt: sed cognoscentes Dei famulum, eorum multi ad pietatis gratiam a bestiali mente mutati sunt. Nomen itaque ejus per vicina loca innotuit cunctis: factumque est ut ex illo jam tempore a multis frequentari coepisset, qui cum ei cibum afferrent corporis, ab ejus ore in suo pectore alimenta referebant vitae.

At that same time shepherds too found him hiding in the cave; and when they saw him clothed in skins among the thickets, they believed him to be some beast; but recognizing the servant of God, many of them were changed from a beastly mind to the grace of godliness. So his name became known to all through the neighbouring places, and it came about that from that time he began to be visited by many, who, while they brought him food for the body, carried back from his mouth in their breasts the nourishment of life.

CAPUT II.

CHAPTER II.

De tentatione carnis superata.

Of the temptation of the flesh overcome.

Quadam vero die dum solus esset, tentator adfuit. Nam nigra parvaque avis, quae vulgo merula nominatur, circa ejus faciem volitare coepit, ejusque vultui importune insistere, ita ut manu capi posset, si hanc vir sanctus tenere voluisset: sed signo crucis edito recessit avis. Tanta autem carnis tentatio ave eadem recedente secuta est, quantam vir sanctus nunquam fuerat expertus. Quamdam namque aliquando feminam viderat, quam malignus spiritus ante ejus mentis oculos reduxit: tantoque igne servi Dei animum in specie illius accendit, ut se in ejus pectore amoris flamma vix caperet, et jam etiam pene deserere eremum voluptate victus deliberaret. Cum subito superna gratia respectus ad semetipsum reversus est, atque urticarum et veprium juxta densa succrescere fruteta conspiciens, exutus indumento nudum se in illis spinarum aculeis et urticarum incendiis projecit: ibique diu volutatus, toto ex eis corpore vulneratus exiit, et per cutis vulnera eduxit a corpore vulnus mentis; quia voluptatem traxit in dolorem. Cumque bene poenaliter foris arderet, exstinxit quod intus illicite ardebat. Vicit itaque peccatum, quia mutavit incendium. Ex quo videlicet tempore, sicut post discipulis ipse perhibebat, ita in eo est tentatio voluptatis edomita, ut tale aliquid in se minime sentiret. Coeperunt postmodum multi jam mundum relinquere, atque ad ejus magisterium festinare. Liber quippe a tentationis vitio, jure jam factus est virtutum magister. Unde et per Moysen praecipitur (Num. VIII, 24 seq.), ut levitae a viginti quinque annis et supra ministrare

One day, while he was alone, the tempter was at hand. For a small black bird, which is commonly called a blackbird, began to flutter about his face and to press upon his countenance importunately, so that it could have been caught by hand, had the holy man wished to hold it; but when he made the sign of the cross the bird went away. And as the same bird withdrew, there followed so great a temptation of the flesh as the holy man had never experienced. For he had once seen a certain woman, whom the evil spirit brought back before the eyes of his mind; and with such a fire he kindled the soul of the servant of God by her likeness that the flame of love could scarcely be contained in his breast, and now, overcome by pleasure, he was almost resolving to abandon the wilderness. When suddenly, regarded by grace from above, he returned to himself, and seeing thick thickets of nettles and briars growing close by, he stripped off his garment and threw himself naked into those prickles of thorns and burnings of nettles; and having rolled there a long time, he came out wounded from them in his whole body, and through the wounds of the skin drew out from the body the wound of the mind, because he turned pleasure into pain. And while he burned well, by way of penalty, outside, he extinguished what was burning unlawfully within. So he conquered sin, because he exchanged the fire. From that time, as he himself afterwards used to tell his disciples, the temptation of pleasure was so tamed in him that he felt nothing of the kind in himself. Afterwards many began now to leave the world and to hasten to his teaching. For, free from the vice of temptation, he was now rightly made a master of virtues. Hence also it is commanded through Moses (Num. 8:24ff.) that the Levites should minister from twenty-five years and upwards

Editors' notes and page, col. 132

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 132

Primus Theoderic. et Bigot. quae a vulgo.

The first Thierry manuscript and the Bigot read "which, by the common people".

(printed under page 69)

(b) ‹anchor: vultui importune› · call in col 132

Abest importune a Compend.

"Importunately" is absent from the Compiègne manuscript.

(printed under page 69)

Ita mss. Germ., Norm., Compend. et alii meliores notae. At excusi: ut dum in ejus pectore amoris flamma vim caperet.

So the Germain, Norman and Compiègne manuscripts and others of better note. But the printed editions read: "so that while the flame of love gathered strength in his breast".

(printed under page 69)

(d) ‹anchor: Cum subito superna› · call in col 132

Primus Carnot., Prat., Gemet., subito sup. gratiae respectu. Ita etiam primus Theod. subrogata voce aspectu pro respectu. Big. Tum subito sup. gratia repletus.

The first Chartres, the Préaux and the Jumièges manuscripts read "suddenly by a regard of supernal grace". So too the first Thierry manuscript, with the word aspectu substituted for respectu. The Bigot reads: "Then suddenly filled with supernal grace".

(printed under page 69)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 133

Ita mss. Ed. habent οὖσα.

So the manuscripts. The printed editions have οὖσα.

(printed under page 70)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 133

Reg. ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν αὐτοὺς διαμεῖναι. Colb. ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς διαβῆναι.

The Royal manuscript reads ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν αὐτοὺς διαμεῖναι ("it is necessary that they remain"); the Colbert, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς διαβῆναι ("it is necessary for them to pass over").

(printed under page 70)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 133

Haec quae desunt in ed. Vatic. suppeditarunt mss. Restitui debuisse satis probat textus Lat.

These words, which are missing in the Vatican edition, were supplied by the manuscripts. The Latin text proves well enough that they had to be restored.

(printed under page 70)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 133

Mss. προλεχθείσης... διήγησιν ποιήσης μοι.

The manuscripts read προλεχθείσης ... διήγησιν ποιήσης μοι ("aforesaid ... that you give me an account").

(printed under page 70)

(5) ‹anchor: ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου› · call in col 133

Colb. ἁγίου τὸ ῥηθὲν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ. Et paulo post., ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ χάριτος.

The Colbert manuscript reads ἁγίου τὸ ῥηθὲν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ. And a little after, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ χάριτος ("by the Holy Spirit and grace").

(printed under page 70)

(6) ‹anchor: ἀξιοθαύμαστον› · call in col 133

Reg. μνήμην.

The Royal manuscript reads μνήμην ("memory").

(printed under page 70)

(7) ‹anchor: καὶ ποιμήν› · call in col 133

Hic interpres liberius exspatiatur extra Latini textus metas; quod ipsi non insolens.

Here the translator wanders rather freely beyond the bounds of the Latin text, which is not unusual for him.

(printed under page 70)

Page

running head: 133 PROLEGOMENA.
marginal letters: A ‹οὐδαμῶς τούτῳ παρενοχλῆσαι›; B ‹εἰσι τῶν πιστῶν τὰ νοήματα›; C ‹Περὶ τοῦ προσενεχθέντος›; D ‹μὴ ἀνασχόμενος›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:134

debeant: ab anno vero quinquagesimo custodes vasorum fiant.

but from the fiftieth year should become keepers of the vessels.

Petrus. Jam quidem prolati testimonii mihi aliquantum intellectus interlucet: sed tamen hoc plenius exponi postulo.

Peter. Some understanding of the testimony brought forward is indeed now glimmering for me; but still I ask that this be explained more fully.

Gregorius. Liquet, Petre, quod in juventute carnis tentatio ferveat, ab anno autem quinquagesimo calor corporis frigescat: vasa autem sacra sunt fidelium mentes. Electi ergo cum adhuc in tentatione sunt, subesse eos ac servire necesse est, et obsequiis laboribusque fatigari: cum vero jam mentis aetate tranquilla calor recesserit tentationis, custodes vasorum sunt, quia doctores animarum fiunt.

Gregory. It is clear, Peter, that in youth the temptation of the flesh is hot, but from the fiftieth year the heat of the body grows cold; and the minds of the faithful are the sacred vessels. So while the elect are still under temptation, they must be subject and serve, and be wearied with services and labours; but when, the age of the mind now being tranquil, the heat of temptation has withdrawn, they are keepers of the vessels, because they become teachers of souls.

Petr. Fateor, placet quod dicis: sed quia prolati testimonii claustra reserasti, quaeso ut de vita justi debeas ea quae sunt inchoata, percurrere.

Peter. I confess, what you say pleases me; but since you have unbarred the locks of the testimony brought forward, I beg you to go through what you had begun concerning the life of the righteous man.

CAPUT III.

CHAPTER III.

De vase vitreo crucis signo rupto.

Of the glass vessel broken by the sign of the cross.

Gregorius. Recedente igitur tentatione, vir Dei quasi spinis erutis exculta terra de virtutum segete feracius fructus dedit. Praeconio itaque eximiae conversationis celebre nomen ejus habebatur. Non longe autem monasterium fuit, cujus congregationis Pater defunctus est, omnisque ex illo congregatio ad eumdem venerabilem Benedictum venit, et magnis precibus ut eis praeesse deberet, petiit. Qui diu negando distulit, suis illorumque fratrum moribus se convenire non posse praedixit: sed victus quandoque precibus assensum dedit. Cumque in eodem monasterio regularis vitae custodiam teneret, nullique ut prius per actus illicitos in dexteram laevamque partem deflectere a conversationis itinere liceret;

Gregory. So, as the temptation withdrew, the man of God, like ground tilled with the thorns rooted out, gave fruit more abundantly from the harvest of virtues. And so through the proclaiming of his excellent way of life his name was held in renown. Now not far off there was a monastery, the Father of whose community had died; and the whole community from it came to the same venerable Benedict and asked with great entreaties that he should preside over them. He put it off a long while by refusing, and foretold that his ways and those of the brethren could not agree; but at length, overcome by their entreaties, he gave his assent. And when in that monastery he kept watch over the regular life, and no one was allowed, as before, to turn aside by unlawful acts to the right hand or the left from the path of monastic life,

Editors' notes and page, col. 134

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 134

Hic loquendi modus millies occurrit apud Greg. Vide hom. 17 in Evang., ut ex eadem salis petra lambere debeant. Lib. ii, ep. 33, Tua fraternitas ad me ante aestivum tempus debeat venire, id est, veniat. Idem recurrit adhuc eadem in epistola, et bis in 34. Eodem loquendi modo usus Gregorius Turon.: Immisit, inquit, ei cogitationem, ut praetermissa eremo, ad seculum reverti deberet, l. de Vit. Pat. c. 9, et Beda l. i Hist. c. 23: Augustinum remittunt, qui a B. Greg. obtineret, ne tam periculosam peregrinationem adire deberent. In privilegio Adeodati papae monasterio S. Martini Tur. concesso: Supplici voce precatus est, ut privilegium... ei concedere deberemus, id est, concederemus, Tom. i Concil. Galliae, p. 507. Porro similia leguntur l. xxiii Moral. c. olim 6, nunc 11, num. 21, et referuntur a Paterio c. 4 in lib. Numer.

This manner of speaking occurs a thousand times in Gregory. See Homily 17 on the Gospels: "that they should lick from the same rock of salt". Book II, letter 33: "Your Fraternity should come to me before the summer season", that is, "come". The same recurs again in the same letter, and twice in 34. Gregory of Tours used the same manner of speaking: "He put into him the thought," he says, "that, leaving the desert, he should return to the world," book On the Lives of the Fathers, chapter 9; and Bede, History book I, chapter 23: "They send Augustine back, to obtain from blessed Gregory that they should not undertake so dangerous a journey." In the privilege of Pope Adeodatus granted to the monastery of St Martin of Tours: "He prayed with suppliant voice that we should grant him a privilege ...", that is, "that we grant", Councils of Gaul, volume I, p. 507. Similar things are read in the Moralia, book XXIII, formerly chapter 6, now 11, number 21, and are quoted by Paterius, chapter 4 on the book of Numbers.

(printed under page 70)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 134

Val. cl., planius. Ita quoque duo Theod.

The Valle Clara manuscript reads "more plainly". So also the two Thierry manuscripts.

(printed under page 70)

Monasterii illius vestigia etiamnum supersunt ad Vicum Varronis (vulgo Vicovarro) in sinistra Anienis ripa, inter Sublacum et Tibur, ut plures notaverunt, D. Mabillonius in suo Itin. Ital., sed fusius D. Bern. Montfaucon, qui in Diarii Ital. cap. 22, pag. 540, monasterii et loci in quo situm est ichnographiam suppeditat.

Traces of that monastery still survive at Vicus Varronis (commonly Vicovaro) on the left bank of the Anio, between Subiaco and Tibur, as several have noted: Dom Mabillon in his Italian Journey, but more fully Dom Bernard de Montfaucon, who in chapter 22 of his Italian Diary, p. 540, supplies a ground plan of the monastery and of the place where it stands.

(printed under page 70)

(d) ‹anchor: distulit, suis› · call in col 134

Primus Carn., suos illorumque fr. mores convenire non posse. Germ., Norm. et pl., suis illorumque fr. moribus convenire non posse.

The first Chartres manuscript reads "that his ways and those of the brethren could not agree". The Germain, the Norman and most others read "that he could not agree with his own ways and those of the brethren".

(printed under page 70)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 135

Reg. οἱ δὲ ὡς ἐθεάσαντο.

The Royal manuscript reads οἱ δὲ ὡς ἐθεάσαντο ("but when they saw").

(printed under page 71)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 135

Idem ποτήριον.

The same reads ποτήριον ("cup").

(printed under page 71)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 135

In Colb. additur καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ.

In the Colbert manuscript καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ ("and life-giving cross") is added.

(printed under page 71)

(4) ‹anchor: τί γάρ ἐστι τὸ› · call in col 135

Colb. κατοικῆσαι.

The Colbert manuscript reads κατοικῆσαι.

(printed under page 71)

(5) ‹anchor: σκέπειν› · call in col 135

Ita mss, licet in editis legatur σκέπτειν, usurpato σκέπτω pro σκέπτομαι.

So the manuscripts, although in the printed editions σκέπτειν is read, σκέπτω being used for σκέπτομαι.

(printed under page 71)

(6) ‹anchor: οὐχ ηὕρισκεν› · call in col 135

Reg. εὕρισκεν.

The Royal manuscript reads εὕρισκεν.

(printed under page 71)

Page

running head: S. P. BENEDICTUS. (page head spanning cols 135–136; column number 135)
marginal letters: A beside ‹σείσατο, ἁμαρτωλὸν› (Greek column); B beside ‹βαλόντες, ἀνακειμένῳ›; C beside ‹ΓΡΗΓ. Ἐφ' ὅσον›; D beside the footnotes
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:136

suscepti fratres insane saevientes semetipsos prius accusare coeperunt, quia hunc sibi praeesse poposcerant: quorum scilicet tortitudo in norma ejus rectitudinis offendebat. Cumque sibi sub eo conspicerent illicita non licere, et se dolerent assueta relinquere, durumque esset quod in mente veteri cogebantur nova meditari, sicut pravis moribus semper gravis est vita bonorum, tractare de ejus morte aliqui conati sunt, qui inito consilio venenum vino miscuerunt. Et cum vas vitreum, in quo ille pestifer potus habebatur, recumbenti Patri, ex more monasterii, ad benedicendum fuisset oblatum, extensa manu Benedictus signum crucis edidit, et vas quod longius tenebatur, eodem signo rupit: sicque confractum est, ac si in illo vase mortis, pro cruce lapidem dedisset. Intellexit protinus vir Dei, quia potum mortis habuerat, quod portare non potuit signum vitae: atque illico surrexit, et vultu placido, mente tranquilla convocatos fratres allocutus est, dicens: Misereatur vestri, fratres, omnipotens Deus; quare in me facere ista voluistis? Nunquid non prius dixi vobis, quia vestris ac meis moribus minime conveniret? Ite, et juxta vestros mores Patrem vobis quaerite, quia posthac me habere minime potestis. Tuncque ad locum dilectae solitudinis rediit, et solus in superni spectatoris oculis habitavit secum.

…[the] brethren [he had] taken on, raging madly, began first to accuse themselves, because they had asked that this man be set over them: for their crookedness, namely, stumbled against the rule of his uprightness. And when they saw that under him the unlawful was not permitted them, and grieved to give up what they were used to, and it was hard that in an old mind they were forced to ponder new things, since to depraved ways the life of the good is always burdensome, some attempted to plot his death, and, having taken counsel, they mixed poison with wine. And when the glass vessel in which that deadly drink was held had been offered to the Father as he reclined at table, according to the custom of the monastery, to be blessed, Benedict, stretching out his hand, made the sign of the cross, and the vessel, which was held some distance off, he broke by that same sign: and it was so shattered as if he had struck that vessel of death with a stone instead of the cross. The man of God understood at once that it had held the drink of death, since it could not bear the sign of life: and immediately he rose, and with calm face and tranquil mind, having called the brethren together, he addressed them, saying: May Almighty God have mercy on you, brethren; why did you wish to do these things to me? Did I not tell you before that your ways and mine would by no means agree? Go, and seek for yourselves a Father according to your ways, for after this you can by no means have me. And then he returned to the place of his beloved solitude, and alone, under the eyes of the Beholder on high, he dwelt with himself.

Petr. Minus patenter intelligo, quidnam sit, Habitavit secum.

Peter. I do not understand clearly enough what is meant by "He dwelt with himself".

Gr⟨e⟩gor. Si sanctus vir contra se unanimiter conspirantes, suaeque conversationi longe dissimiles, coactos diu sub se tenere voluisset, fortassis sui vigoris usum et modum tranquillitatis excederet, atque a contemplationis lumine suae mentis oculum declinasset. Dumque quotidie illorum incorrectione fatigatus minus curaret sua, et se forsitan relinqueret, et illos non inveniret. Nam quoties per cogitationis motum nimium extra nos ducimur, et nos sumus, et nobiscum non sumus, quia nosmetipsos minime videntes, per alia vagamur. An illum secum fuisse dicimus, qui in longinquam regionem abiit, portionem quam acceperat consumpsit, et uni in ea

Gregory. If the holy man had chosen to keep long under him, by constraint, men conspiring with one accord against him and far unlike his own manner of life, perhaps he would have exceeded the use of his strength and the measure of his tranquillity, and would have turned the eye of his mind away from the light of contemplation. And while, wearied every day by their incorrigibility, he would have cared less for his own [affairs], he might perhaps have both abandoned himself and not found them. For as often as through the movement of thought we are led too far outside ourselves, we both are ourselves and are not with ourselves, because, not seeing ourselves at all, we wander about among other things. Or do we say that he was with himself who went away into a far country, consumed the portion he had received, and to one in that [country]…

Editors' notes and page, col. 136

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 136

Excusi pler., fortitudo, quem errorem Bollandiani retinuerunt in textu, emendarunt in notis. Omnes mss. Angl., Gallic., etc., habent tortitudo.

Most printed editions read fortitudo ("strength"), an error the Bollandists kept in their text and corrected in their notes. All the English and French manuscripts, etc., have tortitudo ("crookedness").

(printed under page 71)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 136

Germ. duo, Theod. et Norm., longe alio sensu, aliquid. Omnes in Bened. conspirasse persuadet quod infra legitur: Si sanctus vir contra se unanimiter conspirantes, etc. Et pene in fine capitis: Vir itaque sanctus propter quem custodiendum staret qui omnes unanimiter se persequentes cerneret? Verum veneni vino infusi fortasse non erant conscii omnes.

The two Germain manuscripts, the Thierry and the Norman read, in a very different sense, aliquid ("something"). That all conspired against Benedict is shown by what is read below: "If the holy man [had wished to keep under him men] unanimously conspiring against him", etc. And almost at the end of the chapter: "For the sake of guarding whom, then, should the holy man stay, who saw them all unanimously persecuting him?" Yet perhaps not all were aware of the poison poured into the wine.

(printed under page 71)

Comp. non habet, ex more.

The Compiègne manuscript does not have "according to [your] ways".

(printed under page 71)

(d) ‹anchor: superni spectatoris› · call in col 136

Bigot. primus, Aud. et plur. Norm., inspectoris.

The first Bigot manuscript, the Saint-Ouen and most Norman manuscripts read inspectoris ("onlooker").

(printed under page 71)

(e) ‹anchor: diu sub se› · call in col 136

Secundus Carn., sustinere.

The second Chartres manuscript reads sustinere ("to bear").

(printed under page 71)

(f) ‹anchor: tranquillitatis excederet› · call in col 136

Ita mss., cujus verbi loco excusi habent, abscinderet.

So the manuscripts; in place of this word the printed editions have abscinderet ("would cut off").

(printed under page 71)

(g) ‹anchor: ducimur, et› · call in col 136

In Gilot., et non sumus. Gussanv., et nobiscum sumus. Melius in Vatic., cui favent Germ., Carnot., Norm. et pler. mss., et nos sumus.

In Gillot's edition, "and we are not"; in Goussainville's, "and we are with ourselves". Better in the Vatican edition, supported by the Germain, Chartres and Norman manuscripts and most others: "and we are ourselves".

(printed under page 71)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 137

Idem, περισκοπούμεθα.

The same manuscript reads περισκοπούμεθα.

(printed under page 72)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 137

Ibid. ἐπανῆλθε; et paulo post, ἐπώνυμον πατέρα.

In the same, ἐπανῆλθε; and a little after, ἐπώνυμον πατέρα ("the father of that name").

(printed under page 72)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 137

Colb τὸν.. ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμόν.

The Colbert manuscript reads τὸν .. ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμόν ("the sleepless eye").

(printed under page 72)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 137

Multa de suo hic addidit interpres, quae operosum esset indicare omnia. Certe hujus versus Ps. xv. Providebam Dom. in consp. meo semp. quon. a dex. est mihi ne commovear, Graece prolati, nulla in Latino textu sunt vestigia.

Here the translator has added much of his own, which it would be laborious to point out in full. Certainly of this verse of Psalm 15, "I set the Lord always in my sight, for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved", which is given in Greek, there is no trace in the Latin text.

(printed under page 72)

(5) ‹anchor: ὑπὲρ ἄνω› · call in col 137

Reg. una voce ὑπεράνω, hic et inferius.

The Royal manuscript has ὑπεράνω as one word, here and below.

(printed under page 72)

(6) ‹anchor: δέον ἐστὶ› · call in col 137

Reg. πολλῆς χρεία ἐστί. Et paulo post, προσγίνηταί τις.

The Royal manuscript reads πολλῆς χρεία ἐστί ("there is need of much"). And a little after, προσγίνηταί τις.

(printed under page 72)

Page

running head: PROLEGOME[NA] (page head spanning cols 137–138, cut at the crop; column number 137)
marginal letters: A beside ‹περιφερόμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ›; B beside ‹ΠΕΤΡ. Πῶς οὖν›; C beside ‹ἀμφότεροι τοίνυν›; a second C beside ‹ΓΡΗΓ. Καθὼς ἐγώ› (as printed; presumably for D)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:138

civium adhaesit, porcos pavit, quos et manducare siliquas viderit, et esuriret, qui tamen cum postmodum coepit cogitare bona quae perdidit, scriptum de illo est: In se reversus dixit: Quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei abundant panibus (Luc. XV, 17)! Si igitur secum fuit, unde ad se rediit? Hunc ergo venerabilem virum secum habitasse dixerim, quia in sua semper custodia circumspectus, ante oculos Conditoris se semper aspiciens, se semper examinans, extra se mentis suae oculum non divulgavit.

…of the citizens attached himself, fed swine, which he saw eating husks, and was hungry; yet of him, when afterwards he began to think on the good things he had lost, it is written: Returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house have bread in abundance (Luke 15:17)! If then he was with himself, whence did he return to himself? This venerable man, therefore, I would say dwelt with himself, because, ever watchful in guarding himself, ever beholding himself before the eyes of the Maker, ever examining himself, he did not let the eye of his mind stray abroad outside himself.

Petr. Quid ergo quod de apostolo Petro scriptum est, dum de carcere ab angelo eductus fuisset? Qui ad se reversus dixit: Nunc scio vere quia misit Dominus angelum suum, et eripuit me de manu Herodis, et de omni exspectatione plebis Judaeorum (Act. XII, 11).

Peter. What then of what is written of the apostle Peter, when he had been led out of prison by the angel? He, returning to himself, said: Now I know truly that the Lord has sent His angel, and has rescued me from the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews (Acts 12:11).

Gregor. Duobus modis, Petre, extra nos ducimur: quia aut per cogitationis lapsum sub nosmetipsos recidimus, aut per contemplationis gratiam super nosmetipsos levamur. Ille itaque qui porcos pavit, vagatione mentis et immunditia sub semetipsum cecidit; iste vero quem angelus solvit, ejusque mentem in exstasim rapuit, extra se quidem, sed super semetipsum fuit. Uterque ergo ad se rediit, quando et ille ab errore operis se collegit ad cor, et iste a contemplationis culmine ad hoc rediit, quod in intellectu communi et prius fuit. Venerabilis igitur Benedictus in illa solitudine habitavit secum, in quantum se intra cogitationis claustra custodivit: nam quotiescunque hunc contemplationis ardor in altum rapuit, se procul dubio sub se reliquit.

Gregory. In two ways, Peter, are we led outside ourselves: for either through the lapse of thought we fall back below ourselves, or through the grace of contemplation we are lifted above ourselves. So he who fed swine fell below himself through the wandering of his mind and through uncleanness; but this one, whom the angel set free and whose mind he caught up into ecstasy, was indeed outside himself, but above himself. Each of them, then, returned to himself: the former when he gathered himself back to his heart from the error of his deeds, and the latter when from the summit of contemplation he returned to that which he had also been before in common understanding. The venerable Benedict, therefore, dwelt with himself in that solitude in so far as he kept himself within the enclosure of his thought: for whenever the ardour of contemplation caught him up on high, he without doubt left himself below himself.

Petr. Placet quod dicis: sed quaeso respondeas, si deserere fratres debuit, quos semel suscepit.

Peter. What you say pleases me: but I pray you answer whether he ought to have deserted the brethren whom he had once taken on.

Gregor. Ut ego, Petre, existimo, ibi adunati aequanimiter portandi sunt mali, ubi inveniuntur aliqui qui adjuventur boni. Nam ubi omnimodo de bonis fructus deest, fit aliquando de malis labor supervacuus; maxime si e vicino causae suppetant, quae fructum Deo ferre valeant meliorem. Vir itaque sanctus propter quem custodiendum staret, qui omnes unanimiter se persequentes cerneret? Et saepe agitur

Gregory. As I judge, Peter, the wicked, when gathered together, are to be borne with equanimity there where some good men are found who may be helped. For where fruit from the good is wholly lacking, labour over the wicked sometimes becomes superfluous; above all if close at hand there are occasions that can bear better fruit for God. For whose keeping, then, should the holy man have stayed, when he saw all of them with one accord persecuting him? And it is often done…

Editors' notes and page, col. 138

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 138

Primus Aud. et Lyr., non elongavit.

The first Saint-Ouen manuscript and the Lyre read "did not remove far".

(printed under page 72)

(b) ‹anchor: recedimus› · call in col 138

German., extra nosm. ducimur: quod optime repraesentat Gr. interpres. Gemet., sub nosmetipsos ducimur. Primus Aud. Big. Lyr. cum Theod., recedimus.

The Germain manuscript reads "we are led outside ourselves", which the Greek translator renders very well. The Jumièges reads "we are led beneath ourselves". The first Saint-Ouen, the Bigot and the Lyre, with the Thierry, read "we withdraw".

(printed under page 72)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 139

Reg. cod. χάριν εἶχε κατοικεῖν. . ὁμοψύχως καταδιώκοντας, etc.

The Royal manuscript reads χάριν εἶχε κατοικεῖν .. ὁμοψύχως καταδιώκοντας ("for what reason he had to dwell .. persecuting with one mind"), etc.

(printed under page 73)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 139

Ibid. ἔστι σιωπῆσαι ἢ παραδραμεῖν.

In the same: ἔστι σιωπῆσαι ἢ παραδραμεῖν ("it is [possible] to keep silent or to pass over").

(printed under page 73)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 139

Mss. καὶ ἀνόνητον.

The manuscripts read καὶ ἀνόνητον ("and unprofitable").

(printed under page 73)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 139

Colb. ἐκέλευσεν. Reg. κατενεχθῆναι τοῦ τείχους ἐκέλευσε. Μὴ τόν... λέγωμεν δεδοικέναι ὡς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τὸν εἰς Χριστὸν πόθον μαρτυρίῳ ἀπέδωκεν.

The Colbert manuscript reads ἐκέλευσεν. The Royal reads κατενεχθῆναι τοῦ τείχους ἐκέλευσε ("ordered to be let down from the wall"). "Let us not say that he ... feared, since for love of Christ he gave himself up to martyrdom."

(printed under page 73)

(5) ‹anchor: ὥρισε δώδεκα› · call in col 139

Mss. δὶς δέκα

The manuscripts read δὶς δέκα ("twice ten").

(printed under page 73)

(6) ‹anchor: ἑαυτοῦ διδασκαλικὴν› · call in col 139

Reg. διδασκαλίαν καὶ παιδαγωγίαν ἔκρινεν.

The Royal manuscript reads διδασκαλίαν καὶ παιδαγωγίαν ἔκρινεν ("he judged ... teaching and training").

(printed under page 73)

(7) ‹anchor: καὶ σπουδαῖοι› · call in col 139

Idem σπουδαῖοι ἄνδρες.

The same reads σπουδαῖοι ἄνδρες ("earnest men").

(printed under page 73)

(8) ‹anchor: Ἐβίτζιος› · call in col 139

Ibid. Ἐβίζιος.

In the same: Ἐβίζιος.

(printed under page 73)

(9) ‹anchor: ὁ δὲ Πλάκιδος› · call in col 139

Reg. Πλακίδας.

The Royal manuscript reads Πλακίδας.

(printed under page 73)

Page

running head: S. BEN[EDICTUS] (page head spanning cols 139–140, cut at the crop; column number 139)
marginal letters: letters A–C not visible in this crop; D beside ‹τουλλος δὲ ὁ πατρίκιος› (full-width line)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:140

in animo perfectorum (quod silentio praetereundum non est), quia cum laborem suum sine fructu esse considerant, in locum alium ad laborem cum fructu migrant. Unde ille quoque egregius praedicator qui dissolvi cupit, et cum Christo esse, cui vivere Christus est, et mori lucrum (Phil. I, 21), qui passionum certamina non solum ipse appetiit, sed ad toleranda haec et alios accendit, Damasci persecutionem passus, ut posset evadere, murum, funem, sportamque quaesivit (Act. IX, 24; II Cor. XI, 32), seque latenter deponi voluit. Nunquidnam Paulum mortem dicimus timuisse, quam se ipse pro amore Jesu testatur appetere? Sed cum in eodem loco minorem sibi fructum adesse conspiceret et gravem laborem, ad laborem se alibi cum fructu servavit. Fortis etenim praeliator Dei teneri intra claustra noluit, certaminis campum quaesivit. Unde idem quoque venerabilis Benedictus, si libenter audis, citius agnoscis, quia non tantos ipse indociles deseruit, quantos in locis aliis a morte animae suscitavit.

…in the soul of the perfect (which must not be passed over in silence), that when they see that their labour is without fruit, they move to another place, to labour with fruit. Hence that outstanding preacher too, who desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ, to whom to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21), who not only himself sought the contests of sufferings but also kindled others to endure them, when he suffered persecution at Damascus, sought a wall, a rope and a basket so that he might escape (Acts 9:24; 2 Cor. 11:32), and was willing to be let down in secret. Do we say that Paul feared death, which he himself testifies that he longs for out of love for Jesus? But when he saw that in that same place there was little fruit for him and heavy labour, he kept himself for labour with fruit elsewhere. For the brave warrior of God would not be held within the barriers; he sought the field of combat. So too, if you listen willingly, you will the sooner recognize of the same venerable Benedict that he did not desert as many unteachable men as he raised up from the death of the soul in other places.

Petr. Ita esse ut doces, et manifesta ratio, et prolatum congruum testimonium declarat. Sed quaeso ut de vita tanti Patris ad narrationis ordinem redeas.

Peter. That it is as you teach, both plain reason and the fitting testimony brought forward declare. But I pray you to return to the order of the narrative about the life of so great a Father.

Gregor. Cum sanctus vir diu in eadem solitudine virtutibus signisque succresceret, multi ab eo in eodem loco ad omnipotentis Dei sunt servitium congregati: ita ut illic duodecim monasteria cum omnipotentis Jesu Christi Domini opitulatione construeret, in quibus statutis Patribus duodenos monachos deputavit; paucos vero secum retinuit, quos adhuc in sua praesentia aptius erudiri judicavit. Coepere etiam tunc ad eum Romanae urbis nobiles et religiosi concurrere, suosque ei filios omnipotenti Deo nutriendos dare. Tunc quoque bonae spei suas soboles, Equitius Maurum, Tertullus vero patricius Placidum tradidit; e quibus Maurus junior cum bonis polleret moribus, magistri adjutor coepit existere; Placidus vero puerilis adhuc indolis gerebat annos.

Gregory. When the holy man had long been growing in virtues and signs in that same solitude, many were gathered by him in that same place to the service of Almighty God: so that there, with the help of the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, he built twelve monasteries, to which, with Fathers appointed, he assigned twelve monks each; but a few he kept with himself, whom he judged it more fitting to be instructed still in his presence. Then too nobles and devout men of the city of Rome began to flock to him, and to give him their sons to be brought up for Almighty God. At that time also they handed over their offspring of good hope, Equitius Maurus, and the patrician Tertullus Placidus; of whom Maurus, the younger, since he excelled in good conduct, began to be his master's helper; but Placidus was still in the years of boyish disposition.

Editors' notes and page, col. 140

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 140

Hic mirari juvat mss. codicum invicem pugnantium varios sensus. Germ. secundus Theod. Beccens. Gemet. et secundus Aud. habent: quia vivos ipse indociles, etc. Val-cl., quia filios ipse ind. Consentiunt duo Carnotenses. Prat. Lyr. Big. primus Aud., quia vivus ipse indocibiles deserui.

Here one may wonder at the various senses of manuscripts that contradict one another. The Germain, the second Thierry, the Bec, the Jumièges and the second Saint-Ouen manuscripts have: "because [I left] living men, themselves unteachable", etc. The Valle Clara reads "because [I left] the sons, themselves unteachable" (the word read here as filios is blurred on the scan). The two Chartres manuscripts agree. The Préaux, the Lyre, the Bigot and the first Saint-Ouen read: "because, while living, I myself left the unteachable".

(printed under page 73)

(b) ‹anchor: duodecim› · call in col 140

Eorum nomina suppeditantur Act. SS. Ord. S. P. Bened. Tom. I, p. 8, in calce.

Their names are supplied in the Acts of the Saints of the Order of St Benedict, volume I, p. 8, at the foot.

(printed under page 73)

Val-cl., altius erud.

The Valle Clara manuscript reads "to be taught more deeply".

(printed under page 73)

(d) ‹anchor: Equitius› · call in col 140

C. Germ. cum Gemet. et plér. Norm., Evitius. Primus Theod., Euticius.

The Germain manuscript, with the Jumièges and most Norman manuscripts, reads Evitius. The first Thierry, Euticius.

(printed under page 73)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 141

Reg. διαβόλου.

The Royal manuscript reads διαβόλου ("of the devil").

(printed under page 74)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 141

Colb. δι' ἑαυτόν. Et paulo infra, ἐν τῇ μονῇ; quod etiam habet Reg.

The Colbert manuscript reads δι' ἑαυτόν. And a little below, ἐν τῇ μονῇ ("in the monastery"), which the Royal also has.

(printed under page 74)

(3) ‹anchor: ἐκ πέτρας ζώσης› · call in col 141

Colb. περὶ τοῦ θαύματος τῆς πηγῆς. In Reg. idem est ac in editis argumentum.

The Colbert manuscript reads περὶ τοῦ θαύματος τῆς πηγῆς ("On the miracle of the spring"). In the Royal the heading is the same as in the printed editions.

(printed under page 74)

(4) ‹anchor: συνεστήσατο› · call in col 141

Colb. ὁ ἅγιος πατὴρ ἡμῶν Βενέδικτος. Et postea: τῷ τοῦ ὄρους ἦσαν κρημνῷ.

The Colbert manuscript reads ὁ ἅγιος πατὴρ ἡμῶν Βενέδικτος ("our holy father Benedict"). And afterwards: τῷ τοῦ ὄρους ἦσαν κρημνῷ ("were on the crag of the mountain").

(printed under page 74)

(5) ‹anchor: ἐπίμοχθον› · call in col 141

Reg. τὸ διηνεκῶς Colb. τοῦ διηνεκῶς.

The Royal manuscript reads τὸ διηνεκῶς; the Colbert, τοῦ διηνεκῶς.

(printed under page 74)

Page

running head: PROLEGOM[ENA] (page head spanning cols 141–142, cut at the crop; column number 141)
marginal letters: A beside the heading ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. Δʹ.›; B beside ‹διαβολικὸν ἔθος›; C beside ‹οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες›; D beside ‹τῷ τόπῳ συνεστήσατο›
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:142

CAPUT IV.

CHAPTER IV.

De monacho vagae mentis ad salutem reducto.

Of a monk of wandering mind brought back to salvation.

In uno autem ex eis monasteriis quae circumquaque construxerat, quidam monachus erat qui ad orationem stare non poterat: sed mox ut se fratres ad studium orationis inclinassent, ipse egrediebatur foras, et mente vaga terrena aliqua et transitoria agebat. Cumque ab abbate suo saepius fuisset admonitus, ad virum Dei deductus est, qui ipse quoque stultitiam ejus vehementer increpavit, et ad monasterium reversus, vix duobus diebus viri Dei admonitionem tenuit: nam die tertia ad usum proprium reversus, vagari tempore orationis coepit. Quod cum servo Dei ab eodem monasterii Patre quem constituerat, nuntiatum fuisset, dixit: Ego venio, eumque per memetipsum emendo. Cumque vir Dei venisset ad idem monasterium, et constituta hora, expleta psalmodia sese fratres in orationem dedissent, aspexit quod eumdem monachum qui in oratione manere non poterat, quidam niger puerulus per vestimenti fimbriam foras traheret. Tunc eidem Patri monasterii Pompeiano nomine, et Mauro Dei famulo secreto dixit: Nunquid non aspicitis quis est qui istum monachum foras trahit? Qui respondentes dixerunt: Non. Quibus ait: Oremus ut vos etiam videatis quem iste monachus sequitur. Cumque per biduum esset oratum, Maurus monachus vidit; Pompeianus vero ejusdem monasterii Pater videre non potuit. Die igitur alia, expleta oratione vir Dei oratorium egressus, stantem foris monachum reperit, quem pro caecitate cordis sui virga percussit: qui ex illo die nil persuasionis ulterius a nigro jam puerulo pertulit, sed ad orationis studium immobilis permansit: sicque antiquus hostis dominari non ausus est in ejus cogitatione, ac si ipse percussus fuisset ex verbere.

In one of the monasteries which he had built round about there was a certain monk who could not stand at prayer: but as soon as the brethren had bowed themselves to the exercise of prayer, he would go outside, and with wandering mind busy himself with some earthly and passing things. And when he had been admonished rather often by his abbot, he was brought to the man of God, who himself also sharply rebuked his folly; and having returned to the monastery, he kept the man of God's admonition for barely two days: for on the third day, having returned to his own habit, he began to wander at the time of prayer. When this had been reported to the servant of God by the Father of that same monastery, whom he had appointed, he said: I am coming, and I shall correct him myself. And when the man of God had come to that same monastery, and at the appointed hour, the psalmody finished, the brethren had given themselves to prayer, he saw that a certain little black boy was dragging outside by the hem of his garment that same monk who could not remain at prayer. Then he said privately to the Father of that monastery, Pompeianus by name, and to Maurus the servant of God: Do you not see who it is that is dragging this monk outside? They answered and said: No. He said to them: Let us pray that you too may see whom this monk follows. And when they had prayed for two days, the monk Maurus saw; but Pompeianus, the Father of that same monastery, could not see. On the next day, therefore, when the prayer was finished, the man of God, going out of the oratory, found the monk standing outside, and struck him with a rod for the blindness of his heart: and from that day he suffered no further enticement from the little black boy, but remained unmoved in the exercise of prayer: and so the ancient enemy did not dare to hold sway in his thought, as though he himself had been struck by the blow.

CAPUT V.

CHAPTER V.

De aqua viri Dei oratione in montis vertice ex petra producta.

Of water brought forth from the rock on the summit of a mountain by the prayer of the man of God.

Ex his autem monasteriis quae in eodem loco construxerat, tria sursum in rupibus montis erant, et valde erat fratribus laboriosum, semper ad lacum descendere, ut aquam haurire debuissent: maxime quia e devexo montis latere erat grave descendentibus in timore periculum. Tunc collecti fratres ex eisdem tribus monasteriis, ad Dei famulum Benedictum venerunt, dicentes: Laboriosum nobis est propter aquam quotidie usque ad lacum descendere,

Of the monasteries which he had built in that same place, three were up on the crags of the mountain, and it was very laborious for the brethren always to go down to the lake in order to draw water: above all because, from the steep side of the mountain, there was grave danger for those going down in fear. Then the brethren of those same three monasteries, gathered together, came to Benedict, the servant of God, saying: It is laborious for us to go down every day as far as the lake for water,

Editors' notes and page, col. 142

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 142

Gemet., hora orationis psalmodiae sese fratres.

The Jumièges manuscript reads "at the hour of prayer [had given] themselves, the brethren, to psalmody".

(printed under page 74)

(b) ‹anchor: dominari› · call in col 142

Additur, ulterius, in duob. Aud. Bec. et Lyr.

"Any further" is added in the two Saint-Ouen manuscripts, the Bec and the Lyre.

(printed under page 74)

Hoc est, haurirent. Confer notam a supra col. 133.

That is, "should draw". Compare note a above, col. 133.

(printed under page 74)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: μετοικῆσαι› · call in col 143

Reg. μετοικίσαι.

The Royal manuscript reads μετοικίσαι ("to move").

(printed under page 75)

(2) ‹anchor: ἐκείνῳ τῷ κρημνῷ› · call in col 143

Reg. τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ κρημνοῦ.

The Royal manuscript reads τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ κρημνοῦ ("in the place of the crag").

(printed under page 75)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 143

Mss. ὑπερεκχεῖται.

The manuscripts read ὑπερεκχεῖται ("overflows").

(printed under page 75)

(4) ‹anchor: Περὶ› · call in col 143

Colb. Περὶ τοῦ Γότθου καὶ τοῦ ξυλοκοπίου.

The Colbert manuscript reads Περὶ τοῦ Γότθου καὶ τοῦ ξυλοκοπίου ("On the Goth and the bill-hook").

(printed under page 75)

(5) ‹anchor: ξυλοκόπιν› · call in col 143

Reg. ξυλοκόπιον. Colb. ξυλοκόπην.

The Royal manuscript reads ξυλοκόπιον; the Colbert, ξυλοκόπην (last letters faint on the scan).

(printed under page 75)

(6) ‹anchor: Μαῦρος σπουδαίως› · call in col 143

Idem, σπουδαίως.

The same reads σπουδαίως.

(printed under page 75)

(7) ‹anchor: μανούβριον› · call in col 143

Uterque ms. μανούγριον.

Both manuscripts read μανούγριον (reading uncertain on the scan).

(printed under page 75)

Page

running head: S. BEN[EDICTUS] (page head spanning cols 143–144, cut at the crop; column number 143)
marginal letters: letters A and B not visible in this crop; C beside ‹μένον Βενέδικτον παρεγένετο›; D beside ‹τὸν τόπον ἐν ᾧ ἦν πεσὸν›
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:144

et idcirco necesse est ex eodem loco monasteria mutari. Quos blande consolans dimisit, et nocte eadem cum parvo puerulo nomine Placido, cujus superius memoriam feci, ejusdem montis rupem ascendit, ibique diutius oravit. Et oratione completa, tres petras in loco eodem pro signo posuit, atque ad suum cunctis illic nescientibus monasterium rediit. Cumque die alia ad eum pro necessitate aquae praedicti fratres rediissent, dixit: Ite, et rupem illam in qua tres super invicem positas petras inveneritis, in modico cavate: valet enim omnipotens Deus etiam in illo montis cacumine aquam producere, ut vobis laborem tanti itineris dignetur auferre. Qui euntes, rupem montis quam Benedictus praedixerat, jam sudantem invenerunt. Cumque in ea concavum locum fecissent, statim aqua repletus est, quae tam sufficienter emanavit, ut nunc usque ubertim defluat, atque ab illo montis cacumine usque ad inferiora derivetur.

…and therefore the monasteries must be moved from that place. He comforted them gently and sent them away, and that same night, with the little boy named Placidus, of whom I made mention above, he climbed the crag of that same mountain, and there prayed for a long while. And when his prayer was finished, he set three stones in that same place as a sign, and returned to his monastery with no one there knowing of it. And when on the next day the aforesaid brethren had come back to him on account of their need of water, he said: Go, and hollow out a little that crag on which you will find three stones placed one upon another: for Almighty God is able to bring forth water even on that summit of the mountain, so that He may deign to take from you the labour of so long a journey. Going there, they found the crag of the mountain which Benedict had foretold already sweating. And when they had made a hollow place in it, it was at once filled with water, which flowed out so sufficiently that to this day it runs down abundantly, and is conducted from that summit of the mountain down to the lower parts.

CAPUT VI.

CHAPTER VI.

De ferro ex profundo aquae ad manubrium reverso.

Of the iron returned from the depth of the water to its handle.

Alio quoque tempore Gothus quidam pauper spiritu ad conversionem venit: quem Dei vir Benedictus libentissime suscepit. Quadam vero die ei dari ferramentum jussit, quod ad falcis similitudinem falcastrum vocatur, ut de loco quodam vepres abscinderet, quatenus illic hortus fieri deberet. Locus autem ipse quem mundandum Gothus susceperat, super ipsam laci ripam jacebat. Cumque Gothus idem densitatem veprium totius virtutis annisu succideret, ferrum de manubrio prosiliens in lacum cecidit, ubi scilicet tanta erat aquarum profunditas, ut spes requirendi ferramenti nulla jam esset. Itaque ferro perdito, tremebundus ad Maurum monachum cucurrit Gothus: damnum quod fecerat nuntiavit, et reatus sui egit poenitentiam. Quod Maurus quoque monachus mox Benedicto famulo Dei curavit indicare. Vir igitur Domini Benedictus haec audiens accessit ad lacum: tulit de manu Gothi manubrium, et misit in lacum: et mox ferrum de profundo rediit, atque in manubrium intravit. Qui statim ferramentum Gotho reddidit, dicens: Ecce labora, et noli contristari.

At another time also a certain Goth, poor in spirit, came to conversion: and Benedict, the man of God, received him most gladly. One day he ordered that he be given an iron tool which, from its likeness to a sickle, is called a "falcastrum", so that he might cut away the brambles from a certain place, in order that a garden might be made there. Now the place itself which the Goth had undertaken to clear lay right over the bank of the lake. And while that same Goth was cutting down the thick growth of brambles with the effort of all his strength, the iron sprang off its handle and fell into the lake, where indeed the depth of the waters was so great that there was no longer any hope of recovering the tool. So, the iron lost, the Goth ran trembling to the monk Maurus: he reported the damage he had done, and did penance for his fault. This the monk Maurus too took care at once to make known to Benedict, the servant of God. The man of the Lord, Benedict, hearing this, therefore went to the lake: he took the handle from the Goth's hand and put it into the lake: and at once the iron came back from the depth and entered into the handle. And he at once gave the tool back to the Goth, saying: See, work, and do not be saddened.

Editors' notes and page, col. 144

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 144

Gemet. et plerique Norm. cum Germ., blande consolatus. Alii, blande consolatos.

The Jumièges manuscript and most Norman ones, with the Germain, read "having gently consoled". Others read "[them], gently consoled".

(printed under page 75)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 144

In plerisque excusis, illis nescientibus.

In most printed editions, "without their knowing".

(printed under page 75)

Gemet., et vobis lab... dignanter auferre.

The Jumièges manuscript reads "and graciously to take away from you the labour ...".

(printed under page 75)

(d) ‹anchor: falcis similitudinem› · call in col 144

Gemet., quod a falcis similitudine.

The Jumièges manuscript reads "which from its likeness to a sickle".

(printed under page 75)

(e) ‹anchor: ipse quem› · call in col 144

Secundus Theod. Val.-cl. et plur., quem ad mundandum.

The second Thierry manuscript, the Valle Clara and most others read "which [he had undertaken] to clear".

(printed under page 75)

(f) ‹anchor: damnum› · call in col 144

Id praescribitur Regulae S. P. Ben. c. 46.

This is prescribed in the Rule of our holy father Benedict, chapter 46.

(printed under page 75)

(g) ‹anchor: ad lacum› · call in col 144

Guss., ad locum.

Goussainville reads "to the place".

(printed under page 75)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 145

Uterque ms. τούτου τοῦ ἁγίου ἀνδρός.

Both manuscripts read τούτου τοῦ ἁγίου ἀνδρός ("of this holy man").

(printed under page 76)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 145

Mss. πρᾶγμα ὅτι καὶ μετὰ Πέτρον τὸν Ἀπόστολον γέγονε· ξένη ἐπιτροπὴ αἰτηθεῖσα παρὰ Μαύρου τοῦ μοναχοῦ πιστῶς, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ μακαρίου Βενεδίκτου παρασχεθεῖσα. Συντόμως. — Phrasis, ut est in textu, in gravi mendo cubat. Legendum enim esset, αἰτηθείσης γάρ... καὶ... παρασχεθείσης εὐχῆς, συντόμως, etc., nisi manuscriptorum lectio praeferatur. Edit.

The manuscripts read: "a thing which happened even after Peter the Apostle: a strange commission, asked faithfully by Maurus the monk and granted by blessed Benedict. Briefly." The sentence as it stands in the text lies under a serious fault. One would have to read αἰτηθείσης γάρ ... καὶ ... παρασχεθείσης εὐχῆς, συντόμως ("for the prayer having been asked ... and ... granted, briefly"), etc., unless the manuscripts' reading is preferred. Editor.

(printed under page 76)

(3) ‹anchor: ἐπὶ τὴν ξηρὰν› · call in col 145

Colb. τὴν πέτραν.

The Colbert manuscript reads τὴν πέτραν ("the rock").

(printed under page 76)

(4) ‹anchor: τοῦτον ἐνίσχυσε› · call in col 145

Reg. ἐνίσχυσε καὶ θαυμάσας τὸ γεγονὸς ἐτρόμαξεν καὶ ὑποστρέψας. Colb habet quoque ἐτρόμαξεν.

The Royal manuscript reads ἐνίσχυσε καὶ θαυμάσας τὸ γεγονὸς ἐτρόμαξεν καὶ ὑποστρέψας ("strengthened him; and marvelling at what had happened he trembled, and returning"). The Colbert also has ἐτρόμαξεν.

(printed under page 76)

(5) ‹anchor: ταπεινολογία› · call in col 145

Colb. θεολογία.

The Colbert manuscript reads θεολογία.

(printed under page 76)

(6) ‹anchor: τὰ θαυμάσια› · call in col 145

Mss. θαύματα.

The manuscripts read θαύματα ("miracles").

(printed under page 76)

(7) ‹anchor: τόποις ἐκείνοις› · call in col 145

Excusi male πόνοις ἐκείνοις.

The printed editions wrongly read πόνοις ἐκείνοις ("those labours").

(printed under page 76)

Page

running head: 145 PROLEGOMENA. 146 (running head spans the page)
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ζʹ.›; B ‹Μαῦρε, σπεῦσον ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφὸς›; C ‹εὐχὴ τοῦτον ἐνίσχυσε›; D ‹(beside the footnotes, no text line)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:146

CAPUT VII.

CHAPTER VII.

De Mauro ejus discipulo qui super aquas pedibus ambulavit.

Of Maurus his disciple, who walked on foot upon the waters.

Quadam vero die dum idem venerabilis Benedictus in cella consisteret, praedictus Placidus puer sancti viri monachus ad hauriendam de lacu aquam egressus est: qui vas quod tenuerat in aquam incaute submittens, ipse quoque cadendo secutus est. Quem mox unda rapuit, et pene ad unius sagittae cursum eum a terra introrsus traxit. Vir autem Dei intra cellam positus, hoc protinus agnovit, et Maurum festine vocavit, dicens: Frater Maure, curre, quia puer ille qui ad hauriendam aquam perrexerat, in lacum cecidit, jamque eum longius unda trahit. Res mira, et post Petrum apostolum inusitata. Benedictione etenim postulata atque percepta, ad Patris sui imperium concitus perrexit Maurus; atque usque ad eum locum quo ab unda deducebatur puer, per terram se ire existimans, super aquam cucurrit, eumque per capillos tenuit, rapido quoque cursu rediit. Qui mox ut terram tetigit, ad se reversus post terga respexit, et quia super aquas cucurrisset agnovit, et quod praesumere non potuisset ut fieret, miratus extremuit factum. Reversus itaque ad Patrem, rem gestam retulit. Vir autem venerabilis Benedictus hoc non suis meritis, sed illius obedientiae deputare coepit. At econtra Maurus pro solo ejus imperio factum dicebat: seque conscium in illa virtute non esse, quam nesciens fecisset. Sed in hac mutuae humilitatis amica contentione accessit arbiter puer qui ereptus est; nam dicebat: Ego cum ex aqua traherer, super caput meum melotem abbatis videbam, atque ipsum me ex aquis educere considerabam.

Now on a certain day, while the same venerable Benedict was staying in his cell, the aforesaid Placidus, the holy man's boy monk, went out to draw water from the lake; and, incautiously letting down into the water the vessel he had been holding, he himself followed it by falling in. The wave at once seized him and drew him inward from the land almost the distance of one arrow's flight. But the man of God, placed within his cell, knew this immediately, and called Maurus in haste, saying: "Brother Maurus, run, for that boy who had gone to draw water has fallen into the lake, and already the wave is drawing him farther off." A wonderful thing, and unheard of since Peter the apostle! For, a blessing having been asked and received, Maurus went in haste at his Father's command; and as far as the place where the boy was being carried by the wave, thinking that he was going on land, he ran upon the water, and took hold of him by the hair, and returned also at a rapid run. As soon as he touched land, coming to himself he looked behind him, and recognized that he had run upon the waters; and what he could not have presumed to be done, he marvelled at with fear when it was done. So, returning to the Father, he related what had happened. But the venerable man Benedict began to ascribe this not to his own merits but to the other's obedience. Maurus on the contrary said that it had been done by his command alone, and that he was not conscious of himself in that power which he had exercised without knowing it. But into this friendly contest of mutual humility there came as arbiter the boy who had been rescued; for he said: "When I was being drawn out of the water, I saw above my head the abbot's sheepskin, and perceived that it was he who was bringing me out of the waters."

Petr. Magna sunt valde quae narras, et ad multorum aedificationem profutura: ego autem boni viri miracula quo plus bibo, eo plus sitio.

Peter. Very great are the things you relate, and profitable for the edification of many; but the more I drink of the good man's miracles, the more I thirst.

CAPUT VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.

De pane veneno infecto per corvum longius projecto.

Of the bread infected with poison and carried far away by a raven.

Gregorius. Cum jam loca eadem in amorem Domini Dei nostri Jesu Christi longe lateque fervescerent,

Gregory. When now those same places, far and wide, were glowing with love of the Lord our God Jesus Christ,

Editors' notes and page, col. 146

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 146

Nam primis Ord. nostri saeculis novitii vestem saecularem servabant. Vide c. 58 Reg. S. P. Bened., sub finem, et notationem ad vitam Lanfranci, pag. 20, de Floro in vita S. Mauri, Mabill. Act. t. I, p. 9.

For in the first centuries of our Order novices kept their secular dress. See chapter 58 of the Rule of our holy father Benedict, towards the end, and the note on the Life of Lanfranc, p. 20, on Florus in the Life of St Maurus, Mabillon, Acta, vol. I, p. 9.

(printed under page 76)

(b) ‹anchor: miratus extremuit› · call in col 146

Val-cl., extimuit.

The Valle Clara manuscript reads extimuit ("was afraid").

(printed under page 76)

Secundus Carnot., in hac humilitatis mutua amicaque contentione. Duo Theoder., in hac humilitatis mutuae amica contentione.

The second Chartres manuscript reads "in this mutual and friendly contest of humility". The two Thierry manuscripts read "in this friendly contest of mutual humility".

(printed under page 76)

(d) ‹anchor: caput meum› · call in col 146

Per melotem hic intellige cucullam. Paulus Diac. nomine Theodemari abbatis ad Car. Magnum scribens: Illud, inquit, vestimentum quod a Gallicanis monachis cuculla dicitur, et nos cappam vocamus, quod proprie monachorum designat habitum, melotem appellare debemus, sicut et hactenus in hac provincia a quibusdam vocatur. Mabill. ibid.

By melota understand here the cowl. Paul the Deacon, writing to Charlemagne in the name of Abbot Theodemar, says: "That garment which the Gallic monks call a cuculla, and we call a cappa, which properly marks the habit of monks, we ought to call a melota, as it is still called by some in this province." Mabillon, in the same place.

(printed under page 76)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 147

Mss. τοῦ ὁσίου ἀνδρὸς πολιτείαν διέβαλεν.

The manuscripts read τοῦ ὁσίου ἀνδρὸς πολιτείαν διέβαλεν ("he slandered the holy man's way of life").

(printed under page 77)

(2) ‹anchor: κρυπτόμενος› · call in col 147

Reg. ὁ ἐντὸς κρυπτόμενος.

The Royal manuscript reads ὁ ἐντὸς κρυπτόμενος ("hidden within").

(printed under page 77)

(3) ‹anchor: ἀνὴρ Βενέδικτος› · call in col 147

Reg. πατήρ.

The Royal manuscript reads πατήρ ("father").

(printed under page 77)

Page

running head: 147 S. BENEDICTUS. 148 (running head spans the page)
marginal letters: A ‹Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μήκοθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν›; B ‹ἐλπίζων ἐκ τούτου πολλοὺς ἀποσπάσαι›; C ‹ἐν δὲ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐν ᾗ εἰώθει›; D ‹θου ἔνθα εὑρεθῆναι οὐ δύναται›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:148

saecularem vitam multi relinquerent, et sub leni Redemptoris jugo cervicem cordis edomarent, sicut mos pravorum est invidere aliis virtutis bonum quod ipsi habere non appetunt, vicinae ecclesiae presbyter, Florentius nomine, hujus nostri subdiaconi Florentii avus, antiqui hostis malitia percussus, sancti viri studiis coepit aemulari, ejusque conversationi derogare: quosque etiam posset, ab illius visitatione compescere. Cumque jam se conspiceret ejus profectibus obviare non posse, et conversationis illius opinionem crescere, atque multos ad statum vitae melioris, ipso quoque opinionis ejus praeconio indesinenter vocari, invidiae facibus magis magisque succensus, deterior fiebat: quia conversationis illius appetebat habere laudem, sed habere laudabilem vitam nolebat. Qui ejusdem invidiae tenebris caecatus, ad hoc usque perductus est, ut servo omnipotentis Dei infectum veneno panem quasi pro benedictione transmitteret. Quem vir Dei cum gratiarum actione suscepit, sed eum quae pestis lateret in pane non latuit. Ad horam vero refectionis illius ex vicina silva corvus venire consueverat, et panem de manu ejus accipere. Qui cum more solito venisset, panem quem presbyter transmiserat, vir Dei ante corvum projecit, eique praecepit, dicens: In nomine Jesu Christi Domini nostri tolle hunc panem, et tali eum in loco projice, ubi a nullo hominum possit inveniri. Tunc corvus aperto ore, expansis alis circa eumdem panem coepit discurrere, crocitare, ac si aperte diceret, et obedire se velle, et tamen jussa implere non posse. Cui vir Domini praecipiebat iterum atque iterum, dicens: Leva, leva securus, atque ibi projice ubi inveniri non possit. Quem diu demoratus, quandoque corvus momordit, levavit, et recessit. Post trium vero horarum spatium abjecto pane rediit, et de manu hominis Dei annonam quam consueverat accepit. Venerabilis autem Pater contra vitam suam inardescere sacerdotis animum videns, illi magis quam sibi doluit. Sed praedictus Florentius, quia magistri corpus necare non potuit, se ad exstinguendas discipulorum animas accendit: ita ut in horto cellae, cui Benedictus inerat, ante eorum oculos nudas septem puellas mitteret, quae coram eis sibi invicem manus tenentes, et diutius ludentes, illorum mentes ad perversitatem libidinis inflammarent. Quod vir sanctus de cella conspiciens, lapsumque adhuc tenerioribus discipulis pertimescens, idque pro sua solius persecutione fieri pertractans, invidiae locum dedit, atque oratoria cuncta quae construxerat, substitutis praepositis adjunctis fratribus ordinavit, et paucis secum monachis ablatis habitationem mutavit loci. Moxque ut vir Dei ejus odia humiliter declinavit, hunc omnipotens Deus terribiliter percussit. Nam cum praedictus presbyter stans in solario Benedictum discessisse

many were leaving the life of the world, and taming the neck of the heart under the gentle yoke of the Redeemer, then — as it is the way of the wicked to envy others the good of virtue which they themselves do not seek to have — the priest of a neighbouring church, Florentius by name, the grandfather of this subdeacon of ours, Florentius, struck by the malice of the ancient enemy, began to be jealous of the holy man's pursuits, and to disparage his way of life, and to keep back from visiting him whomever he could. And when he saw that he could not now hinder his progress, and that the repute of his way of life was growing, and that many were being called unceasingly to the state of a better life by the very proclamation of his repute, he was kindled more and more by the torches of envy and grew worse: because he desired to have the praise of that man's way of life, but would not have the praiseworthy life. Blinded by the darkness of this same envy, he was brought so far as to send to the servant of almighty God a loaf infected with poison, as if for a blessing. The man of God received it with thanksgiving, but the plague that lay hidden in the bread was not hidden from him. Now at the hour of his meal a raven was accustomed to come from the neighbouring wood and take bread from his hand. When it had come in its usual way, the man of God threw before the raven the bread which the priest had sent, and commanded it, saying: "In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, take up this bread, and throw it in such a place where it can be found by no one of men." Then the raven, with open beak and spread wings, began to run about that same bread and to croak, as if it were saying openly both that it was willing to obey and yet could not carry out the order. The man of the Lord commanded it again and again, saying: "Take it up, take it up without fear, and throw it where it cannot be found." After long delay the raven at last took it in its beak, lifted it, and went off. After the space of three hours, the bread cast away, it came back, and received from the hand of the man of God the ration it was accustomed to. But the venerable Father, seeing the priest's mind burning against his life, grieved for him more than for himself. But the aforesaid Florentius, because he could not kill the master's body, set himself on fire to extinguish the souls of the disciples: so that into the garden of the cell in which Benedict was, before their eyes he sent seven naked girls, who, holding one another's hands in their presence and playing for a long while, should inflame their minds to the perversity of lust. When the holy man saw this from his cell, and greatly feared a fall for his still tender disciples, and considered that this was being done in persecution of him alone, he gave way to envy; and he set in order all the oratories which he had built, with priors put in charge and brethren added, and, taking a few monks with him, changed the place of his dwelling. And as soon as the man of God had humbly avoided his hatred, almighty God struck him terribly. For when the aforesaid priest, standing on a sun-terrace, [rejoiced to hear] that Benedict had departed

Editors' notes and page, col. 148

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 148

German. duo Aud. et pler. Norm., perculsus.

The Germain manuscript, the two Saint-Ouen and most Norman manuscripts read perculsus ("struck").

(printed under page 77)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 148

Gilot. et Vatic., vocare. Aliqui, vacare.

Gillot's edition and the Vatican read vocare ("to call"). Some read vacare ("to be free for").

(printed under page 77)

Ita mss. magno consensu Gussanv. cum caeteris fere editis, manus tendentes.

So the manuscripts with great agreement. Goussainville, with almost all the other printed editions, reads "stretching out their hands".

(printed under page 77)

(d) ‹anchor: sua solius› · call in col 148

Hic etiam mss. codices consentiunt; quod paulisper mutantes ed. habent pro sui solius.

Here too the manuscripts agree; the printed editions, altering it slightly, have "pro sui solius".

(printed under page 77)

(e) ‹anchor: praepositis› · call in col 148

Plerique Norm., sub statutis.

Most Norman manuscripts read "under appointed [priors]".

(printed under page 77)

(f) ‹anchor: in solario› · call in col 148

Solarium editus erat locus in quo veteres hiberno (continues)

The solarium was a raised place in which the ancients in winter (continues)

(printed under page 77)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 149

Mss. πραγματεύσασθαι.

The manuscripts read πραγματεύσασθαι.

(printed under page 78)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 149

Reg. μοναχούς.

The Royal manuscript reads μοναχούς ("monks").

(printed under page 78)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 149

Idem. ἐν τῷ σωλαρίῳ.

The same reads ἐν τῷ σωλαρίῳ ("on the solarium").

(printed under page 78)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 149

Colb ἀθρόως.

The Colbert manuscript reads ἀθρόως ("suddenly").

(printed under page 78)

(5) ‹anchor: ὡς χαραποιηθέντι› · call in col 149

Mss. ὡς οἷα χαροποιηθέντι.

The manuscripts read ὡς οἷα χαροποιηθέντι ("as one made glad").

(printed under page 78)

(6) ‹anchor: καὶ ἐκπλήττοντά› · call in col 149

Iidem καὶ πάνυ ἐκπλ. quod majori fide Lat. textum repraesentat.

The same read καὶ πάνυ ἐκπλ[ήττοντα] ("and very astonishing"), which renders the Latin text more faithfully.

(printed under page 78)

(7) ‹anchor: ἑνὸς› · call in col 149

Reg. ἑνὸς πνεύματος ὑπῆρχεν, ὅπερ.

The Royal manuscript reads ἑνὸς πνεύματος ὑπῆρχεν, ὅπερ ("was of the one Spirit, which").

(printed under page 78)

(8) ‹anchor: καταλεῖψαι› · call in col 149

Uterque ms. ὤφειλον θεάσωνται. Sic etiam infra scribitur ὤφειλον in utroque.

Both manuscripts read ὤφειλον θεάσωνται. So also below ὤφειλον is written in both.

(printed under page 78)

Page

running head: 149 PROLEGOMENA. 150 (running head spans the page)
marginal letters: A ‹Ἀλλ' ὁ προλεχθεὶς Φλορέντιος›; B ‹ΠΕΤΡ. Θαυμαστά εἰσιν ὄντως›; C ‹Περὶ οὗ πάλιν γέγραπται›; D ‹(beside the footnotes, no text line)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:150

cognosceret et exsultaret, perdurante immobiliter tota domus fabrica, hoc ipsum in quo stabat solarium cecidit, et Benedicti hostem conterens exstinxit. Quod viri Dei discipulus, Maurus nomine, statim venerabili Patri Benedicto qui adhuc a loco eodem vix decem millibus aberat, aestimavit esse nuntiandum, dicens: Revertere, quia presbyter qui te persequebatur, exstinctus est. Quod vir Dei Benedictus audiens, sese in gravibus lamentationibus dedit, vel quia inimicus occubuit, vel quia de inimici morte discipulus exsultavit. Qua de re factum est, ut eidem quoque discipulo poenitentiam indiceret, quod mandans talia, gaudere de inimici interitu praesumpsisset.

learned and rejoiced, while the whole structure of the house remained unmoved, this very sun-terrace on which he stood fell, and, crushing Benedict's enemy, killed him. This the disciple of the man of God, Maurus by name, judged must at once be announced to the venerable Father Benedict, who was as yet barely ten miles away from that same place, saying: "Return, because the priest who persecuted you is dead." Hearing this, Benedict the man of God gave himself up to grievous lamentations, both because his enemy had fallen and because his disciple had exulted at the enemy's death. Wherefore it came about that he imposed a penance on that same disciple too, because, in sending such news, he had presumed to rejoice at the destruction of an enemy.

Petr. Mira sunt et multum stupenda quae dicis. Nam in aqua ex petra producta, Moysen (Num. XX, 11); in ferro vero, quod ex profundo aquae rediit, Elisaeum (IV Reg. VI, 7); in aquae itinere, Petrum (Matth. XIV, 29); in corvi obedientia, Eliam (III Reg. XVII, 6); in luctu autem mortis inimici, David video (II Reg. I, 11; XVIII, 33). Ut perpendo, vir iste spiritu justorum omnium plenus fuit.

Peter. Wonderful are the things you tell, and greatly to be marvelled at. For in the water brought out of the rock I see Moses (Num. 20:11); in the iron which came back from the depth of the water, Elisha (2 Kgs. 6:7); in the journey over the water, Peter (Matt. 14:29); in the raven's obedience, Elijah (1 Kgs. 17:6); and in the mourning for an enemy's death, David (2 Sam. 1:11; 18:33). As I weigh it, this man was full of the spirit of all the just.

Gregor. Vir Dei Benedictus, Petre, unius Dei spiritum habuit qui per concessae redemptionis gratiam electorum corda omnium implevit, de quo Joannes dicit: Erat lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum (Joan. I, 9). De quo rursus scriptum est: De plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus (Ibid., 16). Nam sancti Dei homines potuerunt a Domino virtutes habere, non etiam aliis tradere. Ille autem signa virtutis dedit subditis, qui se daturum signum Jonae promisit inimicis (Matth. XII, 39): ut coram superbis mori dignaretur, coram humilibus resurgere: quatenus et illi viderent quod contemnerent, et isti quod venerantes amare debuissent. Ex quo mysterio actum est, ut dum superbi

Gregory. Benedict, the man of God, Peter, had the spirit of the one God, Who through the grace of the redemption granted has filled the hearts of all the elect; of Whom John says: "He was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world" (John 1:9). Of Whom again it is written: "Of His fulness we have all received" (John 1:16). For the holy men of God were able to have powers from the Lord, but not also to hand them on to others. But He gave signs of power to His subjects Who promised to give the sign of Jonah to His enemies (Matt. 12:39): so that He deigned to die before the proud and to rise again before the humble; in order that those might see what they despised, and these what they ought to love with veneration. From which mystery it came about that, while the proud

Editors' notes and page, col. 150

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 150

Alius a S. Mauro Aequitii filio videtur, cum illo commigranti Patri Benedicto semper adhaeserit, ex actis S. Placidi, num. 11. Verum actis illis interpolatis vix fides debetur. Censuit interpres eum esse Maurum cujus supra meminit S. Greg.

He seems to be someone other than St Maurus the son of Equitius, since that Maurus always stayed with father Benedict when he moved, according to the Acts of St Placidus, number 11. But those interpolated Acts hardly deserve credit. The translator judged him to be the Maurus whom St Gregory mentioned above.

(printed under page 78)

(b) ‹anchor: spiritum habuit› · call in col 150

Val-cl. Lyr. et primus Aud., unum sp. habuit. Duo Theoder. Compend. et plerique Norm., unius spiritum omisso Dei.

The Valle Clara, the Lyre and the first Saint-Ouen manuscripts read "had one spirit". The two Thierry manuscripts, the Compiègne and most Norman ones read "the spirit of one", omitting "God".

(printed under page 78)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 151

Mss. ὁ ἀδάμας οὗτος.

The manuscripts read ὁ ἀδάμας οὗτος ("this adamant").

(printed under page 79)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 151

Reg. ἐτιμᾶτο.

The Royal manuscript reads ἐτιμᾶτο ("was honoured").

(printed under page 79)

(3) ‹anchor: θαρσαλείῳ› · call in col 151

Mss. cod. θαρσαλαίῳ. Forte θαρσαλέῳ.

The manuscripts read θαρσαλαίῳ. Perhaps θαρσαλέῳ ("bold").

(printed under page 79)

(4) ‹anchor: σεβάσμιον εὐκτήριον› · call in col 151

Mss. εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου.

The manuscripts read εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου ("an oratory of St John").

(printed under page 79)

(5) ‹anchor: τὸν ἐχθρὸν› · call in col 151

Colb. τῶν ἐχθρῶν τινα καὶ ὡς σπινθ.

The Colbert manuscript reads τῶν ἐχθρῶν τινα καὶ ὡς σπινθ[ηρακώδη] ("one of the enemies, and as if sparkling").

(printed under page 79)

(6) ‹anchor: ἐκάλει› · call in col 151

Uterque ms. Gr. τὸν δίκαιον.

Both Greek manuscripts read τὸν δίκαιον ("the just man").

(printed under page 79)

Page

running head: 151 S. BENEDICTUS. 152 (running head spans the page)
marginal letters: A ‹οὗτοι ὅπερ σεβόμενοι›; B ‹Κάστρον τοίνυν ὅπερ Κάσινον›; C ‹πρησε, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ναῷ›; D ‹νόμενον ὁρῶ, ὅστις διά τε›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:152

aspiciunt despectum mortis, humiles contra mortem acciperent gloriam potestatis.

look upon the contempt shown in death, the humble should receive the glory of power over death.

Petr. Quaeso te post haec, ad quae loca vir sanctus migraverit, vel si aliquas in eis virtutes postmodum ostenderit, innotesce.

Peter. I beg you, make known to what places the holy man moved after this, and whether he afterwards showed any mighty works in them.

Gregor. Sanctus vir ad alia demigrans loca non hostem mutavit. Nam tanto post graviora praelia pertulit, quantum contra se aperte pugnantem ipsum malitiae magistrum invenit. Castrum namque quod Cassinum dicitur, in excelsi montis latere situm est, qui videlicet mons distenso sinu hoc idem castrum recepit, sed per tria millia in altum se subrigens, velut ad aera cacumen tendit: ubi vetustissimum fanum fuit, in quo ex antiquorum more gentilium a stulto rusticorum populo Apollo colebatur. Circumquaque etiam in cultu daemonum luci succreverant, in quibus adhuc eodem tempore infidelium insana multitudo sacrificiis sacrilegis insudabat. Illuc itaque vir Dei perveniens, contrivit idolum, subvertit aram, succendit lucos, atque in ipso templo Apollinis oraculum beati Martini, ubi vero ara ejusdem Apollinis, fuit oraculum sancti Joannis construxit, et commorantem circumquaque multitudinem praedicatione continua ad fidem vocabat. Sed haec antiquus hostis tacite non ferens, non occulte vel per somnium, sed aperta visione ejusdem Patris oculis sese ingerebat, et magnis clamoribus vim se perpeti conquerebatur, ita ut voces illius etiam fratres audirent, quamvis imaginem minime cernerent. Ut enim discipulis suis venerabilis Pater dicebat, corporalibus ejus oculis idem antiquus hostis teterrimus et succensus apparebat, qui in eum ore oculisque flammantibus saevire videbatur. Jam vero quae diceret audiebant omnes: prius enim hunc vocabat ex nomine. Cui cum vir Dei minime responderet, ad ejus mox contumelias erumpebat. Nam cum clamaret, dicens: Benedicte, Benedicte, et eum sibi nullo modo respondere conspiceret, protinus adjungebat: Maledicte, non Benedicte, quid mecum habes? quid me persequeris? Sed jam nunc spectanda sunt contra Dei famulum antiqui hostis nova certamina, cui pugnam quidem volens intulit, sed occasiones victoriae ministravit invitus.

Gregory. The holy man, moving to other places, did not change his enemy. For afterwards he endured battles the heavier, as he found the very master of malice openly fighting against him. For the fortress which is called Casinum is situated on the side of a lofty mountain; which mountain receives this same fortress in its outspread bosom, but, raising itself up for three miles in height, stretches its summit as it were into the air. There was a most ancient shrine there, in which, after the custom of the pagans of old, Apollo was worshipped by a foolish populace of country folk. Round about, too, groves had grown up in the worship of demons, in which even at that same time an insane multitude of unbelievers toiled at sacrilegious sacrifices. So the man of God, arriving there, broke the idol, overturned the altar, set fire to the groves, and in the very temple of Apollo built an oratory of the blessed Martin, and where the altar of the same Apollo had been, an oratory of Saint John; and by continual preaching he called the multitude dwelling round about to the faith. But the ancient enemy, not bearing this in silence, thrust himself upon the eyes of that same Father not hiddenly or in a dream, but in open vision, and with great clamours complained that he was suffering violence, so that the brethren too heard his voices, though they did not at all see his form. For, as the venerable Father told his disciples, the same ancient enemy appeared to his bodily eyes most foul and on fire, and seemed to rage against him with flaming mouth and eyes. And what he said, all heard: for first he called him by name. When the man of God made no answer, he soon broke out into insults against him. For when he cried out, saying, "Benedict, Benedict," and saw that he in no way answered him, he at once added: "Maledict, not Benedict, what have you to do with me? Why do you persecute me?" But now the new contests of the ancient enemy against the servant of God are to be looked at; on whom he brought battle willingly indeed, but against his will supplied him with occasions of victory.

Editors' notes and page, col. 152

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 152

Becc., aspicerent; suffragatur Gr. interpr.

The Bec manuscript reads aspicerent ("saw"); the Greek translator supports it.

(printed under page 79)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 152

Ita secundus Carnot. Germ. Lyr. In caeteris fere eodem sensu et servata eadem interpunctione: ad alia demigrans, locum non hostem mut. In Becc., ad alia demigrans loca, locum non hostem mut.

So the second Chartres, the Germain and the Lyre manuscripts. In the others, with almost the same sense and the same punctuation kept: "moving to other [places], he changed his place, not his enemy". In the Bec: "moving to other places, he changed his place, not his enemy".

(printed under page 79)

Ejus descriptionem accuratissimam habes, Itineris Italici p. 120 et seq., et Diarii Ital. pag. 321 et seq.

You have a most accurate description of it in the Italian Journey, p. 120 ff., and in the Italian Diary, p. 321 ff.

(printed under page 79)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 152

Norm. et Val-cl., succidit. Cui lectioni favere videtur verbum Gr. ἐνέπρισε, nisi forte legendum sit ἐνέπρησεν, succendit.

The Norman manuscripts and the Valle Clara read succidit ("cut down"). The Greek verb ἐνέπρισε seems to favour this reading, unless perhaps ἐνέπρησεν, "set on fire", should be read.

(printed under page 79)

(e) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 152

Idolorum templa non dirui, sed lustrata prius, ad Dei cultum consecrari probavit S. Gregor. Vide lib. olim ix, ep. 71, nunc l. xi, ep. 76.

St Gregory approved that the temples of idols should not be pulled down but, once purified, consecrated to the worship of God. See formerly book IX, letter 71, now book XI, letter 76.

(printed under page 79)

(f) ‹anchor: sancti Joannis› · call in col 152

Idem est ac oratorium. Utrumque hic dicitur Graece εὐκτήριον.

It is the same as "oratory". Both are here called in Greek εὐκτήριον.

(printed under page 79)

(g) ‹anchor: ad fidem vocabat› · call in col 152

Hoc exemplo utitur S. Thom. opusculo 19, c. 4, ut probet religiosis viris licere concionari et verbum Dei populis annuntiare.

St Thomas uses this example in Opusculum 19, chapter 4, to prove that it is lawful for religious to preach and proclaim the word of God to the peoples.

(printed under page 79)

(h) ‹anchor: nunc spectanda› · call in col 152

Germ. et plur. Norm. exspectanda

The Germain manuscript and most Norman ones read exspectanda ("to be awaited").

(printed under page 79)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 153

Reg. οἰκοδομὴν ἔνθα ἡσυχάσειν ἐχρῆν.

The Royal manuscript reads οἰκοδομὴν ἔνθα ἡσυχάσειν ἐχρῆν ("a building where he was to live in quiet").

(printed under page 80)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 153

Reg. ἀνύσαντες. Colb. ὀνήσαντες.

The Royal manuscript reads ἀνύσαντες; the Colbert, ὀνήσαντες.

(printed under page 80)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 153

Reg. σχολέντα.

The Royal manuscript reads σχολέντα.

(printed under page 80)

(4) ‹anchor: Περὶ› · call in col 153

Colb. περὶ τοῦ χαλκοῦ εἰδώλου. Ἔδοξεν, etc. Codex hic in argumentis capitum semper ab editis, et a ms. Regio discrepat.

The Colbert manuscript reads περὶ τοῦ χαλκοῦ εἰδώλου ("On the bronze idol"). Ἔδοξεν, etc. In the chapter headings this manuscript always differs from the printed editions and from the Royal manuscript.

(printed under page 80)

(5) ‹anchor: τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν› · call in col 153

Reg. ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν φαντασιώδη χλεύην. Colb. habet ἀπελαθῆναι pro ἀπελθεῖν.

The Royal manuscript reads ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν φαντασιώδη χλεύην ("that the phantom mockery in their eyes might depart from the brethren"). The Colbert has ἀπελαθῆναι ("be driven away") for ἀπελθεῖν.

(printed under page 80)

(6) ‹anchor: καιόμενον› · call in col 153

Reg. καιόμενον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ὡρᾶτο λοιπὸν ἄφλεκτον.

The Royal manuscript reads καιόμενον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ὡρᾶτο λοιπὸν ἄφλεκτον ("burning in their eyes, but it was seen thereafter unburnt").

(printed under page 80)

Page

running head: 153 PROLEGOMENA. 154 (running head spans the page)
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. Θʹ.›; B ‹διῶξαι τὸν ἐχθρὸν διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ›; C ‹καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων τῶν μοναχῶν›; D ‹(beside footnote 1, no text line)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:154

CAPUT IX.

CHAPTER IX.

De ingenti saxo per viri Dei orationem levato.

Of a huge stone lifted through the prayer of the man of God.

Quadam die dum fratres habitacula ejusdem cellae construerent, lapis in medio jacebat quem in aedificium levare decreverant. Cumque eum duo vel tres movere non possent, plures adjuncti sunt, sed ita immobilis mansit, ac si radicitus in terra teneretur: ut palam daretur intelligi, quod super eum ipse per se antiquus hostis sederet, quem tantorum virorum manus movere non possent. Difficultate igitur facta, ad virum Dei missum est ut veniret, et orando hostem repelleret ut lapidem levare possent. Qui mox venit, et orationem faciens benedictionem dedit, et tanta lapis celeritate levatus est, ac si nullum prius pondus habuisset.

On a certain day, while the brethren were building the dwellings of that same cell, a stone lay in the middle which they had decided to raise into the building. And when two or three could not move it, more were added, but it remained as immovable as if it were held in the earth by roots: so that it was given to be plainly understood that the ancient enemy himself was sitting upon it in person, since the hands of so many men could not move it. The difficulty having arisen, then, word was sent to the man of God to come, and by praying drive off the enemy, so that they might be able to raise the stone. He came at once, and, making a prayer, gave a blessing; and the stone was raised with such speed as if it had never had any weight before.

CAPUT X.

CHAPTER X.

De phantastico coquinae incendio.

Of the illusory burning of the kitchen.

Tunc in conspectu viri Dei placuit ut in eodem loco terram foderent. Quam dum fodiendo altius penetrarent, aereum illic idolum fratres invenerunt. Quo ad horam casu in coquinam projecto, exire ignis repente visus est, atque in cunctorum monachorum oculis quia omne ejusdem coquinae aedificium consumeretur ostendit. Cumque jaciendo aquam, et ignem quasi exstinguendo perstreperent, pulsatus eodem tumultu vir Dei advenit. Qui eumdem ignem in oculis fratrum esse, in suis vero non esse considerans, caput protinus in orationem flexit, et eos quos phantastico reperit igne deludi, revocavit fratres, ut oculos suos signarent monuit, ut et sanum illud coquinae aedificium assistere cernerent, et flammas quas antiquus hostis finxerat, non viderent.

Then in the presence of the man of God it was resolved that they should dig the earth in that same place. And as by digging they went deeper, the brethren found there a bronze idol. When this had been thrown for the moment, by chance, into the kitchen, fire was suddenly seen to come out, and it showed to the eyes of all the monks that the whole building of the same kitchen was being consumed. And while they were making a din throwing water and as it were putting out the fire, the man of God, roused by the same tumult, came up. Considering that this fire was in the eyes of the brethren but not in his own, he at once bowed his head in prayer, and the brethren whom he found deluded by an illusory fire he called back, and admonished them to sign their eyes, so that they should see that kitchen building standing sound, and should not see the flames which the ancient enemy had feigned.

Editors' notes and page, col. 154

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 154

Cellae vocabulum hic pro ipso monasterio usurpari liquet, quod etiam in his dialogis saepissime occurrit.

It is clear that the word cella is used here for the monastery itself, which also occurs very often in these Dialogues.

(printed under page 80)

(b) ‹anchor: ut et sanum› · call in col 154

Gussanv., cui favent primus Theod. Gemet. et plurimi Norm., fratres ad oculos suos, ut et sanum, etc.

Goussainville, supported by the first Thierry manuscript, the Jumièges and very many Norman ones, reads "the brethren to their eyes, that they might both [see] whole", etc.

(printed under page 80)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 155

Additur ἀδελφοὺς in utroque ms.

ἀδελφούς ("brethren") is added in both manuscripts.

(printed under page 81)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 155

Mss. τοῦ δὲ τὴν ἀγγελίαν.... ἀγαγόντος, καὶ μήπω ταύτην διαγγεῖλαι φθάσαντος.

The manuscripts read τοῦ δὲ τὴν ἀγγελίαν .... ἀγαγόντος, καὶ μήπω ταύτην διαγγεῖλαι φθάσαντος ("and when he had brought the news .... and had not yet managed to report it").

(printed under page 81)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 155

Reg. ἐχάλασε.

The Royal manuscript reads ἐχάλασε.

(printed under page 81)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 155

Colb. κυριαλίου.

The Colbert manuscript reads κυριαλίου.

(printed under page 81)

(5) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 155

Tria verba haec nostris mss. debentur; deerant enim in excusis ante ed. Guss. qui ea legerat in ms. Regio, in quo legimus et ipsi, nec non in Colb. Alii excusi habent, ἑωρακότες οὐ τοσοῦτον.

These three words are owed to our manuscripts; they were missing in the printed editions before Goussainville's, who had read them in the Royal manuscript, in which we too read them, as also in the Colbert. Other printed editions have ἑωρακότες οὐ τοσοῦτον.

(printed under page 81)

(6) ‹anchor: ἀναγκαῖον ᾐτήσαντο› · call in col 155

Mss. ἠγήσαντο, — quae vera est lectio. Edit.

The manuscripts read ἠγήσαντο ("they judged"), which is the true reading. Editor.

(printed under page 81)

(7) ‹anchor: μαθηταῖς γενόμενος› · call in col 155

Iidem φοιτηταῖς γενόμενος.

The same read φοιτηταῖς γενόμενος ("having become [a reproach] among the disciples").

(printed under page 81)

Page

running head: 155 S. BENEDICT… (cut at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A beside the Greek caption ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΑ΄; B beside the line ending "Οἱ δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου μαθηταὶ"; C beside the line ending "Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν"; D at the footnote block, beside the facing Latin column
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:156

CAPUT XI.

CHAPTER XI.

De puerulo monacho parietis ruina confracto, et ejus oratione sanato.

Of the little boy monk crushed by the fall of a wall, and healed by his prayer.

Rursus dum fratres parietem, quia res ita exigebat, paulo altius aedificarent, vir Dei in orationis studio intra cellae suae claustra morabatur. Cui antiquus hostis insultans apparuit, et ei quod ad laborantes fratres pergeret indicavit. Quod vir Dei per nuntium celerrime fratribus indicavit, dicens: Fratres, caute vos agite, quia ad vos hac hora malignus spiritus venit. Is qui mandatum detulit, vix verba compleverat, et malignus spiritus eumdem parietem qui aedificabatur evertit, atque unum puerulum monachum cujusdam curialis filium opprimens, ruina contrivit. Contristati omnes ac vehementer afflicti non damno parietis, sed contritione fratris, venerabili Patri Benedicto studuerunt celeriter cum gravi luctu nuntiare. Tunc idem Pater Benedictus dilaceratum puerum ad se deferri jubet. Quem portare non nisi in sago potuerunt: quia collapsi saxa parietis, non solum ejus membra, sed etiam ossa contriverant. Praecepitque vir Dei statim eum in cella sua in psiathio, quod vulgo matta vocatur, in quo orare consueverat, projici, missisque foras fratribus cellam clausit: qui orationi instantius quam solebat incubuit. Mira res, eadem hora hunc incolumem, atque ut prius valentem ad eumdem iterum laborem misit, ut ipse quoque parietem cum fratribus perficeret, de cujus se interitu antiquus hostis Benedicto insultare credidisset.

Again, while the brethren were building a wall somewhat higher, because the situation so required, the man of God was staying within the enclosure of his cell, intent on prayer. The ancient enemy appeared to him, mocking, and indicated to him that he was going to the brethren at their work. This the man of God made known with all speed to the brethren by a messenger, saying: Brethren, conduct yourselves with caution, for at this hour an evil spirit is coming to you. He who carried the message had scarcely finished the words when the evil spirit overthrew the very wall that was being built, and, crushing one little boy monk, the son of a certain curial, ground him to pieces with the fall. All were saddened and vehemently afflicted, not by the loss of the wall but by the crushing of the brother, and they hastened with heavy grief to announce it to the venerable Father Benedict. Then the same Father Benedict orders the mangled boy to be brought to him. They could carry him only in a coarse cloak, because the stones of the fallen wall had crushed not only his limbs but even his bones. And the man of God commanded that he be laid at once in his cell on the psiathium, which is commonly called a matta, on which he was accustomed to pray; and, having sent the brethren outside, he shut the cell, and he applied himself to prayer more urgently than was his custom. A marvellous thing: in that same hour he sent him back, unharmed and as strong as before, to the same labour, so that he too might finish the wall with the brethren, by whose death the ancient enemy had believed he would mock Benedict.

CAPUT XII.

CHAPTER XII.

De monachis qui extra cellam comederant.

Of the monks who had eaten outside the cell.

Coepit vero inter ista vir Dei prophetiae etiam spiritu pollere, ventura praedicere, praesentibus etiam absentia nuntiare. Mos etenim cellae fuit, ut quoties ad responsum aliquod egrederentur fratres, cibum

Amid these things, moreover, the man of God began also to be mighty in the spirit of prophecy, to foretell things to come, and to announce things absent to those present. For it was the custom of the cell that, whenever the brethren went out on some business, food

Editors' notes and page, col. 156

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 156

Aliqui ex Norm., in sacco, ut etiam in plurimis editis.

Some of the Norman manuscripts read "in a sack", as also in very many printed editions.

(printed under page 81)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 156

Psiathium, cujus apud Hieronymum, Cassianum, et alios frequenter fit mentio, est storea seu teges ex junco. Pro lecto, stragulo, ac sedili monachis erat. Psiathium quoque sibi substernebant oraturi. Supra ad cap. 2, lib. I laudavimus Hieron. in praef. ad Reg. S. Pachomii de Tabennensibus sic loquentem: Nihil habent in cellulis praeter psiathium, etc.

The psiathium, often mentioned in Jerome, Cassian and others, is a mat or rush covering. It served monks as bed, coverlet and seat. They also spread a psiathium under themselves when about to pray. Above, on book I, chapter 2, we cited Jerome in the preface to the Rule of St Pachomius, speaking thus of the Tabennesiots: "They have nothing in their cells but a psiathium", etc.

(printed under page 81)

Haec verba Mabillonio videntur lemma seu interpretatio e margine in textum invecta. Sane in Graeco interp. non leguntur, et a multis codicibus absunt. Verum in antiquissimis mss. habentur, nimirum in Gemet. aliisque Norm., Carnot. primo, qui saeculo nono exaratus videtur; in primo Theod. et in Compend. In laudatis tamen codicibus aliquando legitur matha et natta pro matta. In Reg. S. P. Bened. c. 55, matta inter stramenta lectorum numeratur.

To Mabillon these words seem a gloss or explanation carried from the margin into the text. Indeed they are not read in the Greek translator and are absent from many manuscripts. But they are found in the most ancient manuscripts: the Jumièges and other Norman ones, the first Chartres, which seems to have been written in the ninth century, the first Thierry and the Compiègne. In the manuscripts cited, however, matha and natta are sometimes read for matta. In the Rule of our holy father Benedict, chapter 55, the matta is counted among the bedding.

(printed under page 81)

(d) ‹anchor: absentia nuntiare› · call in col 156

Al., narrare.

Others read narrare ("to tell").

(printed under page 81)

(e) ‹anchor: ad responsum› · call in col 156

Hoc est, ad negotium. Vide Reg. S. P. Bened. cap. 51, ubi id constituitur de fratribus qui pro quolibet responso egrediuntur. Consule etiam notam b, initio Moral., col. 1.

That is, "on business". See the Rule of our holy father Benedict, chapter 51, where this is laid down for brethren who go out on any errand. Consult also note b at the beginning of the Moralia, col. 1.

(printed under page 81)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Reg. λέγων, « Οὐ μετελάβετε τροφῆς; » ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη, « Οὐδαμοῦ, πάτερ· » πρὸς ὃν ὁ ἅγιος ἔφη, « Ἵνα τί οὕτω ψεύδῃ; οὐχὶ ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ τῆσδε παρθένου, » etc. Colb. ἵνα τί οὕτως ψεύδεσθαι.

The Royal manuscript reads: "saying, 'Did you not take food?' And he answered, 'Nowhere, father.' To him the saint said, 'Why do you lie so? Was it not in the cell of such a virgin', etc." The Colbert reads ἵνα τί οὕτως ψεύδεσθαι ("why lie so").

(printed under page 82)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Colb. δεσποίνης.

The Colbert manuscript reads δεσποίνης ("lady").

(printed under page 82)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Mss. ἀδελφῶν. Sed corrupte in Guss. post hoc verbum legitur ἐκ τῆς προσαχθείσης. Optima lectio est Colb.

The manuscripts read ἀδελφῶν. But in Goussainville, corruptly, ἐκ τῆς προσαχθείσης is read after this word. The best reading is the Colbert's.

(printed under page 82)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Reg. σαφῶς.

The Royal manuscript reads σαφῶς ("clearly").

(printed under page 82)

(5) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Forsan διελεγχθέντων.

Perhaps διελεγχθέντων ("having been convicted").

(printed under page 82)

(6) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 157

Reg. καὶ τὸν μέτρον τῶν ποτηρίων. — Mox legendum videtur φανερώσαντος. Edit.

The Royal manuscript reads καὶ τὸν μέτρον τῶν ποτηρίων ("and the measure of the cups"). Just after, φανερώσαντος seems to be the reading. Editor.

(printed under page 82)

(7) ‹anchor: ἔγνωσαν› · call in col 157

Reliqua dialogorum desunt in Colb.

The rest of the Dialogues is missing in the Colbert manuscript.

(printed under page 82)

(8) ‹anchor: διαυγεστάτου› · call in col 157

Reg. διειδεστάτου.

The Royal manuscript reads διειδεστάτου ("most transparent").

(printed under page 82)

Page

running head: 157 PROLEGOM… (cut at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A beside the line ending "τινὲς τῶν" (first line); B beside the line ending "ἐκ τῆς προσταχ-"; C beside the line ending "μνείαν" (ch. ΙΓ΄, third line); D beside the line ending "ἡσύ-"
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:158

potumque extra cellam minime sumerent. Cumque hoc de usu regulae sollicite servaretur, quadam die ad responsum fratres egressi sunt, et in eo tardiori compulsi sunt hora demorari. Qui manere juxta religiosam feminam noverant, cujus ingressi habitaculum sumpserunt cibum. Cumque jam tardius ad cellam rediissent, benedictionem Patris ex more petierunt. Quos ille protinus percontatus est, dicens: Ubi comedistis? Qui responderunt: Nusquam. Quibus ille ait: Quare ita mentimini? Nunquid illius talis feminae habitaculum non intrastis? nunquid hos atque illos cibos non accepistis? nunquid tot calices non bibistis? Cumque eis venerabilis Pater et hospitium mulieris, et genera ciborum, et numerum potionum diceret, recognoscentes cuncta quae egerant, ad ejus pedes tremefacti ceciderunt, et se deliquisse confessi sunt. Ipse autem protinus culpam pepercit, perpendens quod in ejus absentia ultra non facerent, quem praesentem sibi esse in spiritu scirent.

and drink they should by no means take outside the cell. And while this was carefully kept as the practice of the rule, one day the brethren went out on business, and in it they were compelled to stay until a later hour. They knew that a devout woman lived near by; they entered her dwelling and took food. And when, rather late, they had returned to the cell, they asked the Father's blessing according to custom. He at once questioned them, saying: Where did you eat? They answered: Nowhere. He said to them: Why do you lie so? Did you not enter the dwelling of such-and-such a woman? Did you not receive these and those foods? Did you not drink so many cups? And when the venerable Father told them both the woman's hospitality and the kinds of food and the number of drinks, recognizing all that they had done, they fell trembling at his feet and confessed that they had done wrong. And he at once spared the fault, judging that they would not do it again in his absence, since they knew that he was present to them in spirit.

CAPUT XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.

De fratre Valentiniani monachi, quem vir Dei in via comedisse cognovit.

Of the brother of the monk Valentinian, whom the man of God knew to have eaten on the way.

Frater quoque Valentiniani ejus monachi, cujus superius memoriam feci, vir erat laicus, sed religiosus. Qui ut servi Dei orationem perciperet, et germanum fratrem videret, annis singulis de loco suo ad cellam ejus jejunus venire consueverat. Quadam igitur die dum iter ad monasterium faceret, sese illi alter viator adjunxit, qui sumendos cibos in itinere portabat. Cumque jam hora tardior excrevisset, dixit: Veni frater, sumamus cibum, ne lassemur in via. Cui ille respondit: Absit, frater, hoc non faciam, quia ad venerabilem Patrem Benedictum jejunus semper pervenire consuevi. Quo responso percepto, ad horam conviator tacuit. Sed cum post hoc aliquantulum itineris spatium egissent, rursus admonuit ut manducarent. Noluit consentire qui jejunus pervenire decreverat. Tacuit quidem qui ad manducandum invitaverat, et cum eo jejunus adhuc pergere ad modicum consensit. Cumque iter longius agerent, et eos tardior hora fatigaret ambulantes, invenerunt in itinere pratum et fontem, et quaeque poterant ad reficiendum corpus delectabilia videri. Tunc conviator ait: Ecce aqua, ecce pratum, ecce amoenus locus, in quo possumus refici et parum quiescere, ut valeamus iter nostrum postmodum incolumes explere. Cum igitur et verba haec auribus, et loca oculis

The brother also of that monk Valentinian, of whom I made mention above, was a layman, but devout. In order to receive the prayer of the servant of God and to see his own brother, he used every year to come fasting from his home to his cell. One day, then, while he was making the journey to the monastery, another traveller joined himself to him, who was carrying food to be eaten on the way. And when the hour had now grown late, he said: Come, brother, let us take food, so that we do not grow faint on the way. He answered him: God forbid, brother; this I will not do, for I have always been accustomed to arrive fasting at the venerable Father Benedict's. On receiving this answer, the fellow traveller fell silent for the moment. But when after this they had covered some little stretch of the road, he urged again that they should eat. He who had resolved to arrive fasting would not consent. He who had invited him to eat was silent indeed, and consented to go on with him, still fasting, for a little while. And when they had travelled further, and the lateness of the hour wearied them as they walked, they found on the way a meadow and a spring, and whatever could seem delightful for refreshing the body. Then the fellow traveller said: See, water; see, a meadow; see, a pleasant place, in which we can be refreshed and rest a little, so that afterwards we may be able to finish our journey unharmed. When therefore both these words to his ears and the places to his eyes

Editors' notes and page, col. 158

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 158

Ita mss. miro consensu, vel culpae pepercit. In Gilot. Vatic. et Guss., culpae poenitentiam praecepit. Lectioni mss. optime respondet Graeca interpretatio.

So the manuscripts with remarkable agreement, or "spared the fault". In Gillot's, the Vatican and Goussainville's editions, "enjoined penance for the fault". The Greek translation answers best to the manuscripts' reading.

(printed under page 82)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 159

Ms. τοῦ ἁγίου πατρὸς σεβασμίου.

The manuscript reads τοῦ ἁγίου πατρὸς σεβασμίου ("of the holy and venerable father").

(printed under page 83)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 159

Ms. παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν συνέβη.

The manuscript reads παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν συνέβη ("it happened by the way").

(printed under page 83)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 159

Ms. τοσοῦτον μᾶλλον.

The manuscript reads τοσοῦτον μᾶλλον ("so much the more").

(printed under page 83)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 159

Ms. ἑαυτὸν ἐπέγνω.

The manuscript reads ἑαυτὸν ἐπέγνω ("he recognised himself").

(printed under page 83)

(5) ‹anchor: ὅπως ἀκούσῃς› · call in col 159

Ms. ἀκούσῃς τὰ δέοντα.

The manuscript reads ἀκούσῃς τὰ δέοντα ("that you may hear what is needful").

(printed under page 83)

(6) ‹anchor: χάριτος μετασχεῖν› · call in col 159

Ms. μετέχειν.

The manuscript reads μετέχειν.

(printed under page 83)

(7) ‹anchor: πορευθῆναι προσέταξεν› · call in col 159

Ms. ἐπέτρεψε.

The manuscript reads ἐπέτρεψε ("he permitted").

(printed under page 83)

Page

running head: 159 S. BENEDIC… (cut at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A beside the first line, ending "ἰδοὺ ἐπι-"; B beside "ΠΕΤΡ. Ἐγὼ τοῦ ἁγίου τούτου ἀνδρὸς τὰς πράξεις"; C beside the line ending "ἐν" ("Ἐκεῖνος δὲ λογισάμενος ἐν"); D beside the line ending "ἐρ-" ("θεωρεῖν τοῦτον ἐρ-")
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:160

blandirentur, tertia admonitione persuasus, consensit et comedit: vespertina vero hora pervenit ad cellam. Praesentatus autem venerabili Benedicto Patri, sibi orationem dari petiit: sed mox ei vir sanctus hoc quod in via egerat improperavit, dicens: Quid est, frater, quod malignus hostis, qui tibi per conviatorem tuum locutus est, semel tibi persuadere non potuit, secundo non potuit, et tertio suasit, et te ad hoc quod voluit superavit? Tunc ille reatum infirmae suae mentis agnoscens, ejus pedibus provolutus, tanto magis coepit culpam deflere et erubescere, quanto se cognovit etiam absentem in Benedicti Patris oculis deliquisse.

were enticing him, persuaded by the third urging, he consented and ate; and at the evening hour he reached the cell. Presented to the venerable Father Benedict, he asked that prayer be given him; but at once the holy man reproached him with what he had done on the way, saying: How is it, brother, that the malignant enemy, who spoke to you through your fellow traveller, could not persuade you the first time, could not the second, but persuaded you the third time and overcame you to do what he wished? Then he, acknowledging the guilt of his weak mind, cast himself at his feet and began to bewail his fault and blush for it all the more, as he recognized that even when absent he had sinned in the eyes of Father Benedict.

Petr. Ego sancti viri praecordiis Elisaei (IV Reg. V) spiritum video inesse, qui absenti discipulo praesens exstitit.

Peter. I see that the spirit of Elisha (2 Kgs. 5) dwells in the heart of the holy man, who was present to his absent disciple.

CAPUT XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.

De simulatione regis Totilae deprehensa.

Of the pretence of King Totila detected.

Gregorius. Oportet, Petre, ut interim sileas, quatenus adhuc majora cognoscas. Gothorum namque temporibus, cum rex eorum Totila sanctum virum prophetiae habere spiritum audisset, ad ejus monasterium pergens, paulo longius substitit, eique se venturum esse nuntiavit. Cui dum protinus mandatum de monasterio fuisset ut veniret, ipse, sicut perfidae mentis fuit, an vir Dei prophetiae spiritum haberet explorare conatus est. Quidam vero ejus spatharius Riggo dicebatur, cui calceamenta sua praebuit, eumque indui vestibus regalibus fecit, quem quasi in persona sua pergere ad Dei hominem praecepit. In cujus obsequio tres qui sibi prae caeteris adhaerere consueverant, comites misit, scilicet, Vulteric, Ruderic, et Blidin, ut ante servi Dei oculos ipsum regem Totilam esse simulantes, ejus lateribus obambularent; cui alia quoque obsequia atque spatharios praebuit, ut tam ex eisdem obsequiis quam ex purpureis vestibus rex esse putaretur. Cumque idem Riggo decoratus vestibus, obsequentum frequentia comitatus monasterium fuisset ingressus, vir Dei eminus sedebat. Quem venientem conspiciens, cum jam ab eo audiri potuisset, clamavit, dicens: Pone, fili, pone hoc quod portas: non est tuum. Qui Riggo protinus in terram cecidit, et quia tanto viro illudere praesumpsisset, expavit: omnesque qui cum eo ad

Gregory. You must keep silence for a while, Peter, so that you may come to know greater things still. For in the times of the Goths, when their king Totila had heard that the holy man had the spirit of prophecy, he set out for his monastery, halted some way off, and sent word to him that he would come. When a message had at once been sent to him from the monastery that he should come, he, being of a faithless mind, tried to find out whether the man of God had the spirit of prophecy. Now one of his sword-bearers was called Riggo; to him he gave his own shoes and had him clothed in royal garments, and ordered him to go to the man of God as though in his own person. In attendance on him he sent as companions three who used to keep close to him above the rest, namely Vulteric, Ruderic and Blidin, so that, pretending before the eyes of the servant of God that he was King Totila himself, they should walk at his sides; he furnished him also with other attendants and with sword-bearers, so that both from those attendants and from the purple garments he might be thought to be the king. And when this same Riggo, adorned with the garments and accompanied by a throng of attendants, had entered the monastery, the man of God was sitting at a distance. Seeing him coming, as soon as he could be heard by him, he cried out, saying: Put off, son, put off what you are wearing; it is not yours. At once Riggo fell to the ground, and was terrified because he had presumed to mock so great a man; and all who with him to

Editors' notes and page, col. 160

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 160

Duo Gemet., persuasit.

The two Jumièges manuscripts read persuasit ("persuaded").

(printed under page 83)

(b) ‹anchor: ejus spatharius› · call in col 160

Spatharii munus erat spatham sive ensem principis gerere, ejusque latus custodire Mabill.

The spatharius's office was to carry the prince's spatha or sword and to guard his side. Mabillon.

(printed under page 83)

Calcei olim varii erant pro cujusque statu ac conditione, nam plebei calceis albis, senatores rubris, reges purpureis utebantur, ut observavit Haeftenus. Mabill.

Shoes were formerly various according to each man's rank and condition: commoners wore white shoes, senators red, kings purple, as Haeftenus observed. Mabillon.

(printed under page 83)

(d) ‹anchor: spatharios praebuit› · call in col 160

In vet. editis, cui alia quoque obs. quasi spatharii praeberent.

In the old printed editions: "to whom others too, as spatharii, should offer services".

(printed under page 83)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 161

Ms. παρεγένετο.

The manuscript reads παρεγένετο ("came").

(printed under page 84)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 161

Ms. συγχεθέντα μὴ ἀνίστασθαι... Χριστοῦ δοῦλος.

The manuscript reads συγχεθέντα μὴ ἀνίστασθαι ... Χριστοῦ δοῦλος ("confounded, not to rise ... servant of Christ").

(printed under page 84)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 161

Ms. συμβαίνειν.

The manuscript reads συμβαίνειν ("to happen").

(printed under page 84)

(4) ‹anchor: ἀλλ' ἀνάγκαις› · call in col 161

Ms. ἀλλ' ἀνάγκαις τε καὶ ταραχαῖς.... ἐφ' ἑαυτήν.

The manuscript reads ἀλλ' ἀνάγκαις τε καὶ ταραχαῖς .... ἐφ' ἑαυτήν ("but by distresses and tumults .... in itself").

(*) ‹anchor: Καθεσθέντων› · call in col 161 Participium aoristi parum usitati καθέσθην, a verbo καθέζομαι. Edit.

Participle of the little-used aorist καθέσθην, from the verb καθέζομαι. Editor.

(printed under page 84)

Page

running head: 161 PROLEGOMEN… (cut at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A beside the first line, ending "ἀκού-"; B beside the line ending "Βε-" ("μενος τῷ φόβῳ αὐτὸν συγχεθέντα"); C beside the line ending "παραγέγονεν·" ("χρόνον ἐν Ῥώμῃ εἰσῆλθε"); D at the footnote block, beside the facing Latin column
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:162

hominem Dei veniebant, terrae consternati sunt. Surgentes autem, ad eum propinquare minime praesumpserunt, sed ad suum regem reversi, nuntiaverunt trepidi in quanta velocitate fuerant deprehensi.

the man of God were coming were thrown to the ground in consternation. And rising, they did not at all presume to approach him, but, returning to their king, they reported in alarm with what speed they had been found out.

CAPUT XV.

CHAPTER XV.

De prophetia eidem regi Totilae et Canusinae civitatis antistiti facta.

Of the prophecy made to the same King Totila and to the bishop of the city of Canusium.

Tunc per se idem Totila ad Dei hominem accessit: quem cum longe sedentem cerneret, non ausus accedere sese in terram dedit. Cui cum vir Dei bis terve diceret: Surge, sed ipse ante eum de terra erigi non auderet, Benedictus Christi Jesu famulus per semetipsum dignatus est accedere ad regem prostratum: quem de terra levavit, et de suis actibus increpavit, atque in paucis sermonibus cuncta quae illi erant ventura praenuntiavit, dicens: Multa mala facis, multa mala fecisti, jam aliquando ab iniquitate compescere. Equidem Romam ingressurus es, mare transiturus, novem annis regnabis, decimo morieris. Quibus auditis rex vehementer territus, oratione petita recessit, atque ex illo jam tempore minus crudelis fuit: et non multo post Romam adiit, ad Siciliam perrexit; anno autem regni sui decimo, omnipotentis Dei judicio regnum cum vita perdidit. Praeterea Canusinae antistes Ecclesiae ad eumdem Dei famulum venire consueverat, quem vir Dei pro vitae suae merito valde diligebat. Is itaque dum cum illo de ingressu regis Totilae et Romanae urbis perditione colloquium haberet, dixit: Per hunc regem civitas ista destruetur, ut jam amplius non inhabitetur. Cui vir Domi⟨n⟩i respondit: Roma a gentibus non extermi⟨n⟩abitur, sed tempestatibus coruscis, et turbinibus, ac terrae motu fatigata, in semet⟨i⟩psa marcescet. Cujus prophetiae mysteria nobis jam facta sunt luce clariora, qui in hac urbe dissoluta moenia, eversas domos, destructas ecclesias turbine cernimus, ej⟨u⟩sque aedificia longo senio lassata, quia ruinis crebrescentibus prosternantur, videmus. Quamvis hoc Honoratus ejus discipulus, cujus mihi relatione compertum est, nequaquam ex ore illius audisse se perhibet; sed quia hoc dixerit, dictum sibi a fratribus fuisse testatur.

Then the same Totila came in person to the man of God; and when he saw him sitting some way off, not daring to approach, he threw himself to the ground. And when the man of God said to him two or three times, Rise, but he did not dare to raise himself from the ground before him, Benedict, the servant of Christ Jesus, deigned to come himself to the prostrate king. He lifted him from the ground and rebuked him for his deeds, and in a few words foretold all that was to come upon him, saying: You do many evil things, you have done many evil things; now at last restrain yourself from iniquity. You will indeed enter Rome; you will cross the sea; you will reign nine years, and in the tenth you will die. On hearing this the king, greatly terrified, asked for prayer and withdrew, and from that time on he was less cruel. Not long afterwards he went to Rome and proceeded to Sicily; and in the tenth year of his reign, by the judgement of almighty God, he lost his kingdom together with his life. Moreover, the bishop of the Church of Canusium used to come to the same servant of God, and the man of God loved him greatly for the merit of his life. While he was conversing with him about the entry of King Totila and the ruin of the city of Rome, he said: Through this king this city will be destroyed, so that it will no longer be inhabited. The man of the Lord answered him: Rome will not be wiped out by the nations, but, worn down by storms with lightning, by whirlwinds and by earthquake, it will waste away in itself. The mysteries of this prophecy have now become clearer than light to us, who see in this city walls broken down, houses overturned, churches destroyed by whirlwind, and see its buildings, wearied with long age, laid low by ever more frequent collapses. Honoratus his disciple, from whose account I learned this, declares indeed that he by no means heard it from his own mouth; but he testifies that he was told by the brethren that he had said it.

Editors' notes and page, col. 162

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 162

Pler. editi, conquiesce.

Most printed editions read conquiesce ("be at rest").

(printed under page 84)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 162

Inde apparet hunc Totilae cum S. P. Benedicto congressum accidisse anno octavo belli Gothici pene exacto (quod anno Christi 542 respondet), cum Totilas jam annum integrum regnasset. Nam undecim annis Italiae principatu potitus est: cui calculo favet Procopius in lib. III de Bello Goth.: Amne Tiberino transmisso (Totilas).... ad Campanos et Samnites divertit. Casinum autem Campaniae vicinum, in Samnitibus situm est.

From this it appears that this meeting of Totila with our holy father Benedict took place when the eighth year of the Gothic war was almost over (which corresponds to the year of Christ 542), when Totila had already reigned a full year. For he held the rule of Italy for eleven years. Procopius supports this reckoning in book III of the Gothic War: "Having crossed the river Tiber, (Totila) .... turned aside to the Campanians and Samnites." Cassino, near Campania, lies among the Samnites.

(printed under page 84)

In hac expeditione Siciliae S. Placidum S. P. Benedicti discipulum martyrium passum, ejusque monasterium flammis devastatum fuisse non levis est conjectura, quam aperuimus l. ii. Vitae Cassiodori, c. 7, pag. prioris edit. 266 et seq., ubi etiam quae ad Totilam pertinent prosecuti sumus.

It is no slight conjecture that in this Sicilian expedition St Placidus, disciple of our holy father Benedict, suffered martyrdom and his monastery was laid waste by fire. We set this out in book II of the Life of Cassiodorus, chapter 7, p. 266 ff. of the former edition, where we also followed up what concerns Totila.

(printed under page 84)

(d) ‹anchor: Canusinae› · call in col 162

Canusium, vulgo Canosa, urbs Apuliae Peucetiae ad Aufidum fluvium, a Cannis excisis 3 millibus distans. Porro hic Canusinus episcopus Sabinus vel Savinus vocatur in Actis S. Placidi.

Canusium, commonly Canosa, a city of Apulia Peucetia on the river Aufidus, three miles from ruined Cannae. This bishop of Canusium is called Sabinus or Savinus in the Acts of St Placidus.

(printed under page 84)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 163

Forte δαιμονιῶντος.

Perhaps δαιμονιῶντος ("possessed by a demon").

(printed under page 85)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 163

Ms. οἵᾳ γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ. . τολμήσῃς.

The manuscript reads οἵᾳ γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ .. τολμήσῃς ("for on whatever day .. you dare").

(printed under page 85)

(3) ‹anchor: συνῆκε, πρὸς› · call in col 163

Ms. πρὸς τὸ μὴ αὐτομολῆσαι τοῦτον.

The manuscript reads πρὸς τὸ μὴ αὐτομολῆσαι τοῦτον ("so that he should not presume").

(printed under page 85)

(4) ‹anchor: Εἰ ἓν γίνεται› · call in col 163

Ms. διατί ἓν γίνεται.

The manuscript reads διατί ἓν γίνεται ("why ... becomes one").

(printed under page 85)

Page

running head: 163 S. BENEDIC… (cut at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A beside the caption ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ιϛ΄; B beside the line ending "κρέα" ("ἔστησεν, εἰπὼν αὐτῷ"); C beside "ΠΕΤΡ. Ὁ προορατικὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ οὗτος ἄνθρωπος, ὡς"; D at the footnote block, beside the facing Latin column
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:164

CAPUT XVI.

CHAPTER XVI.

De clerico a daemonio ad tempus liberato.

Of the cleric freed from a demon for a time.

Eodem quoque tempore quidam Aquinensis Ecclesiae clericus daemonio vexabatur, qui a venerabili viro Constantio ejusdem Ecclesiae antistite per multa fuerat martyrum loca transmissus, ut sanari potuisset. Sed sancti Dei martyres noluerunt ei sanitatis donum tribuere, ut quanta esset in Benedicto gratia demonstrarent. Ductus itaque est ad omnipotentis Dei famulum Benedictum: qui Jesu Christo Domino preces fundens, antiquum hostem de obsesso homine protinus expulit. Cui sanato praecepit, dicens: Vade, et posthac carnem non comedas; et ad sacrum ordinem nunquam accedere praesumas; quacunque autem die sacrum ordinem temerare praesumpseris, statim juri diaboli iterum mancipaberis. Discessit igitur clericus sanus, et sicut terrere solet animum poena recens, ea quae vir Dei praeceperat, interim custodivit. Cum vero post annos multos omnes priores illius de hac luce migrassent, et minores suos sibimet superponi in sacris ordinibus cerneret, verba viri Dei quasi ex longo tempore oblitus postposuit, atque ad sacrum ordinem accessit: quem mox is qui reliquerat diabolus tenuit, eumque vexare quousque animam ejus excuteret, non cessavit.

At the same time also a certain cleric of the Church of Aquinum was tormented by a demon. He had been sent by the venerable man Constantius, bishop of that same Church, to many shrines of the martyrs, so that he might be healed. But the holy martyrs of God would not grant him the gift of health, that they might show how great was the grace in Benedict. He was therefore brought to Benedict, the servant of almighty God, who, pouring out prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ, at once drove the ancient enemy out of the possessed man. When he was healed, he commanded him, saying: Go, and hereafter do not eat flesh, and never presume to approach holy orders; on whatever day you presume to violate holy orders, you will at once be delivered over again to the dominion of the devil. So the cleric departed healed, and, as a fresh punishment is wont to frighten the mind, he kept for a time what the man of God had commanded. But when, after many years, all his seniors had departed from this light, and he saw his juniors set over him in holy orders, he set aside the words of the man of God as though forgotten through the long lapse of time, and approached holy orders. At once the devil who had left him seized him, and did not cease to torment him until he had shaken out his soul.

Petr. Iste vir Dei Divinitatis, ut video, etiam secreta penetravit, quia perspexit hunc clericum idcirco diabolo traditum, ne ad sacrum ordinem auderet accedere.

Peter. This man of God, as I see, penetrated even the secrets of the Godhead, since he perceived that this cleric had been handed over to the devil for this reason, that he should not dare to approach holy orders.

Gregor. Quare Divinitatis secreta non nosset, qui Divinitatis praecepta servavit, cum scriptum sit: Qui adhaeret Domino, unus spiritus est (I Cor. VI, 17)?

Gregory. Why should he not know the secrets of the Godhead, who kept the commandments of the Godhead, since it is written: He who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17)?

Petr. Si unus fit cum Domino spiritus qui Domino adhaeret, quid est quod iterum idem egregius praedicator dicit: Quis novit sensum Domini, aut quis consiliarius ejus fuit (Rom. XI, 34)? Valde enim esse inconveniens videtur ejus sensum cum quo unus factus fuerit, ignorare.

Peter. If he who cleaves to the Lord becomes one spirit with the Lord, what does it mean that the same excellent preacher says again: Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor (Rom. 11:34)? For it seems very unfitting to be ignorant of the mind of Him with whom one has been made one.

Gregor. Sancti viri in quantum cum Deo unum

Gregory. Holy men, in so far as with God one

Editors' notes and page, col. 164

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 164

Aquinum, urbs episcopalis cis Casinum 5 mill. pass. S. Thomae celeberrimi Ecclesiae doct. patria.

Aquinum, an episcopal city five miles this side of Cassino, birthplace of St Thomas, most celebrated doctor of the Church.

(printed under page 85)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 164

Colitur S. Constantius 1 Septembris.

St Constantius is venerated on 1 September.

(printed under page 85)

Hoc est martyrum conditoria et monumenta, seu sacras aedes eorum reliquiis asservandis aut memoriae dicatas.

That is, the tombs and monuments of the martyrs, or sacred buildings dedicated to keeping their relics or to their memory.

(printed under page 85)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 164

Editi pene omnes, ad sacrum ord. accedere praesumpseris, reluctantibus omn. mss. In secundo Carn, sacrum ord. temerarie praes. Caeterum tam minores quam majores ordines hic possunt intelligi: nam in Sacramentorum libro legitur: Incipit ordo ad sacros ordines benedicendos; cui titulo subjungitur: Majores gradus ante Evangelium; minores vero post Commun. dantur, etc. Deinde sequitur: Ordinatio ostiarii, et ita de caeteris minoribus ordinibus. His succedunt ordinationes diaconi, presbyteri, et episcopi.

Almost all printed editions read "you should presume to approach sacred orders", against all the manuscripts. The second Chartres manuscript reads "rashly presume [to approach] sacred orders". Both minor and major orders can be understood here: for in the Book of Sacraments one reads, "Here begins the order for blessing sacred orders", and to this title is added, "The major grades are given before the Gospel, the minor after Communion", etc. Then follows, "The ordination of a doorkeeper", and so for the other minor orders. After these come the ordinations of deacon, priest and bishop.

(printed under page 85)

(e) ‹anchor: unus spiritus est› · call in col 164

Vulgati addunt est cum eo. His non accensemus editionem Mabill., qui mss. codices magna fide repraesentat. Abest cum eo a mss. et a vers. Graeca.

The common editions add "is with him". Among these we do not count Mabillon's edition, which reproduces the manuscripts with great fidelity. "With him" is absent from the manuscripts and from the Greek version.

(printed under page 85)

(f) ‹anchor: unus factus fuerit› · call in col 164

In excusis, cum quo unus unum factus fuerit. Hic variant mss. Nam Prat. habet, cum quo unum fuerit. Consentiunt duo Gemet. At primus Theod. Lyr. et Becc., cum quo unum factus fuerit.

In the printed editions: "with whom he has been made one, one thing". Here the manuscripts vary. The Préaux has "with whom he has been one"; the two Jumièges agree. But the first Thierry, the Lyre and the Bec have "with whom he has been made one".

(printed under page 85)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 165

Ms. αὐτὸς κύριος διὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου λέγει.

A manuscript reads: "the Lord himself says through the apostle."

(printed under page 86)

(2) ‹anchor: δηλονότι› · call in col 165

Ms. δῆλον ὅτι.

A manuscript reads δῆλον ὅτι ("it is clear that").

(printed under page 86)

(3) ‹anchor: κρυπτῶν μυστηρίων ἀποκαλύψεως› · call in col 165

Ms. ἀποκαλύψεων.

A manuscript reads ἀποκαλύψεων ("of revelations").

(printed under page 86)

(4) ‹anchor: τὸ μέτρον γινώσκουσι› · call in col 165

Ms. γινώσκουσιν αὐτὰ οἴδασί τε.

A manuscript reads: "they know them and understand."

(printed under page 86)

Page

running head: 165 PROLEGOMENA (head printed across the page; left part on this column's image)
marginal letters: A ‹εἰσι, τὸν νοῦν κυρίου›; B ‹ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα›; C ‹ἐφολκίῳ τοῦ γεώδους›; D ‹γειλα πάντα τὰ κρίματα· » παραυτὰ›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:166

sunt, sensum Domini non ignorant. Nam idem quoque apostolus dicit: Quis enim scit hominum quae hominis sunt, nisi spiritus hominis qui est in ipso? Ita et quae Dei sunt, nemo cognovit, nisi Spiritus Dei (I Cor. II, 11). Qui, ut se ostenderet nosse quae Dei sunt, adjunxit: Nos autem non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est (Ibid., 12). Hinc iterum dicit: Quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, quae praeparavit Deus diligentibus se; nobis autem revelavit per Spiritum suum (Ibid., 9).

are [one], they are not ignorant of the mind of the Lord. For the same apostle also says: "For who among men knows the things that are a man's, except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also the things that are God's no one has known, except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:11). And he, to show that he knew the things that are God's, added: "But we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is from God" (ibid. 2:12). Hence he says again: "What eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it gone up into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him; but to us He has revealed it through His Spirit" (ibid. 2:9).

Petr. Si ergo eidem apostolo ea quae Dei sunt, per Dei Spiritum fuerant revelata, quomodo super hoc quod proposui, praemisit dicens: O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei! quam incomprehensibilia sunt judicia ejus, et investigabiles viae ejus (Rom. XI, 33)! Sed rursum mihi haec dicenti alia suboritur quaestio. Nam David propheta Domino loquitur, dicens: In labiis meis pronuntiavi omnia judicia oris tui (Psal. CXVIII, 13). Et cum minus sit nosse quam etiam pronuntiare, quid est quod Paulus incomprehensibilia esse Dei judicia asserit, David autem haec se omnia non solum nosse, sed etiam in labiis pronuntiasse testatur?

Peter. If, then, the things that are God's had been revealed to this same apostle through the Spirit of God, how is it that, concerning the very matter I have put forward, he declared beforehand, saying: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are His judgements, and unsearchable His ways" (Rom. 11:33)! But again, as I say this, another question arises for me. For David the prophet speaks to the Lord, saying: "With my lips I have pronounced all the judgements of Thy mouth" (Ps. 118:13). And since it is less to know than also to pronounce, how is it that Paul asserts the judgements of God to be incomprehensible, while David testifies that he not only knew all these but also pronounced them with his lips?

Gregor. Ad utraque haec tibi superius sub brevitate respondi, dicens, quod sancti viri inquantum cum Domino unum sunt, sensum Domini non ignorant. Omnes enim qui devote Dominum sequuntur, etiam devotione cum Deo sunt, et adhuc carnis corruptibilis gravati pondere, cum Deo non sunt. Occulta itaque Dei judicia inquantum conjuncti sunt, sciunt; inquantum disjuncti sunt, nesciunt. Quia enim secreta ejus adhuc perfecte non penetrant, incomprehensibilia ejus judicia esse testantur: quia vero mente ei inhaerent, atque inhaerendo, vel sacris Scripturae eloquiis vel occultis revelationibus inquantum accipiunt agnoscunt, et noverunt haec et pronuntiant. Judicia itaque quae Deus tacet nesciunt, quae Deus loquitur sciunt. Unde et David propheta cum dixisset: In labiis meis pronuntiavi omnia judicia (Psal. CXVIII, 13), protinus addidit, oris tui, ac si aperte dicat: Illa ego judicia et nosse et pronuntiasse potui, quae te dixisse cognovi. Nam ea quae ipse non loqueris, nostris procul dubio cognitionibus abscondis. Concordat ergo prophetica apostolicaque sententia: quia et incomprehensibilia sunt Dei judicia, et tamen quae de ore ejus prolata fuerint, humanis labiis pronuntiantur: quoniam sciri ab hominibus et prolata per Deum possunt, et occulta non possunt.

Gregory. I answered you briefly above on both these points, saying that holy men, in so far as they are one with the Lord, are not ignorant of the mind of the Lord. For all who follow the Lord devoutly are with God even by devotion, and yet, weighed down still by the burden of corruptible flesh, they are not with God. So the hidden judgements of God they know in so far as they are joined [to Him]; in so far as they are disjoined, they do not know them. For because they do not yet penetrate His secrets perfectly, they testify that His judgements are incomprehensible; but because they cleave to Him with the mind, and by cleaving, whether through the sacred words of Scripture or through hidden revelations, recognize as much as they receive, they both know these things and pronounce them. So the judgements which God keeps silent they do not know; those which God speaks they know. Hence David the prophet too, when he had said: "With my lips I have pronounced all the judgements" (Ps. 118:13), at once added "of Thy mouth", as if he were saying openly: Those judgements I was able both to know and to pronounce which I knew Thou hadst spoken. For the things which Thou Thyself dost not speak, Thou without doubt hidest from our knowledge. So the prophetic and the apostolic sentence agree: for both the judgements of God are incomprehensible, and yet whatever has been uttered from His mouth is pronounced by human lips; since things uttered by God can be known by men, and things hidden cannot.

Editors' notes and page, col. 166

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 166

Ita Germ., duo Gemet. et plerique Norm. Suffragatur versio Graeca. In excusis ut in nonnullis mss. legitur, proposuit.

So the Saint-Germain manuscript, two of Jumièges and most of the Norman ones. The Greek version supports it. In the printed editions, as in some manuscripts, the reading is "proposuit" ("he set forth").

(printed under page 86)

(b) ‹anchor: occulta non possunt› · call in col 166

Gilot. Vatic. et vet. ed., prolata prodi possunt, et occultari non possunt.

Gillot's edition, the Vatican manuscript and the old edition read: "can be brought forth when uttered, and cannot be hidden."

(printed under page 86)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 167

Ms. Βενεδίκτου. Porro Graecus hic interpres minime exprimit Theoprobi nomen et plurima in Latino non obscure contenta. Verum ei ab hoc textu recedendi saepe religio non fuit. Pro omissis etiam plurima de suo attexuit.

A manuscript reads Βενεδίκτου ("of Benedict"). Moreover, the Greek translator here does not render Theoprobus's name at all, nor a great deal that is plainly contained in the Latin. But he often had no scruple about departing from this text. In place of what he left out he also wove in a great deal of his own.

(printed under page 87)

(2) ‹anchor: ὁ θεόσοφος πατὴρ› · call in col 167

Ms. θεοφόρος πατήρ.

A manuscript reads θεοφόρος πατήρ ("the God-bearing father").

(printed under page 87)

(3) ‹anchor: τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν› · call in col 167

Ms. τῶν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν.

A manuscript reads τῶν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ("of my brothers in Christ who").

(printed under page 87)

(4) ‹anchor: ὑπὸ τοῦ γένους› · call in col 167

Ms. ἔθνους τῶν Λογ. Quam diversam lectionem non annotaremus, nisi alia mendose in ed. Guss. irrepsisset, scilicet ἔθους.

A manuscript reads ἔθνους τῶν Λογ[γοβάρδων] ("by the nation of the Lombards"). We would not note this variant reading, had not another crept by mistake into Gussanville's edition, namely ἔθους ("custom").

(printed under page 87)

Page

running head: 167 S. BENEDICTUS. (head printed across the page)
marginal letters: A ‹ΠΕΤΡ. Ἐν τῇ προσθήκῃ›; B ‹λειαν. Τούτου κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες›; C ‹τῶν ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ οἰκούντων. » Βενέδικτος›; D ‹(in the footnotes, beside the Greek footnote 1 text)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:168

Petr. In objectione meae quaestiunculae patuit causa rationis. Sed quaeso te, si qua sunt adhuc de hujus viri virtutibus, subjunge.

Peter. In the objection of my little question the cause of the reasoning has been made plain. But I beg you, if there is anything more concerning this man's miracles, add it.

CAPUT XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.

De destructione monasterii viri Dei ab ipso praedicta.

On the destruction of the monastery of the man of God, foretold by himself.

Gregorius. Vir quidam nobilis Theoprobus nomine, ejusdem Benedicti Patris fuerat admonitione conversus, qui pro vitae suae merito magnam apud eum familiaritatis fiduciam habebat. Hic cum quadam die ejus cellam fuisset ingressus, hunc amarissime flentem reperit. Cumque diu subsisteret, ejusque non finiri lacrymas videret, nec tamen ut vir Dei consueverat orando plangeret, sed moerendo, quaenam causa tanti luctus existeret, inquisivit. Cui vir Dei illico respondit: Omne hoc monasterium quod construxi, et cuncta quae fratribus praeparavi, omnipotentis Dei judicio gentibus tradita sunt. Vix autem obtinere potui ut mihi ex hoc loco animae concederentur. Cujus vocem tunc Theoprobus audivit, nos autem cernimus, qui destructum modo a Langobardorum gente ejus monasterium scimus. Nocturno enim tempore et quiescentibus fratribus, nuper illic Langobardi ingressi sunt; qui diripientes omnia, ne unum quidem hominem illic tenere potuerunt: sed implevit omnipotens Deus quod fideli famulo Benedicto promiserat, ut si res gentibus traderet, animas custodiret. Qua in re Pauli (Act. XXVII) vicem video tenuisse Benedictum, cujus dum navis rerum omnium jacturam pertulit, ipse in consolatione vitam omnium qui eum comitabantur, accepit.

Gregory. A certain nobleman named Theoprobus had been converted by the admonition of this same Father Benedict, and by the merit of his life he had great familiarity and confidence with him. When one day he had entered his cell, he found him weeping most bitterly. And when he had stood there a long while and saw that his tears did not cease, and yet that he was not lamenting in prayer, as the man of God was accustomed, but in grief, he asked what the cause of such great mourning might be. The man of God answered him at once: "This whole monastery that I have built, and all that I have prepared for the brethren, have been handed over to the heathen by the judgement of almighty God. Scarcely could I obtain that the souls from this place be granted to me." Theoprobus heard his voice then; but we see it, who know that his monastery has lately been destroyed by the race of the Lombards. For by night, while the brethren were at rest, the Lombards lately entered there; and plundering everything, they could not hold even one man there: but almighty God fulfilled what He had promised His faithful servant Benedict, that if He handed the goods over to the heathen, He would guard the souls. In this matter I see that Benedict held the place of Paul (Acts 27), whose ship suffered the loss of all its goods, while he himself, for his consolation, received the lives of all who travelled with him.

Editors' notes and page, col. 168

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 168

In primo Aud., Bigot. et Lyr., rationis tuae.

In the first Saint-Ouen manuscript, the Bigot and the Lyre manuscripts: "rationis tuae" ("of your reason").

(printed under page 87)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 168

In duob. Gemet., de prophetia destructionis monasterii sui; quod in Graeca interpret. fideliter expressum.

In two Jumièges manuscripts: "about the prophecy of the destruction of his monastery"; which is faithfully rendered in the Greek translation.

(printed under page 87)

Prat. et primus Gemet., exercitu.

The Préaux manuscript and the first of Jumièges read "exercitu" ("by the army").

(printed under page 87)

(d) ‹anchor: quiescentibus fratribus, nuper› · call in col 168

Haec videntur pugnare cum hujusce libri prologo, ubi Gregorius dicit, Valentinianum annis multis Lateranensi monasterio (quod post Cassinense dirutum constructum est) praefuisse. Unde manifestum est ab annis plurimis eversum fuisse Cassinense coenobium; proindeque non nuper. Verum, ut observat Mabillonius ad hunc locum, nuper nonnunquam de longiori tempore dicitur, ut probat Carol. Stephan. in Dictionario. Imo, inquit Mabillonius, Greg. ipse hanc vocem in hunc sensum saepius usurpat. Vide l. III, c. 8, in quo ita loquitur: Vir quoque venerabilis vitae Constantius Aquinae civit. episcopus fuit, qui nuper praedecessoris mei tempore beatae memoriae Joannis papae defunctus est. Joannes hic Papa tertius an. 575 diem clausit. Ergo jam a viginti annis Constantius obierat, quod tamen Gregorio dicitur nuper. De tempore eversionis Cassin. monasterii consule Mabill. ad hunc locum.

This seems to conflict with the prologue of this book, where Gregory says that Valentinian presided for many years over the Lateran monastery (which was built after Cassino was destroyed). From which it is plain that the monastery of Cassino had been overthrown many years before, and therefore not "recently". But, as Mabillon observes on this passage, "nuper" is sometimes said of a longer time, as Charles Estienne shows in his Dictionary. "Indeed," says Mabillon, "Gregory himself quite often uses this word in this sense." See Book III, chapter 8, where he speaks thus: "There was also a man of venerable life, Constantius, bishop of the city of Aquino, who died recently, in the time of my predecessor Pope John of blessed memory." This Pope John III ended his days in the year 575. So Constantius had died twenty years before, and yet Gregory says "recently". On the date of the overthrow of the monastery of Cassino, consult Mabillon on this passage.

(printed under page 87)

(e) ‹anchor: illic Langobardi› · call in col 168

Pler. ed. habent illi Longobardi. In Germ. et aliis leg. illic Langob.

Most editions have "illi Longobardi" ("those Lombards"). In the Saint-Germain manuscript and others the reading is "illic Langob[ardi]" ("the Lombards there").

(printed under page 87)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 169

Ms. φλάσκι λέγονται. Ὅστις.

A manuscript reads φλάσκι λέγονται. Ὅστις ("are called flasks. Whoever").

(printed under page 88)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 169

Deest negatio in ms.

The negative is missing in a manuscript.

(printed under page 88)

(3) ‹anchor: ἀνδρῶν εἰδωλομανῶν› · call in col 169

Ms. εἰδωλολατρῶν.

A manuscript reads εἰδωλολατρῶν ("idolaters").

(printed under page 88)

(4) ‹anchor: τοῦ οἰκείου› · call in col 169

Ms. τοῦ ἰδίου σφ.

A manuscript reads τοῦ ἰδίου σφ[άλματος] ("his own fault", with ἰδίου for οἰκείου).

(printed under page 88)

Page

running head: 169 PROLEGOMENA. (head printed across the page)
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΗʹ. (A beside the caption)›; B ‹δὲ ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἦν τὸ αὐτὸ›; C ‹ἁγιωσύνην, τοὺς οἰκείους μαθητὰς›; D ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. Κʹ. (D beside the caption)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:170

CAPUT XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.

De flascone abscondito, et a viro Dei per spiritum cognito.

On the flask hidden, and known by the man of God through the spirit.

Quodam quoque tempore Exhilaratus noster, quem ipse conversum nosti, tranmissus a domino suo fuerat, ut Dei viro in monasterium vino plena duo lignea vascula quae vulgo flascones vocantur, deferret: qui unum detulit, alterum vero pergens in itinere abscondit. Vir autem Domini, quem facta absentia latere non poterant, unum cum gratiarum actione suscepit, et discedentem puerum monuit, dicens: Vide, fili, ne de illo flascone quem abscondisti bibas; sed inclina illum caute, et invenies quid intus habet. Qui confusus valde a Dei homine exivit. Et reversus volens adhuc probare quod audierat, cum flasconem inclinasset, de eo protinus serpens egressus est. Tunc praedictus Exhilaratus puer, per hoc quod in vino reperit, expavit malum quod fecit.

At a certain time, too, our Exhilaratus, whom you yourself know as converted, had been sent by his master to bring to the man of God at the monastery two wooden vessels full of wine, which are commonly called flasks: he brought one, but the other he hid on the way as he went. But the man of the Lord, from whom deeds done in his absence could not be hidden, received the one with thanksgiving, and as the boy was leaving he warned him, saying: "See, son, that you do not drink from that flask which you hid; but tip it carefully, and you will find what it has inside." He went out from the man of God much confounded. And returning, wishing still to test what he had heard, when he had tipped the flask a serpent at once came out of it. Then the aforesaid boy Exhilaratus, through what he found in the wine, was terrified at the wrong he had done.

CAPUT XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.

De mappularum receptione ab eodem cognita.

On the receiving of napkins, known by the same.

Non longe autem a monasterio vicus erat in quo non minima multitudo hominum ad fidem Dei ab idolorum cultu Benedicti fuerat exhortatione conversa. Ibi quoque quaedam sanctimoniales feminae inerant, et crebro illuc pro exhortandis animabus fratres suos mittere Benedictus Dei famulus curabat. Quadam vero die misit ex more; sed is qui missus fuerat monachus, post admonitionem factam, a sanctimonialibus feminis rogatus mappulas accepit, sibique eas abscondit in sinu. Qui mox ut reversus est, eum vir Dei vehementissima amaritudine coepit increpare, dicens: Quomodo ingressa est iniquitas in sinum tuum? At ille obstupuit, et quid egisset oblitus, unde corripiebatur ignorabat. Cui ait: Nunquid ego illic praesens non eram quando ab ancillis Dei mappulas accepisti, tibique eas in sinum misisti? Qui mox ejus vestigiis provolutus, stulte se egisse poenituit, et eas quas in sinu absconderat, mappulas projecit.

Not far from the monastery there was a village in which no small multitude of men had been converted from the worship of idols to the faith of God by the exhortation of Benedict. There were also certain nuns there, and Benedict, the servant of God, took care to send his brethren there often to exhort their souls. One day he sent one as usual; but the monk who had been sent, after giving his admonition, at the nuns' request accepted some napkins and hid them for himself in his bosom. As soon as he returned, the man of God began to rebuke him with the most vehement bitterness, saying: "How has iniquity entered into your bosom?" But he was astounded, and having forgotten what he had done, did not know why he was being reproved. He said to him: "Was I not present there when you accepted napkins from the handmaids of God and put them in your bosom for yourself?" At once he fell at his feet, repented of having acted foolishly, and threw away the napkins he had hidden in his bosom.

CAPUT XX.

CHAPTER XX.

De cogitatione monachi superba a Dei viro cognita.

On the proud thought of a monk, known by the man of God.

Quadam quoque die dum venerabilis Pater vespertina

One day, too, while the venerable Father [was taking food] at the evening

Editors' notes and page, col. 170

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: quae vulgo› · call in col 170

Duo Theod. et Val-cl., quae a vulgo.

The two Thierry manuscripts and the Val-des-Écoliers manuscript read "quae a vulgo" ("which by the common people").

(printed under page 88)

(b) ‹anchor: probare quod› · call in col 170

Primus Theod. et secundus Carnot., volens probare quod. Primus Carn., volens hoc probare.

The first Thierry manuscript and the second of Chartres read "volens probare quod" ("wishing to test whether"). The first of Chartres reads "volens hoc probare" ("wishing to test this").

(printed under page 88)

Primus Theod., non magna.

The first Thierry manuscript reads "non magna" ("no great").

(printed under page 88)

(d) ‹anchor: mappulas accepit› · call in col 170

Hic de mappulis in sacro ministerio adhiberi solitis, quarum in epistolis occurret infra mentio, non agitur; sed de sudariis et linteis, emungendis naribus, purgandaeque pituitae, ac sudori abstergendo aptis.

This is not about the small cloths customarily used in the sacred ministry, which will be mentioned below in the letters; but about handkerchiefs and linen cloths, suited to blowing the nose, clearing phlegm and wiping away sweat.

(printed under page 88)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 171

Ms. προγνωστικῷ.

A manuscript reads προγνωστικῷ ("prophetic", "foreknowing").

(printed under page 89)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 171

Ms. uno verbo σύνδακρυς.

A manuscript has σύνδακρυς ("weeping with") as one word.

(printed under page 89)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 171

Ms. καὶ ὁποῖα κατὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

A manuscript reads καὶ ὁποῖα κατὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ("and what sort of things against the man").

(printed under page 89)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 171

Ms. φανερὸς γεγ .. ιός.

A manuscript reads φανερὸς γεγ .. ιός (partly illegible as printed; "having become manifest").

(printed under page 89)

(5) ‹anchor: ἐν σακκίοις› · call in col 171

Forte σακίοις. Observat Cangius ex Sim. Logotheta σακίον esse sacculum.

Perhaps σακίοις. Du Cange observes, from Symeon Logothetes, that σακίον means a small sack.

(printed under page 89)

(6) ‹anchor: ἐνέχειρον› · call in col 171

Forte ἐνέχυρον.

Perhaps ἐνέχυρον ("pledge").

(printed under page 89)

Page

running head: 171 S. P. BENEDICTUS. (head printed across the page; reads "S. P. BENEDIC…" on this image)
marginal letters: A ‹συνήθους ἐχρῆν μεταλαβεῖν τροφῆς›; B ‹θὼν ἔξω ἐκάθητο σὺν δάκρυσιν›; C ‹ἄρτων εὑρεθῆναι ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ›; D ‹(in the footnotes, beside Greek footnote 1)›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:172

tina jam hora corporis alimenta perciperet, ejus monachus cujusdam defensoris filius fuerat, qui ei ante mensam lucernam tenebat. Cumque vir Dei ederet, ipse autem cum lucernae ministerio astaret, coepit per superbiae spiritum in mente sua tacitus volvere, et per cogitationem dicere: Quis est hic cui ego manducanti assisto, lucernam teneo, servitium impendo? Quis sum ego, ut isti serviam? Ad quem vir Dei statim conversus, vehementer coepit eum increpare, dicens: Signa cor tuum, frater, quid est quod loqueris? signa cor tuum. Vocatisque statim fratribus, praecepit ei lucernam de manibus tolli, ipsum vero jussit a ministerio recedere, et sibi hora eadem quietum sedere. Qui requisitus a fratribus quid habuerit in corde, per ordinem narravit quanto superbiae spiritu intumuerat, et quae contra virum Dei verba per cogitationem tacitus dicebat. Tunc liquido omnibus patuit quod venerabilem Benedictum latere nil posset, in cujus auribus tacitae etiam cogitationis verba sonuissent.

hour was already taking food for the body, his monk, who had been the son of a certain defensor, was holding the lamp for him before the table. And while the man of God was eating, and he himself stood by in the service of the lamp, he began through the spirit of pride to turn things over silently in his mind, and to say in thought: "Who is this, at whose meal I stand by, whose lamp I hold, to whom I render service? Who am I, that I should serve him?" The man of God, turning to him at once, began to rebuke him vehemently, saying: "Sign your heart, brother; what is this you are saying? Sign your heart." And calling the brethren at once, he ordered the lamp to be taken from his hands, and bade him withdraw from the service and sit quiet by himself at that same hour. Asked by the brethren what he had had in his heart, he related in order with how great a spirit of pride he had swelled, and what words he had been saying silently in thought against the man of God. Then it was clear to all that nothing could be hidden from the venerable Benedict, in whose ears even the words of silent thought had sounded.

CAPUT XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.

De ducentis farinae modiis famis tempore ante viri Dei cellam inventis.

On the two hundred measures of flour found in a time of famine before the cell of the man of God.

Alio quoque tempore in eadem Campaniae regione fames incubuerat, magnaque omnes alimentorum indigentia coangustabat. Jamque in Benedicti monasterio triticum deerat: panes vero pene omnes consumpti fuerant, ut non plus quam quinque ad refectionis horam fratribus inveniri potuissent. Cumque eos venerabilis Pater contristatos cerneret, eorum pusillanimitatem studuit modesta increpatione corrigere, et rursum promissione sublevare, dicens: Quare de panis inopia vester animus contristatur? Hodie quidem minus est, sed die crastina abundanter habebitis. Sequenti autem die ducenti farinae modii ante fores cellae in saccis inventi sunt, quos omnipotens Deus quibus deferentibus transmisisset, nunc usque manet incognitum. Quod cum fratres cernerent, Domino gratias referentes, didicerunt jam de abundantia nec in egestate dubitare.

At another time also famine had settled upon that same region of Campania, and a great want of food was pressing hard upon all. And now in Benedict's monastery wheat was lacking, and the loaves had almost all been consumed, so that no more than five could be found for the brethren at the hour of the meal. And when the venerable Father saw them saddened, he set himself to correct their faint-heartedness with a gentle rebuke, and again to lift them up with a promise, saying: "Why is your spirit saddened over the want of bread? Today indeed there is too little, but tomorrow you will have abundantly." On the following day two hundred measures of flour were found in sacks before the doors of the cell; by whose carrying almighty God had sent them remains unknown to this day. When the brethren saw this, giving thanks to the Lord, they learned from then on not to doubt of abundance even in want.

Editors' notes and page, col. 172

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 172

Defensores olim duplicis generis erant, politici nimirum, et ecclesiastici: hi ecclesiarum, pauperum ac viduarum; illi urbium, locorum ac provinciarum causas ac negotia curabant. Vide Haeftenum ad hunc locum, et Angelum de Nuce in cap. 37, lib. IV Chron. Cassin. MABILL. De defensoribus jam egimus, et infra uberius sumus dicturi quae loca exploratis indicibus poteris adire.

Defenders were formerly of two kinds, civil and ecclesiastical: the latter looked after the causes and business of churches, of the poor and of widows; the former those of cities, districts and provinces. See Haeften on this passage, and Angelo de Nuce on chapter 37 of Book IV of the Chronicle of Monte Cassino. MABILLON. We have already dealt with defenders, and below we shall say more; you may find these places by consulting the indexes.

(printed under page 89)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 172

Becc., coepit puer superbiae spiritu.

The Bec manuscript reads "coepit puer superbiae spiritu" ("the boy began, in a spirit of pride").

(printed under page 89)

Carnotenses, in cujus aure etiam verba cogitationis sonuissent.

The Chartres manuscripts read "in whose ear even the words of his thought had sounded".

(printed under page 89)

(d) ‹anchor: fames incubuerat› · call in col 172

Anno sc. 538, ex Procopio, l. II de Bello Goth., ubi famem per totam Italiam grassatam esse refertur.

That is, in the year 538, from Procopius, Gothic War Book II, where a famine is reported to have raged through all Italy.

(printed under page 89)

(e) ‹anchor: rursum promissione› · call in col 172

Additur blanda in Bigot. primo Aud. et Prat.

"Blanda" ("gentle") is added in the Bigot manuscript, the first of Saint-Ouen and the Préaux manuscript.

(printed under page 89)

(f) ‹anchor: farinae modii› · call in col 172

Hic ad memoriam revocetur quod S. Paulino contigisse narrat Gregorius Turon. lib. de Gloria Confess. c. 107, nimirum plures naves vino triticoque onustas ex inopinato advenisse, veluti divinitus advectas, ut largis Paulini eleemosynis praemium rependeretur, Terasiaeque uxoris fides confirmaretur. Consule locum indicatum.

Here let us recall what Gregory of Tours relates as having happened to St Paulinus, in his book On the Glory of the Confessors, chapter 107: namely, that several ships laden with wine and wheat arrived unexpectedly, as if brought by God, so that Paulinus's generous almsgiving might be rewarded and the faith of his wife Therasia confirmed. Consult the place cited.

(printed under page 89)

(g) ‹anchor: ante fores cellae› · call in col 172

Compend., fores ecclesiae cellae.

The Compiègne manuscript reads "fores ecclesiae cellae" ("the doors of the church of the cell").

(printed under page 89)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 173

Ms. θέλει.

A manuscript reads θέλει ("wishes").

(printed under page 90)

(2) ‹anchor: καὶ οἰκονόμον› · call in col 173

Interpres per eum qui ab abbate seu Patre secundus esset, intellexit oeconomum. Qua ratione, vide supra in nota 5 ad κεφ. Β. seu cap. 2.

By "the one who should be second after the abbot or Father" the translator understood the steward. For the reason, see above, note 5 on κεφ. Β, that is, chapter 2.

(printed under page 90)

(3) ‹anchor: τὸ εὐκτήριον ὀφείλει› · call in col 173

Ms. ὀφείλῃ.

A manuscript reads ὀφείλῃ (subjunctive: "should").

(printed under page 90)

(4) ‹anchor: καὶ συναγαγόντες› · call in col 173

Eo loci multum dissentit a Gregorio Zacharias. Ille enim de praeparatis ad excipiendum S. P. Benedictum et ejus comites loquitur; hic vero de necessariis ad aedificium conquirendis et suppeditandis, ut jam observavit Gussanv.

At this point Zacharias differs greatly from Gregory. For Gregory speaks of preparations made to receive the holy Father Benedict and his companions; Zacharias, of gathering and supplying what was needed for the building, as Gussanville has already observed.

(*) ‹anchor: πόλεως, ἵνα› · call in col 173 Redundare videtur conjunctio ἵνα. EDIT.

The conjunction ἵνα seems redundant. EDITOR.

(printed under page 90)

Page

running head: 173 PROLEGOMENA. (head printed across the page)
marginal letters: A ‹ΠΕΤΡ. Εἰπὲ, δυσωπῶ›; B ‹ἀπέκρυψεν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ … Ὅπερ ὁ›; C ‹(beside the space above ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΒʹ.)›; D ‹ἐν ποίῳ τόπῳ τὸ ἀριστητήριον›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:174

Petr. Dic, quaeso te: nunquid non credendum est huic Dei famulo semper prophetiae spiritum adesse potuisse? an per intervalla temporum ejus mentem prophetiae spiritus implebat?

Peter. Tell me, I beg you: are we not to believe that the spirit of prophecy could always be present to this servant of God? Or did the spirit of prophecy fill his mind at intervals of time?

Gregor. Prophetiae spiritus, Petre, prophetarum mentes non semper irradiat: quia sicut de sancto Spiritu scriptum est: Ubi vult spirat (Joan. III, 8); ita sciendum est, quia et quando vult aspirat. Hinc est enim quod Nathan (II Reg. VII, 17) a rege requisitus si construere templum posset, prius consensit, et postmodum prohibuit. Hinc est quod Elisaeus cum flentem mulierem cerneret, causamque nescisset, ad prohibentem hanc puerum dicit: Dimitte eam, quia anima ejus in amaritudine est, et D⟨o⟩minus celavit a me, et non indicavit mihi (IV Reg. IV, 27). Quod omnipotens Deus ex magnae pietatis dispensatione disponit: quia dum prophetiae spiritum aliquando dat, et aliquando subtrahit, prophetantium mente⟨s⟩ et elevat in celsitudine, et custodit in humilitate; ut et accipientes spiritum inveniant quid de Deo sint, et rursum prophetiae spiritum non habentes cognoscant quid sint de semetipsis.

Gregory. The spirit of prophecy, Peter, does not always shine upon the minds of the prophets: for just as it is written of the Holy Spirit, "It breathes where it wills" (John 3:8), so we must know that it also breathes when it wills. Hence it is that Nathan (2 Kgs. 7:17), asked by the king whether he might build the temple, first consented and afterwards forbade it. Hence it is that Elisha, when he saw the woman weeping and did not know the cause, says to the servant who was keeping her back: "Let her alone, for her soul is in bitterness, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me" (2 Kgs. 4:27). This almighty God arranges by a dispensation of great kindness: for while He sometimes gives the spirit of prophecy and sometimes withdraws it, He both lifts up the minds of those who prophesy to the heights and guards them in humility; so that both, receiving the spirit, they may find what they are from God, and again, not having the spirit of prophecy, they may know what they are of themselves.

Petr. Ita hoc esse, ut asseris, magna ratio clamat. Sed, quaeso, de venerabili Patre Benedicto quidquid adhuc animo occurrit, exsequere.

Peter. Strong reason cries out that this is so, as you assert. But, I beg you, whatever still comes to your mind about the venerable Father Benedict, go through it.

CAPUT XXII.

CHAPTER XXII.

De fabrica monasterii Tarracinensis per visionem ab eo disposita.

On the building of the monastery at Terracina, arranged by him through a vision.

Gregorius. Alio quoque tempore a quodam fideli viro fuerat rogatus ut in ejus praedio juxta Tarracinensem urbem missis discipulis suis construere monasterium debuisset. Qui roganti consentiens, deputatis fratribus Patrem constituit, et quis ei secundus esset ordinavit. Quibus euntibus spopondit dicens: Ite, et die illo ego venio, et ostendo vobis in quo loco oratorium, in quo refectorium fratrum, in quo susceptionem hospitum, vel quaeque sunt necessaria, aedificare debeatis. Qui benedictione percepta illico perrexerunt, et constitutum diem magnopere praestolantes, paraverunt omnia quae his qui cum tanto Patre venire potuissent, videbantur esse necessaria. Nocte vero eadem qua promissus illucescebat dies, eidem servo Dei quem illic Patrem constituerat, atque ejus praeposito vir Domini in somnis apparuit, et loca singula ubi quid aedificare debuissent

Gregory. At another time also he had been asked by a certain faithful man to send his disciples and build a monastery on his estate near the city of Terracina. Consenting to the request, he appointed brethren, made one their Father, and ordained who should be second to him. As they were going he promised them, saying: "Go, and on such a day I am coming, and I will show you in what place you are to build the oratory, in what place the refectory of the brethren, in what place the reception of guests, and whatever things are needed." Having received his blessing they set off at once, and awaiting the appointed day eagerly, they prepared everything that seemed necessary for those who might come with so great a Father. But on the very night before the promised day dawned, the man of the Lord appeared in sleep to that servant of God whom he had made Father there, and to his prior, and [showed them] each of the places where they were to build anything

Editors' notes and page, col. 174

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 174

Gemet. et pler., aspirat.

The Jumièges manuscript and most others read "aspirat" ("breathes upon").

(printed under page 90)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 174

Val-cl., concessit.

The Val-des-Écoliers manuscript reads "concessit" ("granted").

(printed under page 90)

Tarracina Anxur prius dicta, colonia et urbs Latii ad Ufentis fluvii ostia. Tarracinensis autem monasterii vix ulla exstant vestigia. Unitum fuit monasterio Cassin., auctoritate Agapiti II, postquam fuerat longo tempore dirutum. Locus censum adhuc quemdam persolvebat Cassin. monast. sec. superiori. Vide Iter Italicum Mabill., pag. 100 et seq.

Terracina, formerly called Anxur, a colony and city of Latium at the mouth of the river Ufens. Of the monastery of Terracina hardly any traces survive. It was united to the monastery of Cassino by authority of Agapetus II, after it had long lain in ruins. In the last century the place still paid a certain rent to the monastery of Cassino. See Mabillon's Iter Italicum, page 100 and following.

(printed under page 90)

(d) ‹anchor: quis ei secundus esset› · call in col 174

Longip., et quis eis secundus esset.

The Longpont manuscript reads "et quis eis secundus esset" ("and who should be second to them").

(printed under page 90)

(e) ‹anchor: eunttibus spopondit› · call in col 174

Lyr. et primus Aud., respondit.

The Lyre manuscript and the first of Saint-Ouen read "respondit" ("answered").

(printed under page 90)

(f) ‹anchor: aedificare debuissent› · call in col 174

Al., aedificari debuisset, ut legitur in pl. Norm.

Others read "aedificari debuisset" ("ought to be built"), as in most Norman manuscripts.

(printed under page 90)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 175

Ms. ἀναστὰς οὖν.

A manuscript reads ἀναστὰς οὖν ("so, rising").

(printed under page 91)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 175

Ms. τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος.

A manuscript reads τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος ("the man of God").

(printed under page 91)

(3) ‹anchor: παραγενόμενος προσεκόμισε› · call in col 175

Ms. ἐκόμισε.

A manuscript reads ἐκόμισε ("brought").

(printed under page 91)

(4) ‹anchor: τῆς ψυχωφελοῦς› · call in col 175

Ms. τῆς σῆς ψυχ.

A manuscript reads τῆς σῆς ψυχ[ωφελοῦς] ("of your soul-profiting").

(printed under page 91)

Page

running head: S. P. BENEDICTUS. (spread across 175–176; column number 175 at left)
marginal letters: A beside the first line of the Greek; B beside ἡ τῆς ὁρισθείσης; C beside ΠΕΤΡ.; D beside μένῳ καὶ τῷ αὐτοῦ
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:176

subtiliter designavit. Cumque utrique a somno surgerent, sibi invicem quod viderant, retulerunt. Non tamen visioni illi omnimodo fidem dantes, virum Dei sicut se venire promiserat, exspectabant. Cumque vir Dei constituto die minime venisset, ad eum cum moerore reversi sunt, dicentes: Exspectavimus, Pater, ut venires sicut promiseras, et nobis ostenderes ubi quid aedificare deberemus, et non venisti. Quibus ipse ait: Quare, fratres, quare ista dicitis? Nunquid sicut promisi, non veni? Cui cum ipsi dicerent: Quando venisti? respondit: Nunquid utrisque vobis dormientibus non apparui, et loca singula designavi? Ite, et sicut per visionem audistis, omne habitaculum monasterii ita construite. Qui haec audientes, vehementer admirati, ad praedictum praedium sunt reversi, et cuncta habitacula sicut ex revelatione didicerant construxerunt.

marked out precisely. And when both rose from sleep, they told each other what they had seen. Yet, not giving that vision full credence, they went on awaiting the man of God, as he had promised to come. And when the man of God did not come at all on the appointed day, they went back to him in sorrow, saying: We waited, Father, for you to come as you had promised and to show us where we ought to build what, and you did not come. He said to them: Why, brothers, why do you say this? Did I not come, as I promised? And when they said to him: When did you come? he answered: Did I not appear to each of you as you slept, and mark out the places one by one? Go, and as you heard through the vision, so build every dwelling of the monastery. Hearing this, they marvelled greatly, returned to the aforesaid estate, and built all the dwellings as they had learnt them by the revelation.

Petr. Doceri velim quo fieri ordine potuit ut longe iret, responsum dormientibus diceret, quod ipsi per visionem audirent et recognoscerent.

Peter. I should like to be taught by what order it could happen that he went far off and spoke to sleepers an answer which they themselves were to hear and recognize through a vision.

Gregor. Quid est quod perscrutans rei gestae ordinem ambigis, Petre? Liquet profecto, quia mobiliolioris naturae est spiritus quam corpus. Et certe Scriptura teste novimus quod propheta ex Judaea sublevatus (Dan. XIV, 32), repente est cum prandio in Chaldaea depositus, quo videlicet prandio prophetam refecit, seque repente in Judaea iterum invenit. Si igitur tam longe Habacuc potuit sub momento corporaliter ire et prandium def⟨e⟩rre, quid mirum si Benedictus Pater obtinuit quatenus iret per spiritum, et fratrum quiescentium spiritibus necessaria narraret, ut sicut ille ad cibum corporis corporaliter perrexit, ita iste ad institutionem spiritalis vitae spiritaliter pergeret?

Gregory. Why is it, Peter, that in searching out the order of what was done you are in doubt? It is surely plain that the spirit is of a more mobile nature than the body. And indeed we know on the witness of Scripture that the prophet, lifted up out of Judaea (Dan. 14:32), was suddenly set down with a meal in Chaldaea, with which meal, that is, he refreshed the prophet, and suddenly found himself again in Judaea. If then Habakkuk could in a moment go so far bodily and carry a meal, what wonder if Father Benedict obtained that he should go in the spirit and tell what was needful to the spirits of the sleeping brothers, so that, as the one went bodily for the food of the body, the other should go spiritually for the ordering of the spiritual life?

Petr. Manus tuae locutionis tersit a me, fateor, dubietatem mentis; sed velim nosse in communi locutione qualis iste vir fuerit.

Peter. The hand of your speech has wiped from me, I confess, the doubt of my mind; but I should like to know what manner of man he was in ordinary speech.

Editors' notes and page, col. 176

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 176

Ita magno consensu mss. Praetulerunt editores, ne quidem excepto Mabill., sicut per visionem vidistis. Fortasse quod per visionem videre, non audire dicamur. At infra paulo post legitur: quod ipsi per visionem audirent.

So the manuscripts with great agreement. The editors, not excepting even Mabillon, preferred "sicut per visionem vidistis" ("as you saw in a vision"), perhaps because we are said to see, not hear, in a vision. But a little further on we read: "which they themselves heard in a vision".

(printed under page 91)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 176

Nonnulli ed., ex relatione.

Some editions read "ex relatione" ("from report").

(printed under page 91)

In vet. ed., nobilioris, quem errorem retinuerunt Bolland. contra mss. Angl., Norm., etc., fidem.

In the old edition, "nobilioris" ("nobler"), an error the Bollandists kept, against the witness of the English, Norman and other manuscripts.

(printed under page 91)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 177

Ms. τὴν ἑαυτῶν... κατὰ τοῦ δικαιοτάτου.

A manuscript reads τὴν ἑαυτῶν ... κατὰ τοῦ δικαιοτάτου ("their own ... against the most just").

(printed under page 92)

(2) ‹anchor: εἰς αὐτὸν› · call in col 177

Ms. γενομένην.

A manuscript reads γενομένην (aorist: "that had been done").

(printed under page 92)

Page

running head: PROLEGOME[NA …] (cut off at the image's right edge); column number 177 at left
marginal letters: A beside the chapter heading ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΓʹ.; B beside δαῖος καὶ εὐλαβὴς; C beside ἐδέξατο ἀνέθετο; D beside θένων, ἥτις ὑπὲρ
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:178

CAPUT XXIII.

CHAPTER XXIII.

De sanctimonialibus quae post mortem per ejus oblationem communioni Ecclesiae sunt redditae.

Of the nuns who after death were restored to the communion of the Church through his offering.

Gregorius. Vix ipsa, Petre, communis ejus locutio a virtutis erat pondere vacua: quia cujus cor sese in alta suspenderat, nequaquam verba de ore illius incassum cadebant. Si quid vero unquam non jam decernendo, sed minando diceret, tantas vires sermo illius habebat, ac si hoc non dubie atque suspense, sed jam per sententiam protulisset. Nam non longe ab ejus monasterio duae quaedam sanctimoniales feminae nobiliori genere exortae, in loco proprio conversabantur; quibus quidam religiosus vir ad exterioris vitae usum praebebat obsequium. Sed sicut nonnullis solet nobilitas generis parere ignobilitatem mentis, ut minus se in hoc mundo despiciant, qui plus se caeteris aliquid fuisse meminerunt; necdum praedictae sanctimoniales feminae perfecte linguam suam sub habitus sui freno restrinxerant, et eumdem religiosum virum qui ad exteriora necessaria eis obsequium praebebat, incautis saepe sermonibus ad iracundiam provocabant. Qui dum diu ista toleraret, pe⟨r⟩rexit ad Dei hominem, quantasque pateretur verborum contumelias, enarravit. Vir autem Dei haec de illis audiens, eis protinus mandavit, dicens: Corrigite linguam vestram; quia si non emendaveritis, excommunico vos. Quam videlicet excommunicationis sententiam non proferendo intulit, sed minando. Illae autem a pristinis moribus nihil mutatae, intra paucos dies defunctae sunt, atque in ecclesia sepultae. Cumque in eadem ecclesia missarum solemnia celebrarentur, atque ex more diaconus clamaret: Si quis non communicat, det locum, nutrix earum quae pro eis oblationem Domino offerre consueverat, eas de sepulcris suis progredi et exire de ecclesia videbat. Quod dum saepius cerneret, quia ad vocem diaconi clamantis exibant foras, atque intra ecclesiam permanere non poterant, ad memoriam reduxit quae vir Dei illis adhuc viventibus mandavit. Eas quippe se communione privare dixerat, nisi mores suos et verba corrigerent. Tunc servo Dei cum gravi moerore indicatum est, qui manu sua protinus oblationem dedit, dicens: It⟨e⟩ et hanc oblationem pro eis offerri Domino facite, et ulterius excommunicatae non erunt. Quae dum oblatio pro eis fuisset immolata, et a diacono

Gregory. Scarcely, Peter, was even his ordinary speech empty of the weight of power: for since his heart had raised itself on high, the words from his mouth by no means fell in vain. And if ever he said anything not as a decision but as a threat, his word had such force as if he had uttered it not doubtfully and tentatively but already as a sentence. For not far from his monastery two nuns, women born of rather noble family, were living in their own place; and a certain religious man rendered them service for the needs of outward life. But as nobility of birth is apt to breed ignobility of mind in some, so that those who remember that they were something more than others despise themselves the less in this world, the aforesaid nuns had not yet fully restrained their tongue under the bridle of their habit, and often provoked to anger with heedless words that same religious man who rendered them service in outward necessities. When he had borne this for a long time, he went to the man of God and recounted how great were the insults of words he was suffering. And the man of God, hearing these things of them, at once sent them word, saying: Correct your tongue; for if you do not amend it, I excommunicate you. This sentence of excommunication, that is, he laid on them not by pronouncing it but by threatening it. But they, changed not at all from their former ways, died within a few days and were buried in the church. And when the solemnities of Mass were being celebrated in that same church, and the deacon according to custom cried out: If anyone does not communicate, let him give place, their nurse, who used to offer the oblation to the Lord for them, saw them come forth from their tombs and go out of the church. When she had seen this rather often, that at the voice of the deacon crying out they went outside and could not remain within the church, she called to mind what the man of God had sent them word while they were still living. For he had said that he was depriving them of communion unless they corrected their ways and their words. Then it was made known with great sorrow to the servant of God, who at once gave an oblation with his own hand, saying: Go, and have this oblation offered to the Lord for them, and they will no longer be excommunicate. And when this oblation had been sacrificed for them, and by the deacon

Editors' notes and page, col. 178

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: excommunico› · call in col 178

Carnot. et Prat., excommunicabo; quod prius in Germ. scriptum. De hac excommunicatione fuse disputat Gussanv. asseritque genus esse maledictionis, non vero censuram canonicam. Consulendi sunt Regulae S. P. Bened. commentatores, maxime ad capp. 23, 24, 25 et seq. Sane mens Gregorii fuit huic excommunicationi vim canonicae tribuere, ut ex his liquet: Cumque... diaconus clamaret, etc., infra.

The Chartres and Préaux manuscripts read "excommunicabo" ("I will excommunicate"), which was first written in the Saint-Germain manuscript. Gussanville argues at length about this excommunication and asserts that it was a kind of curse, not a canonical censure. The commentators on the Rule of the holy Father Benedict should be consulted, especially on chapters 23, 24, 25 and following. Certainly Gregory meant to give this excommunication canonical force, as is clear from the words below: "And when ... the deacon cried out", etc.

(printed under page 92)

(b) ‹anchor: sed minando› · call in col 178

Carnot., sed interpretando; German. Longip. et plerique Norm., intentando. Secundus Theod., intentando quod est comminando. Aliqui Norm., intendendo.

The Chartres manuscript reads "sed interpretando" ("but by interpreting"); the Saint-Germain, Longpont and most Norman manuscripts, "intentando" ("by threatening"). The second Thierry manuscript, "intentando quod est comminando" ("by threatening, that is, menacing"). Some Norman manuscripts, "intendendo".

(printed under page 92)

Ex hoc loco patet non solos episcopos aut clericos tunc in ecclesiis sepultos fuisse. Idem liquet ex cap. 50 et seqq. l. IV Dial. Jus sepulturae in ecclesia, pecunia comparatum, vide ejusdem lib. c. 52. Fidelium corpora jam a IV saeculo in ecclesiis sepulta aliquando fuisse probat Ambrosius: Nondum, inquit, erant hujusmodi Dei templa in quibus fidelium Domino reliquiae condantur, l. I de Abraham, c. 9, n. 80, p. 308 novae ed.

This passage shows that not only bishops or clerics were then buried in churches. The same is clear from chapter 50 and following of Book IV of the Dialogues. On the right of burial in a church bought with money, see chapter 52 of the same book. That the bodies of the faithful were sometimes buried in churches already from the fourth century, Ambrose proves: "There were not yet," he says, "such temples of God in which the remains of the faithful are laid up for the Lord" (On Abraham, Book I, chapter 9, no. 80, p. 308 of the new edition).

(printed under page 92)

(d) ‹anchor: hanc oblationem› · call in col 178

Gabriel Albaspinaeus in l. I, observatione 10, duo probat ad hunc locum illustrandum apprime idonea. Primum oblationes olim fuisse instar modi seu facultatis cujusdam, qua jus communionis comparabatur, quando illae ab ecclesia altari expositae et repraesentatae Deo a sacerdotibus erant. Alterum, post mortem jus communionis a quo vivus quis exciderat, posse recuperari, si modo extremum vitae diem in poenitentia terminasset. Mabill. tom I Act.

Gabriel de l'Aubespine, in Book I, Observation 10, proves two points especially apt to illustrate this passage. First, that offerings were once a kind of means or faculty by which the right of communion was obtained, when they had been set on the altar by the church and presented to God by the priests. Second, that the right of communion, which someone had lost while alive, could be recovered after death, provided he had ended his last day in penitence. Mabillon, Acta, vol. I.

(printed under page 92)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 179

Ms. διορθώσωσιν.

A manuscript reads διορθώσωσιν ("they should correct").

(printed under page 93)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 179

Ms. φίλον.

A manuscript reads φίλον ("friend").

(printed under page 93)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 179

Ms. δέδωκεν.

A manuscript reads δέδωκεν ("has given").

(printed under page 93)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 179

Ms. ἄνδρα ἔτι ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ φθαρτῇ σαρκὶ ὄντα, ἰσχύειν.

A manuscript reads: "that a man still in this corruptible flesh should have power".

(printed under page 93)

(5) ‹anchor: καὶ ἐν τῇ› · call in col 179

Juniorem hunc monachum frequenter ad parentes invisendos exiisse significat interpres, quod in Gregorio non legimus.

The translator indicates that this young monk often went out to visit his parents, which we do not read in Gregory.

(printed under page 93)

(6) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 179

Ms. μεγάλης παρακλήσεως καί.

A manuscript reads μεγάλης παρακλήσεως καί ("with great entreaty and").

(*) ‹anchor: μετὰ μεγίστου› · call in col 179 Hic aliqua desideratur conjunctio. EDIT.

Some conjunction is wanting here. EDITOR.

(printed under page 93)

Page

running head: S. P. BE[NEDICTUS.] (cut off at the image's right edge); column number 179 at left
marginal letters: (not visible: the images are cropped at the right edge, where the marginal letters of this column stand)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:180

juxta morem clamatum est, ut non communicantes ab ecclesia exirent, illae exire ab ecclesia ulterius visae non sunt. Qua ex re indubitanter patuit quia dum inter eos qui communione privati sunt, minime recederent, communionem a Domino per servum Domini recepissent.

according to custom it was cried out that those not communicating should go out of the church, they were no longer seen to go out of the church. From this it was plain beyond doubt that, since they no longer withdrew among those who are deprived of communion, they had received communion from the Lord through the servant of the Lord.

Petr. Mi⟨r⟩um valde, quamvis venerabilem et sanctissimum virum, adhuc tamen in hac carne corruptibili degentem, potuisse animas solvere in illo jam invisibili judicio constitutas.

Peter. It is very wonderful that a man, however venerable and most holy, yet still living in this corruptible flesh, could loose souls already set before that invisible judgement.

Gregor. Numquidnam, Petre, in hac adhuc carne non erat, qui audiebat: Quodcunque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in coelis: et quae solveris super terram, soluta erunt et in coelis (Matth. XVI, 19)? Cujus nunc vicem in ligando et solvendo obtinent qui locum sancti regiminis fide et moribus tenent. Sed ut tanta valeat homo de terra, coeli et terrae Conditor in terram venit e coelo, atque ut judicare caro etiam de spiritibus possit, hoc ei largiri dignatus est, factus pro hominibus Deus caro: quia inde surrexit ultra se infirmitas nostra, unde sub se infirmata est firmitas Dei.

Gregory. Was he not still in this flesh, Peter, who heard: Whatever you bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven also, and whatever things you loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven also (Matt. 16:19)? Whose place in binding and loosing those now hold who hold the place of holy government by faith and conduct. But that a man from the earth might be capable of so much, the Maker of heaven and earth came from heaven to earth; and that flesh might judge even of spirits, God, made flesh for men, deigned to bestow this on it: for our weakness rose above itself by that by which the strength of God was weakened beneath itself.

Petr. Cum virtute signorum concorditer loquitur ratio verborum.

Peter. The reasoning of your words speaks in harmony with the power of the signs.

CAPUT XXIV.

CHAPTER XXIV.

De puero monacho quem sepultum terra projecit.

Of the boy monk whom the earth cast out after he was buried.

Gregorius. Quadam quoque die dum quidam ejus puerulus monachus parentes suos ultra quam deberet diligens, atque ad eorum habitaculum tendens, sine benedictione de monasterio exiisset, eodem die mox ut ad eos pervenit, defunctus est. Cumque esset sepultus, die altero projectum foras corpus ejus inventum est, quod rursus tradere sepulturae curaverunt. Sed sequenti die iterum projectum exterius atque inhumatum sicut prius invenerunt. Tunc concite ad Benedicti Patris vestigia currentes, cum magno fletu petierunt ut ei suam gratiam largiri dignaretur. Quibus vir Dei manu sua protinus communionem

Gregory. One day also, when a certain little boy of his, a monk, loving his parents more than he ought and making for their dwelling, had gone out of the monastery without a blessing, that same day, as soon as he reached them, he died. And when he had been buried, on the next day his body was found cast out, and they took care to commit it to burial again. But on the following day they again found it cast outside and unburied as before. Then, running in haste to the feet of Father Benedict, they begged with great weeping that he would deign to bestow his favour on him. To them the man of God at once [gave] with his own hand the communion

Editors' notes and page, col. 180

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: ligando et solvendo› · call in col 180

Val-cl. et primus Carnot., ligandi et solvendi.

The Val-des-Écoliers manuscript and the first of Chartres read "ligandi et solvendi" ("of binding and loosing").

(printed under page 93)

(b) ‹anchor: fide et moribus tenent› · call in col 180

Neque vero hinc concludat aliquis ministrorum peccata sacramemtorum effectui obicem ponere. Non enim ipsi per se sanctificant, sed ille cujus sunt ministri. GUSSANV.

But let no one conclude from this that the sins of ministers put an obstacle to the effect of the sacraments. For they do not sanctify of themselves, but he whose ministers they are. GUSSANVILLE.

(printed under page 93)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 181

Ms. ἐῤῥιμμένον τὸ ταφὲν σῶμα εἶδον· ἀλλά.

A manuscript reads: "they saw the buried body cast out; but".

(printed under page 94)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 181

Ms. χριστοῦ ἐν πείρᾳ γέγονεν ἐκεῖνος.

A manuscript reads χριστοῦ ἐν πείρᾳ γέγονεν ἐκεῖνος ("he had come to experience of the anointed"; so printed, lower-case χριστοῦ).

(printed under page 94)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 181

Ms. στοιχῆσαι. Et paulo post διέλιπε..... οὐχ εἵλετο.

A manuscript reads στοιχῆσαι ("to keep in line"). And a little after, διέλιπε ..... οὐχ εἵλετο ("he left off ... he did not choose").

(printed under page 94)

(4) ‹anchor: Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν ἡμέρᾳ› · call in col 181

τῶν ἡμερῶν.

[A manuscript reads] τῶν ἡμερῶν ("of the days").

(printed under page 94)

(5) ‹anchor: δράκοντα ἀνεῳγμένῳ› · call in col 181

Ms. ἀνεῳγμένον τὸ στόμα ἔχοντα εὗρεν καταπιεῖν αὐτὸν θέλοντα· ἤρξατο οὖν ὁ αὐτός.

A manuscript reads: "he found [a dragon] with its mouth open, wanting to swallow him; so he began".

(printed under page 94)

(6) ‹anchor: τρέμειν, καὶ› · call in col 181

Vox ista significat palpans, non palpitans, ut in Latino legitur. Ex vocum similitudine forsitan hallucinatus est interpres hic et paulo infra; aut corrupto usus est codice in quo palpans, et palpantem, legerat. Ex Gussanv.

This word means "groping", not "trembling", as the Latin reads. Perhaps the translator was misled here and a little below by the likeness of the words; or he used a corrupt manuscript in which he had read "palpans" and "palpantem". From Gussanville.

(printed under page 94)

(7) ‹anchor: Δραμόντες› · call in col 181

In Vatic. legitur tantum, δραμόντες δὲ καὶ ψηλαφῶντα. Omissa revocavimus ope ms. Colb.

In the Vatican manuscript there reads only δραμόντες δὲ καὶ ψηλαφῶντα ("and running, and groping"). We have restored what was omitted with the help of the Colbert manuscript.

(printed under page 94)

Page

running head: PROLEGOME[NA.] (cut off at the image's right edge); column number 181 at left
marginal letters: A beside προσέδραμον, δεόμενοι; B beside ΠΕΤΡ. Θαυμάζω; C beside ὀχληθείς, ἐν θυμῷ; D (not visible at the cropped right edge)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:182

dominici corporis dedit dicens: Ite, atque hoc dominicum corpus super pectus ejus cum magna reverentia ponite, et sic sepulturae eum tradite. Quod dum factum fuisset, susceptum corpus ejus terra tenuit, nec ultra projecit. Perpendis, Petre, apud Jesum Christum Dominum cujus meriti iste vir fuerit, ut ejus corpus etiam terra projecerit, qui Benedicti gratiam non haberet.

of the Lord's body, saying: Go, and place this Lord's body upon his breast with great reverence, and so commit him to burial. When this had been done, the earth received his body and held it, and cast it out no more. You perceive, Peter, of what merit this man was with Jesus Christ the Lord, that even the earth cast out the body of one who did not have the favour of Benedict.

Petr. Perpendo plane, et vehementer stupeo.

Peter. I perceive it plainly, and I am greatly astonished.

CAPUT XXV.

CHAPTER XXV.

De monacho qui de monasterio discedens, draconem in itinere invenit.

Of the monk who, leaving the monastery, found a dragon on the road.

Gregorius. Quidam autem ejus monachus mobilitati mentem dederat, et permanere in monasterio nolebat. Cumque eum vir Dei assidue corriperet, et frequenter admoneret, ipse vero nullo modo consentiret in congregatione persistere, atque importunis precibus ut relaxaretur immineret, quadam die idem venerabilis Pater, nimietatis ejus taedio affectus, iratus jussit ut discederet. Qui mox ut monasterium exiit, contra se assistere aperto ore draconem in itinere invenit. Cumque eum idem draco qui apparuerat devorare vellet, coepit ipse tremens et palpitans magnis vocibus clamare, dicens: Currite, currite, quia draco iste me devorare vult. Currentes autem fratres draconem minime viderunt, sed trementem atque palpitantem monachum ad monasterium reduxerunt. Qui statim promisit nunquam se esse a monasterio recessurum, atque ex hora eadem in sua promissione permansit: quippe qui sancti viri orationibus contra se assistere draconem viderat, quem prius non videndo sequebatur.

Gregory. Now a certain monk of his had given his mind to fickleness and would not remain in the monastery. And when the man of God was constantly rebuking him and often admonishing him, but he would in no way consent to persevere in the community, and pressed with importunate prayers to be released, one day that same venerable Father, overcome by weariness at his excess, angrily ordered him to depart. As soon as he had gone out of the monastery, he found a dragon standing against him on the road with open mouth. And when that same dragon which had appeared wished to devour him, he began, trembling and quivering, to cry out with loud voices, saying: Run, run, for this dragon wants to devour me. The brothers ran, but saw no dragon at all; they led the trembling and quivering monk back to the monastery. He at once promised that he would never withdraw from the monastery, and from that same hour he remained in his promise: for through the prayers of the holy man he had seen standing against him the dragon whom before, not seeing him, he had been following.

Editors' notes and page, col. 182

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 182

Multis exemplis probat Menardus in notis ad Sacr. p. 267 et 268, nunc nota 680, olim sacrum corpus Christi super pectus quorumdam defunctorum in sepulcro fuisse positum. Solemnis hic mos erat in sepeliendis episcopis. Neque id interdicunt concilia Carthag. III, can. 6, et Antissiodorense c. 12, cum prohibent eucharistiam dari mortuis; hoc enim intelligi debet de communione quae concedi non debet mortuis, cum dictum sit a Deo: accipite et manducate. Unde liquet eos solos accipere posse qui manducare valeant. Plurimi locum hunc illustrarunt, Haeftenus, Mabillonius, Bultellus, etc., in suis ad Vitam S. Bened. lucubrationibus. Ex hoc facto, quod a S. Basilio quoque usurpatum fatetur Gussanvillaeus, demonstrari contendit, non omnium priscorum exempla in nostros mores indiscriminatim esse inducenda. Vide Basilii vitam ab Amphilochio, ut vulgo creditur, scriptam. Consule etiam Confessionem Gregorianam auctore Theodoro Petreio Campensi carthusiano Coloniensi lib. III, cap. 6, num. 3, ubi egregie pugnat contra Petrum Martyrem scribentem adversus Gardinerum object. 38, Benedicti jussu eucharistiam in os mortui fuisse injectam. Censet autem laudatus auctor eucharistiam positam quidem fuisse supra pectus mortui, sed postea continuo ablatam.

Ménard proves by many examples, in his notes on the Sacramentary, pp. 267 and 268 (now note 680), that the sacred body of Christ was once placed on the breast of certain of the dead in the tomb. This was the solemn custom in burying bishops. Nor do the Third Council of Carthage, canon 6, and the Council of Auxerre, chapter 12, forbid it when they prohibit giving the Eucharist to the dead; for this must be understood of communion, which ought not to be granted to the dead, since God said, "Take and eat." Hence it is clear that only those who are able to eat can receive. Very many have illustrated this passage, Haeften, Mabillon, Bulteau and others, in their studies on the Life of St Benedict. From this act, which Gussanville admits St Basil also practised, he contends it is shown that not all the examples of the ancients are to be brought indiscriminately into our customs. See the Life of Basil written, as is commonly believed, by Amphilochius. Consult also the Confessio Gregoriana by Theodore Peltre of Kempen, Carthusian of Cologne, Book III, chapter 6, no. 3, where he argues excellently against Peter Martyr, who wrote against Gardiner (objection 38) that by Benedict's order the Eucharist was put into the dead man's mouth. The author cited holds that the Eucharist was indeed placed on the dead man's breast, but then at once removed.

(printed under page 94)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 182

Gussanv. et caeteri fere ed., mobilitati mentis deditus erat.

Gussanville and nearly all the other editions read "mobilitati mentis deditus erat" ("he was given to fickleness of mind").

(printed under page 94)

Primus Carn., Occurrite. In excusis, Succurrite.

The first Chartres manuscript reads "Occurrite" ("run to meet"). In the printed editions, "Succurrite" ("help").

(printed under page 94)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 183

In excusis Ἀντωνίνῳ.

In the printed editions, Ἀντωνίνῳ ("to Antoninus").

(printed under page 95)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 183

Ms. δίκαιον στῆσαι.

A manuscript reads δίκαιον στῆσαι ("to set up as just").

(printed under page 95)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 183

Ms. δανειστοῦ.

A manuscript reads δανειστοῦ ("of the creditor").

(printed under page 95)

(4) ‹anchor: παρασχεῖν ὀφείλω› · call in col 183

Ms. ὤφειλον.

A manuscript reads ὤφειλον ("I owed").

(printed under page 95)

(5) ‹anchor: ἀπόδος τῷ χρεοφειλέτῃ› · call in col 183

Ms. τῷ δανειστῇ.

A manuscript reads τῷ δανειστῇ ("to the creditor").

(printed under page 95)

(6) ‹anchor: ἡμῖν ἐπανιτέον› · call in col 183

Ms. ἐπανέλθωμεν.

A manuscript reads ἐπανέλθωμεν ("let us return").

(printed under page 95)

(7) ‹anchor: πιεῖν παρεσκεύασεν› · call in col 183

Ms. παρεκέλευσεν.

A manuscript reads παρεκέλευσεν ("urged").

(printed under page 95)

(8) ‹anchor: ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ σώματι› · call in col 183

Ms. ἐκχυθείσης τῷ σώματι ὅλον.

A manuscript reads ἐκχυθείσης τῷ σώματι ὅλον ("poured out over the body, the whole").

(printed under page 95)

Page

running head: S. P. BENEDI[CTUS.] (cut off at the image's right edge); column number 183 at left
marginal letters: A beside the chapter heading ΚΕΦΑΛ. Κϛʹ.; B beside Καὶ τὰ περὶ Περεγρίνου; C beside προσευχῇ. Τῇ οὖν τρίτῃ; D beside ἀπαλλάξῃ. Καὶ ὁ μὲν
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 66:184

CAPUT XXVI.

CHAPTER XXVI.

De puero a morbo elephantino curato.

Of the boy cured of elephantiasis.

Sed neque hoc silendum puto, quod illustri viro Antonio narrante cognovi, qui aiebat patris sui puerum morbo elephantino fuisse correptum, ita ut jam pilis cadentibus cutis intumesceret, atque increscentem saniem occultare non posset. Qui ad virum Dei ab eodem patre ejus missus est, et saluti pristinae sub omni celeritate restitutus.

But neither do I think I should pass over in silence what I learnt from the account of the illustrious man Antonius, who used to say that a servant boy of his father's had been seized with elephantiasis, so that, his hair already falling out, his skin swelled and he could not hide the growing corruption. He was sent by that same father of his to the man of God, and was restored to his former health with all speed.

CAPUT XXVII.

CHAPTER XXVII.

De solidis per miraculum debitori redditis.

Of the solidi given back to a debtor by a miracle.

Neque illud taceam quod ejus discipulus Peregrinus nomine narrare consueverat: quia die quadam fidelis vir quidam necessitate debiti compulsus, unum sibi fore remedium credidit, si ad Dei virum pergeret, et quae eum urgeret debiti necessitas, indicaret. Venit itaque ad monasterium, omnipotentis Dei famulum reperit, et quia a creditore suo pro duodecim solidis graviter affligeretur, intimavit. Cui venerabilis Pater nequaquam se habere duodecim solidos respondit, sed tamen ejus inopiam blanda locutione consolatus, ait: Vade, et post biduum revertere, quia deest hodie quod tibi debeam dare. In ipso autem biduo more suo in oratione fuit occupatus. Cumque die tertio is qui necessitate debiti affligebatur, rediret, super arcam monasterii, quae erat frumento plena, subito tredecim solidi sunt inventi. Quos vir Dei deferri jussit, et afflicto petitori tribui⟨t⟩, dicens, ut duodecim redderet, et unum in expensis propriis haberet.

Nor should I keep silent about what his disciple, Peregrinus by name, used to relate: that one day a certain faithful man, driven by the necessity of a debt, believed that his one remedy would be to go to the man of God and make known what necessity of debt was pressing him. So he came to the monastery, found the servant of almighty God, and told him that he was being sorely harassed by his creditor for twelve solidi. The venerable Father answered that he by no means had twelve solidi, but nevertheless, consoling his want with gentle speech, he said: Go, and come back after two days, for today what I should give you is lacking. And during those two days he was occupied in prayer after his custom. And when on the third day the man who was harassed by the necessity of debt came back, thirteen solidi were suddenly found on top of the monastery's chest, which was full of grain. The man of God ordered them to be brought, and gave them to the distressed petitioner, telling him to pay back twelve and keep one for his own expenses.

Sed ad ea nunc redeam, quae ejus discipulis in libri hujus exordio praedictis referentibus agnovi. Quidam vir gravissima adversarii sui aemulatione laborabat, cujus ad hoc usque odium prorupit, ut ei nescienti in potu venenum daret. Quod quamvis vitam auferre non valuit, cutis tamen colorem mutavit, ita ut diffusa in corpore ejus varietas leprae morem imitari videretur. Sed ad Dei hominem deductus salutem pristinam citius recepit: nam mox ut eum contigit, omnem cutis illius varietatem fugavit.

But let me now return to the things I learnt from the account of his disciples named at the beginning of this book. A certain man was suffering from the most grievous jealousy of an adversary, whose hatred broke out so far that he gave him poison in a drink without his knowing it. Though this could not take away his life, it nevertheless changed the colour of his skin, so that a blotching spread over his body seemed to imitate the manner of leprosy. But, brought to the man of God, he quickly recovered his former health: for as soon as he touched him, he drove away all the blotching of his skin.

Editors' notes and page, col. 184

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 184

Germ., Aptonio. Consentit Compend.

The Saint-Germain manuscript reads "Aptonio" ("to Aptonius"). The Compiègne manuscript agrees.

(printed under page 95)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 184

Gussanv., corruptum.

Gussanville reads "corruptum" ("corrupted").

(printed under page 95)

Duo Carnot., primus Theod. et Val cl., atque increscente sanie, occult.

The two Chartres manuscripts, the first Thierry and the Val-des-Écoliers manuscript read "atque increscente sanie, occult[...]" ("and as the corruption grew, hidden ...").

(printed under page 95)

(d) ‹anchor: venenum daret› · call in col 184

Primus Aud. et Lyr., venenum misceret.

The first Saint-Ouen manuscript and the Lyre manuscript read "venenum misceret" ("mixed poison").

(printed under page 95)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 185

Ms. ἐξέλειπε.

A manuscript reads ἐξέλειπε ("was failing").

(printed under page 96)

(2) ‹anchor: σωρὸς› · call in col 185

Excusi ὄρος.

The printed editions read ὄρος ("mountain").

(printed under page 96)

(3) ‹anchor: τοῦ αὐτοῦ πιθαρίου› · call in col 185

Ms. πίθου et infra τοῦ πίθου στόμα.

A manuscript reads πίθου ("of the jar"), and below, τοῦ πίθου στόμα ("the mouth of the jar").

(printed under page 96)

Page

running head: 185 PROLEGOMENA. (page head shared with col. 186)
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΗʹ. (beside the heading line)›; B ‹τὸ βραχὺ τοῦ ἐλαίου›; C ‹λίθων πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων›; D ‹ὑψωθέντος, τὸ αὐξηθὲν›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:186

CAPUT XXVIII.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

De ampulla vitrea in saxis projecta et non fracta.

On the glass flask thrown onto the rocks and not broken.

Eo quoque tempore quo alimentorum inopia Campaniam graviter affligebat, vir Dei diversis indigentibus monasterii sui cuncta tribuerat, ut pene nihil in cellario nisi parum quid olei in vitreo vase remaneret. Tunc quidam subdiaconus Agapitus nomine advenit, magnopere postulans ut sibi aliquantulum olei dari debuisset. Vir autem Domini, qui cuncta decreverat in terra tribuere, ut in coelo omnia reservaret, hoc ipsum parum quod remanserat olei, jussit petenti dari. Monachus vero qui cellarium tenebat audivit quidem jubentis verba, sed implere distul⟨i⟩t. Cumque post paululum si id quod jusserat datum esset inquireret, respondit monachus se minime dedisse; quia si illud ei tribueret, omnino nihil fratribus remaneret. Tunc iratus, aliis praecepit ut hoc ipsum vas vitreum in quo parum olei remansisse videbatur, per fenestram projicerent, ne in cella aliquid per inobedientiam remaneret. Factumque est. Sub fenestra autem eadem ingens praecipitium patebat saxorum molibus asperum. Projectum itaque vas vitreum venit in saxis, sed sic mansit incolume ac si projectum minime fuisset: ita ut neque frangi, neque oleum effundi potuisset. Quod vir Domini praecepit levari, atque, ut erat integrum, petenti tribuit. Tunc collectis fratribus, inobedientem monachum de infidelitate sua et superbia coram omnibus increpavit.

At that same time, when a shortage of food was grievously afflicting Campania, the man of God had given away everything belonging to his monastery to various people in need, so that almost nothing remained in the storeroom except a little oil in a glass vessel. Then a certain subdeacon, Agapitus by name, came, earnestly begging that some little oil be given him. But the man of the Lord, who had resolved to give away everything on earth so as to store up all in heaven, ordered this very little oil that remained to be given to the petitioner. The monk who kept the storeroom heard the words of the one commanding, but put off carrying them out. And when a little later he asked whether what he had ordered had been given, the monk replied that he had not given it at all, because if he had given it to him nothing at all would be left for the brothers. Then, angered, he ordered others to throw out through the window this very glass vessel in which a little oil seemed to have remained, so that nothing might remain in the storeroom through disobedience. And it was done. Now beneath that same window lay open a huge precipice, rugged with masses of rock. So the glass vessel, thrown out, came down upon the rocks, but remained as unharmed as if it had never been thrown at all, so that it could neither be broken nor the oil be spilt. The man of the Lord ordered it to be picked up and, whole as it was, gave it to the petitioner. Then, gathering the brothers, he rebuked the disobedient monk before them all for his lack of faith and his pride.

CAPUT XXIX.

CHAPTER XXIX.

De dolio vacuo, oleo repleto.

On the empty cask filled with oil.

Qua increpatione completa, sese cum eisdem fratribus in orationem dedit. In eo autem loco ubi cum fratribus orabat, vacuum erat ab oleo dolium et coopertum. Cumque sanctus vir in oratione persisteret, coepit operimentum ejusdem dolii oleo excrescente sublevari. Quo commoto atque sublevato, oleum quod excreverat, ora dolii transiens, pavimentum loci in quo incubuerat inundabat. Quod Benedictus Dei famulus ut aspexit, protinus orationem complevit, atque in pavimentum oleum defluere cessavit. Tunc diffidentem inobedientemque fratrem latius admonuit, ut fidem habere disceret et humilitatem. Idem vero frater salubriter correptus erubuit: quia venerabilis Pater virtutem omnipotentis Dei, quam admonitione intimaverat, miraculis ostendebat; nec erat jam ut quisquam de ejus promissionibus dubitare posset, qui in uno eodemque momento

When this rebuke was finished, he gave himself to prayer with those same brothers. Now in the place where he was praying with the brothers there was a cask, empty of oil and covered. And as the holy man persisted in prayer, the lid of that cask began to be raised up by the oil increasing. When it had been moved and raised, the oil which had increased, passing over the mouth of the cask, flooded the floor of the place where he had bowed down. As soon as Benedict, the servant of God, saw this, he at once ended his prayer, and the oil ceased to flow down onto the floor. Then he admonished the mistrustful and disobedient brother at greater length, that he might learn to have faith and humility. And that brother, salutarily corrected, blushed, because the venerable Father was showing by miracles the power of almighty God which he had made known by admonition; nor could anyone now doubt his promises, since in one and the same moment

Editors' notes and page, col. 186

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: venit in saxis› · call in col 186

De ampulla chrismatis simile aliquid narrat Optatus, l. II de Schismate Donatist., c. 19, novae edit., projecta casum sentire non potuit... illaesa inter saxa consedit.

Optatus tells something similar of a flask of chrism, On the Donatist Schism, Book II, chapter 19, new edition: "thrown down, it could not feel the fall ... it came to rest unharmed among the rocks."

(printed under page 96)

(b) ‹anchor: ab oleo dolium› · call in col 186

Primus Carn. et primus Gemet., vacuus... dolius.

The first Chartres manuscript and the first of Jumièges read "vacuus ... dolius" (with the masculine form of the noun).

(printed under page 96)

Prior Theod. Longip. et secundus Gemet., incubuerant, scil. S. Benedictus, ejusque fratres.

The first Thierry manuscript, the Longpont manuscript and the second of Jumièges read "incubuerant" ("they had lain prostrate"), that is, St Benedict and his brothers.

(printed under page 96)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 187

Μαξίλα vel μαξίλλα Alapa est maxillae seu genis flixa, ut probat Cangius, et ex sequentibus liquet.

Μαξίλα or μαξίλλα is a slap struck on the jaw or cheek, as Du Cange proves and as is clear from what follows.

(printed under page 97)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 187

Ms. πορευομένου τοῦ ὁσίου.

A manuscript reads πορευομένου τοῦ ὁσίου ("as the holy man was going").

(printed under page 97)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 187

M. τριπέδουκλον.

A manuscript reads τριπέδουκλον ("hobble", "three-footed fetter").

(printed under page 97)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 187

Vulgati corrupte εὑρών.

The printed editions corruptly read εὑρών ("having found").

(printed under page 97)

(5) ‹anchor: ὅτι δὲ καὶ› · call in col 187

Ms. ὅτι ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ.

A manuscript reads ὅτι ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ ("that in another way").

(printed under page 97)

Page

running head: 187 S. P. BENEDICTUS. (page head shared with col. 188)
marginal letters: A ‹παντοδυνάμου Θεοῦ χάριτι›; B ‹εἶπεν· « Ἰδοὺ πρὸς τοὺς›; C ‹προσκολλῶνται, ἡνίκα›; D ‹παρεπῆρε, καὶ ταύτην … περιεποιήσατο›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:188

pro vitreo vase pene vacuo plenum oleo dolium reddidisset.

had given back, in place of an almost empty glass vessel, a cask full of oil.

CAPUT XXX.

CHAPTER XXX.

De monacho a daemone liberato.

On the monk delivered from a demon.

Quadam die dum ad beati Joannis oratorium, quod in ipsa mantis celsitudine situm est, pergeret, ei antiquus hostis in mulomedici specie obviam factus est, cornu et tripedicam ferens. Quem cum requisisset, dicens: Quo vadis? ille respondit: Ecce ad fratres vado potionem eis dare. Itaque perrexit venerabilis Pater Benedictus ad orationem; qua completa concitus rediit. Malignus vero spiritus unum seniorem monachum invenit aquam haurientem, in quem statim ingressus est, eumque in terram projecit, et vehementissime vexavit. Quem cum vir Dei ab oratione rediens tam crudeliter vexari conspiceret, ei solummodo alapam dedit, et malignum ab eo spiritum protinus excussit, ita ut ad eum redire ulterius non auderet.

One day, as he was going to the oratory of blessed John, which is situated on the very summit of the mountain, the old enemy met him in the guise of a mule-doctor, carrying a horn and a hobble. When he had asked him, saying, "Where are you going?", he replied: "Look, I am going to the brothers to give them a draught." So the venerable Father Benedict went on to prayer; and when it was finished he returned in haste. But the evil spirit found one of the older monks drawing water, and at once entered into him, threw him to the ground, and tormented him most violently. When the man of God, returning from prayer, saw him so cruelly tormented, he merely gave him a slap, and at once drove the evil spirit out of him, so that it did not dare to return to him any more.

Petr. Velim nosse, si haec tanta miracula virtute semper orationis impetrabat, an aliquando etiam solo voluntatis exhibebat nutu.

Peter. I should like to know whether he always obtained such great miracles by the power of prayer, or whether he sometimes also performed them by the mere nod of his will.

Gregor. Qui devota mente Deo adhaerent, cum rerum necessitas exposcit, exhibere signa modo utroque solent, ut mira quaeque aliquando ex prece faciant, aliquando ex potestate. Cum enim Joannes dicat: Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri (Joan. I, 12), qui filii Dei ex potestate sunt, quid mirum si signa facere ex potestate valeant? Quia enim utroque modo miracula exhibeant, testatur Petrus (Act. IX), qui Thabitham mortuam orando suscitavit, Ananiam vero et Saphiram (Act. V) mentientes morti increpando tradidit. Neque enim orasse in eorum exstinctione legitur, sed solummodo culpam quam perpetraverant increpasse. Constat ergo quod aliquando haec ex potestate, aliquando vero exhibent ex postulatione, dum et istis vitam increpando abstulit, et illi reddidit orando. Nam duo quoque fidelis famuli Dei Benedicti facta nunc replico, in quibus aperte clareat, aliud hunc accepta divinitus ex potestate, aliud ex oratione potuisse.

Gregory. Those who cleave to God with a devoted mind, when the need of affairs demands it, are accustomed to show signs in both ways, so that they work wonders sometimes by prayer, sometimes by power. For since John says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become sons of God" (John 1:12), what wonder is it if those who are sons of God by power are able to do signs by power? And that they show miracles in both ways is attested by Peter (Acts 9), who raised Tabitha from death by praying, but by rebuking delivered Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) to death for lying. For we do not read that he prayed at their extinction, but only that he rebuked the fault which they had committed. It is clear, then, that they perform these things sometimes by power, but sometimes by petition, since he both took life from the former by rebuking, and restored it to the latter by praying. For I now relate two deeds also of Benedict, the faithful servant of God, in which it may clearly appear that he was able to do the one by power received from God, the other by prayer.

Editors' notes and page, col. 188

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 188

Longip., sedens in mulo in medici specie. Consentit Val. cl. Hunc locum restituimus ex mss. et ex Versione Graeca quae veterinarium seu equorum medicum habet. Sane hic apparatus omnis veterinarii describitur, tripedica seu triplex pedica qua pedes equorum impediantur, et cornu quo aegris jumentis potio seu medicina infunditur.

The Longpont manuscript reads "sedens in mulo in medici specie" ("sitting on a mule in the guise of a doctor"). The Val-des-Écoliers manuscript agrees. We have restored this passage from the manuscripts and from the Greek version, which has "veterinary", that is, horse-doctor. Indeed the whole equipment of a veterinary is described here: the tripedica, or triple hobble, by which horses' feet are fettered, and the horn by which a draught or medicine is poured into sick beasts.

(printed under page 97)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 188

In Germ. et Longip., quibus concinit ed. Gil., trepidicam. In primo Theod., tripedicum.

In the Saint-Germain and Longpont manuscripts, with which Gillot's edition agrees, "trepidicam". In the first Thierry manuscript, "tripedicum".

(printed under page 97)

Germ. et pene omnes mss., ubi vadis?

The Saint-Germain manuscript and almost all the manuscripts read "ubi vadis?" ("where are you going?").

(printed under page 97)

(d) ‹anchor: qui filii Dei› · call in col 188

Germ. et nonnulli Norm., quod si filii Dei.

The Saint-Germain manuscript and some Norman ones read "quod si filii Dei" ("but if the sons of God").

(printed under page 97)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 189

Ms. προσαγορευόμενος.

A manuscript reads προσαγορευόμενος ("being called").

(printed under page 98)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 189

Ms. τῆς ἁγίας καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλ. ἱερῶν ἀνδρῶν.

A manuscript reads: "of the holy catholic and apostolic Church, of holy men".

(printed under page 98)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 189

Ms. αἰκίαις ἐμάστιζεν.

A manuscript reads αἰκίαις ἐμάστιζεν ("he scourged him with torments").

(printed under page 98)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 189

Ms. τούτοις πραγματευσάμενος.

A manuscript reads τούτοις πραγματευσάμενος ("having dealt in these things").

(printed under page 98)

(5) ‹anchor: ἀνυγιοῦς γεγονὼς› · call in col 189

Ms. ἀνυγιοῦς τυχών.

A manuscript reads ἀνυγιοῦς τυχών ("being of unsound [mind]").

(printed under page 98)

(6) ‹anchor: Παραυτὰ γὰρ τοῦ› · call in col 189

Ms. τῷ τὸν μακ.

A manuscript reads τῷ τὸν μακ[άριον] ("by the blessed one's ...").

(*) ‹anchor: ἐπιτελέσαι ἠδύνατο› · call in col 189 Haec phrasis prorsus mendosa sic corrigenda videtur: Παραυτὰ γὰρ τῷ τὸν μακ. τ. ἑ. ἐ. θ. ὄ. ε. τ. δ. τοσαύτη ταχύ τις παρ. τ. τ. λ. λύσις, οἵαν, etc. EDIT.

This sentence, wholly corrupt, seems to need correcting thus: Παραυτὰ γὰρ τῷ τὸν μακ[άριον] τ[ὸ] ἑ[αυτοῦ] ἐ[κτεῖναι] θ[εοφώτιστον] ὄ[μμα] ε[ἰς] τ[ὸν] δ[έσμιον] τοσαύτη ταχύ τις παρ[ηκολούθησε] τ[ῶν] τ[ῶν] λ[ώρων] λύσις, οἵαν, etc. ("For the moment the blessed one turned his God-enlightened eye on the prisoner, so swift a loosing of the thongs followed, such as ..."). EDITOR.

(printed under page 98)

Page

running head: 189 PROLEGOMENA. (page head shared with col. 190)
marginal letters: A ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΛΑʹ. (heading line)›; B ‹ὠμοτάτοις ἔθλιβε βασάνοις … κριτηρίοις›; C ‹ἀνδρὸς μοναστήριον … καθεζόμενον, καὶ›; D ‹μυστήριον. Παραυτὰ γὰρ τοῦ›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:190

CAPUT XXXI.

CHAPTER XXXI.

De rustico ligato et solo aspectu viri Dei soluto.

On the countryman bound and loosed by the mere glance of the man of God.

Gothorum quidam Zalla nomine perfidiae fuit Arianae, qui Totilae regis eorum temporibus, contra catholicae Ecclesiae religiosos viros ardore immanissimae crudelitatis exarsit; ita ut quisquis ei clericus monachusve ante faciem venisset, ab ejus manibus vivus nullo modo exiret. Quadam vero die avaritiae suae aestu succensus, in rapinam rerum inhians, dum quemdam rusticum tormentis crudelibus affligeret, eumque per supplicia diversa laniaret, victus poenis rusticus, sese res suas Benedicto Dei famulo commendasse professus est, ut dum hoc a torquente creditur, suspensa interim crudelitate ad vitam horae raperentur. Tunc idem Zalla cessavit rusticum tormentis affligere, sed ejus brachia loris fortibus astringens, ante equum suum coepit impellere, ut quis esset Benedictus qui ejus res susceperat demonstraret. Quem ligatis brachiis rusticus antecedens, duxit ad sancti viri monasterium, eumque ante ingressum cellae solum sedentem reperit et legentem. Eidem autem subsequenti et saevienti Zallae rusticus dixit: Ecce iste est de quo dixeram tibi Benedictus Pater. Quem dum fervido spiritu cum perversae mentis insania fuisset intuitus, eo terrore quo consueverat, acturum se existimans, magnis coepit vocibus clamare, dicens: Surge, surge, et res istius rustici redde quas accepisti. Ad cujus vocem vir Dei protinus oculos levavit a lectione, eumque intuitus, mox etiam rusticum qui ligatus tenebatur, attendit: ad cujus brachia dum oculos deflexisset, miro modo tanta se celeritate coeperunt illigata brachiis lora devolvere, ut dissolvi tam concite nulla hominum festinatione potuissent. Cumque is qui ligatus venerat, coepisset subito adstare solutus, ad tantae potestatis vim tremefactus Zalla ad terram corruit, et cervicem crudelitatis rigidae ad ejus vestigia inclinans, se orationibus illius commendavit. Vir autem sanctus a lectione minime surrexit, sed vocatis fratribus, eum introrsus tolli, ut benedictionem acciperet, praecepit. Quem ad se reductum, ut a tantae crudelitatis insania quiescere deberet, admonuit. Qui fractus recedens, nil ulterius petere a rustico praesumpsit, quem vir Domini non tangendo, sed respiciendo solverat. Ecce est, Petre, quod dixi: quia hi qui omnipotenti Deo familiarius serviunt, aliquando mira facere etiam ex potestate possunt. Qui enim ferocitatem Gothi terribilis sedens repressit, lora vero nodosque ligaturae quae innocentis brachia astrinxerant, oculis dissolvit, ipsa miraculi celeritate indicat, quia

A certain man of the Goths, Zalla by name, was of the Arian faithlessness; in the times of Totila their king he blazed with the heat of a most monstrous cruelty against the religious men of the catholic Church, so that whatever cleric or monk came before his face by no means left his hands alive. One day, inflamed by the fever of his avarice and gaping after plunder, while he was afflicting a certain countryman with cruel torments and tearing him with various tortures, the countryman, overcome by the pains, declared that he had entrusted his goods to Benedict, the servant of God, so that, while this was believed by his torturer, the cruelty might meanwhile be suspended and an hour of life be snatched. Then this same Zalla ceased to afflict the countryman with torments, but binding his arms tightly with strong thongs, he began to drive him before his horse, so that he might show who this Benedict was who had taken charge of his goods. The countryman, going before him with his arms bound, led him to the holy man's monastery, and found him sitting alone before the entrance of his cell, reading. And to Zalla, following and raging, the countryman said: "Look, this is Father Benedict, of whom I told you." When he had looked at him with a hot spirit and the madness of a perverted mind, thinking to deal with him by the terror he was accustomed to use, he began to shout in a loud voice, saying: "Get up, get up, and give back the goods of this countryman which you have received." At his voice the man of God at once raised his eyes from his reading, and having looked at him, presently turned his attention also to the countryman who was held bound. And when he had bent his eyes upon his arms, in a wondrous manner the thongs tied about his arms began to unwind themselves with such speed that no haste of men could have undone them so swiftly. And when he who had come bound suddenly began to stand there loosed, Zalla, trembling at the force of such great power, fell to the ground, and bowing the neck of his rigid cruelty at his feet, commended himself to his prayers. But the holy man did not rise from his reading at all, but called the brothers and ordered him to be taken inside to receive a blessing. When he had been brought back to him, he admonished him that he ought to cease from the madness of such great cruelty. He, departing broken, presumed to demand nothing further from the countryman whom the man of the Lord had loosed not by touching but by looking. Here, Peter, is what I said: that those who serve almighty God more intimately are sometimes able to do wonders even by power. For he who, while sitting, checked the ferocity of the terrible Goth, and with his eyes undid the thongs and knots of the binding that had bound the arms of an innocent man, shows by the very speed of the miracle that

Editors' notes and page, col. 190

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: Zalla nomine› · call in col 190

In Germ. Longip. Val-cl., Galla. Nostrae lectioni favet Graecus interpres.

In the Saint-Germain, Longpont and Val-des-Écoliers manuscripts, "Galla". The Greek translator supports our reading.

(printed under page 98)

(b) ‹anchor: horae raperentur› · call in col 190

Hic dissentiunt tum mss., tum ed. In Becc. legimus, horae repararentur. In primo Aud. utraque lectio est repararentur et raperentur. Sequimur Germ. et potiores.

Here both manuscripts and editions disagree. In the Bec manuscript we read "horae repararentur" ("might be restored for an hour"). In the first Saint-Ouen manuscript both readings occur, "repararentur" and "raperentur" ("might be snatched"). We follow the Saint-Germain manuscript and the better ones.

(printed under page 98)

Big., defixisset.

The Bigot manuscript reads "defixisset" ("had fixed").

(printed under page 98)

(d) ‹anchor: lora devolvere› · call in col 190

Germ. Longip. et Norm., dissolvere.

The Saint-Germain, Longpont and Norman manuscripts read "dissolvere" ("to loosen").

(printed under page 98)

(e) ‹anchor: ut benedictionem› · call in col 190

Hoc est cibum, ut intellexit et expressit Zach. Id explicat Mabill. de Eulogia, seu cibo benedicto.

That is, food, as Zacharias understood and rendered it. Mabillon explains it of the eulogia, or blessed food.

(printed under page 98)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 191

Ms μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν.

A manuscript reads μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν ("on one of the days").

(printed under page 99)

(2) ‹anchor: ἑαυτὸν συντόμως› · call in col 191

Ms. συντόμῳ δρόμῳ.

A manuscript reads συντόμῳ δρόμῳ ("at a swift run").

(printed under page 99)

(3) ‹anchor: τὸ μοναστήριον ὑπέστρεφε› · call in col 191

Ms. ἐπέστρεψε, καὶ τοῦτον.

A manuscript reads ἐπέστρεψε, καὶ τοῦτον ("returned, and him").

(printed under page 99)

(4) ‹anchor: ἐκπλαγεὶς ἐπὶ τούτῳ› · call in col 191

Ms. ἐπὶ τοῦτο.

A manuscript reads ἐπὶ τοῦτο ("at this", accusative).

(printed under page 99)

(5) ‹anchor: φορτία θέλετε ἐπιτιθέναι› · call in col 191

Ms. ἐπιθεῖναι.... βαστάζειν.

A manuscript reads ἐπιθεῖναι ("to lay on", aorist) ... βαστάζειν ("to carry", present).

(printed under page 99)

(6) ‹anchor: εἶπε· Πρὸς› · call in col 191

Ms. πρὸς τὴν πύλην.

A manuscript reads πρὸς τὴν πύλην ("at the gate", accusative).

(printed under page 99)

Page

running head: 191 S. P. BENEDICTUS. (page head shared with col. 192)
marginal letters: A ‹νὼς ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν›; B ‹ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΛΒʹ. (heading line)›; C ‹φοῖς ἐπὶ τὸ μοναστήριον ὑπέστρεφε›; D ‹αἰτήσει διέμεινε … οὐ μὴ›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:192

ex potestate acceperat habere quod fecit. Rursum quoque quale quantumque miraculum orando voluit obtinere, subjungam.

he had received from power the ability to do what he did. And next I shall add what kind of miracle, and how great, he willed to obtain by praying.

CAPUT XXXII.

CHAPTER XXXII.

De mortuo suscitato.

On the dead man raised.

Quodam die cum fratribus ad agri opera fuerat egressus. Quidam vero rusticus defuncti filii corpus in ulnis ferens, orbitatis luctu aestuans, ad monasterium venit, Benedictum patrem quaesivit. Cui cum dictum esset quia idem Pater cum fratribus in agro moraretur, protinus ante monasterii januam corpus exstincti filii projecit, et dolore turbatus, ad inveniendum venerabilem Patrem sese in cursum concitus dedit. Eadem vero hora vir Dei ab agri opere jam cum fratribus revertebatur. Quem mox ut orbatus rusticus aspexit, clamare coepit: Redde filium meum, redde filium meum. Vir autem Dei in hac voce substitit, dicens: Nunquid ego filium tuum tibi abstuli? Cui ille respondit: Mortuus est, veni, resuscita eum. Quod ut mox Dei famulus audivit, valde contristatus est, dicens: Recedite, fratres, recedite; haec nostra non sunt, sed sanctorum apostolorum. Quid nobis onera vultis imponere, quae non possumus portare? At ille, quem nimius cogebat dolor, in sua petitione perstitit, jurans quod non recederet, nisi ejus filium resuscitaret. Quem mox Dei famulus inquisivit, dicens: Ubi est? Cui ille respondit: Ecce corpus ejus ad januam monasterii jacet. Ubi cum vir Dei cum fratribus pervenisset, flexit genua, et super corpusculum infantis incubuit, seseque erigens, ad coelum palmas tetendit dicens: Domine, non aspicias peccata mea, sed fidem hujus hominis, qui resuscitari filium suum rogat, et redde in hoc corpusculo animam quam abstulisti. Vix in oratione verba compleverat, et regrediente anima ita corpusculum pueri omne contremuit, ut sub oculis omnium qui aderant, apparuerit concussione mirifica tremendo palpitasse. Cujus mox manum tenuit, et eum patri viventem atque incolumem dedit. Liquet, Petre, quia hoc miraculum in potestate non habuit, quod prostratus petiit, ut exhibere potuisset.

One day he had gone out with the brothers to work in the fields. And a certain countryman, carrying in his arms the body of his dead son, and burning with grief at his bereavement, came to the monastery and asked for Father Benedict. When he was told that the same Father was staying in the field with the brothers, he at once threw down the body of his dead son before the door of the monastery and, distraught with grief, set off running in haste to find the venerable Father. At that same hour the man of God was already returning with the brothers from the work of the field. As soon as the bereaved countryman saw him, he began to cry out: "Give back my son, give back my son." The man of God stopped at this cry, saying: "Have I taken your son from you?" He answered him: "He is dead; come, raise him." As soon as the servant of God heard this, he was greatly saddened, saying: "Go back, brothers, go back; these things are not for us, but for the holy apostles. Why do you want to lay burdens on us which we cannot carry?" But he, driven by excessive grief, persisted in his petition, swearing that he would not go away unless he raised his son. Presently the servant of God asked him, saying: "Where is he?" He answered him: "Look, his body lies at the door of the monastery." When the man of God arrived there with the brothers, he bent his knees and lay down upon the little body of the child, and raising himself he stretched out his palms to heaven, saying: "Lord, look not upon my sins, but upon the faith of this man, who asks that his son be raised, and give back to this little body the soul which Thou hast taken away." He had scarcely finished the words of his prayer when, as the soul returned, the whole little body of the boy so trembled that before the eyes of all who were present it was seen to quiver, trembling with a wondrous shaking. Presently he took him by the hand and gave him to his father living and unharmed. It is plain, Peter, that he did not have this miracle in his power, since he asked for it prostrate in order to be able to perform it.

Editors' notes and page, col. 192

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: Recedite, fratres› · call in col 192

Norm. et secundus Carnot., Recede, frater...... Quid nobis onera vis, etc. Huic lectioni non favet Graecus interpres, sed alteri quam retinemus.

The Norman manuscripts and the second of Chartres read "Recede, frater ...... Quid nobis onera vis" ("Withdraw, brother ...... Why do you want [to lay] burdens on us"), etc. The Greek translator does not support this reading, but the other, which we keep.

(printed under page 99)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 193

Ms. καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ παιδίου ὅλον.

A manuscript reads καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ παιδίου ὅλον ("and the child's whole body").

(printed under page 100)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 193

Ms. ἐπὶ τὸ παιδίον.

A manuscript reads ἐπὶ τὸ παιδίον ("upon the child").

(printed under page 100)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 193

Ms οὐκ ἠδύνατο.

A manuscript reads οὐκ ἠδύνατο ("he could not").

(printed under page 100)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 193

Ms. ἥτις χάριτι.

A manuscript reads ἥτις χάριτι ("who by grace").

(printed under page 100)

(5) ‹anchor: Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν ἡμέρᾳ› · call in col 193

Ms. μιᾷ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν.

A manuscript reads μιᾷ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ("and on one of the days").

(printed under page 100)

(6) ‹anchor: ἔτι σκοτίας οὔσης› · call in col 193

Ms. ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης καὶ λοιπὸν ἤδη σκοτίας.

A manuscript reads ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης καὶ λοιπὸν ἤδη σκοτίας ("and when evening had come and it was now dark").

(printed under page 100)

Page

running head: 193 PROLEGOMENA. (page head shared with col. 194)
marginal letters: A ‹ΠΕΤΡ. Πάντα οὕτω›; B ‹λαστίκα, ἥ τις εὐδοκίᾳ›; C ‹ταύτῃ, ἵνα μέχρι πρωΐας›; D ‹ὡς ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης›
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET (coordinator 2026-10-01): this column holds the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues facing Gregory's Latin; rail-only per UNIT.md. The pass-1 Greek transcription is kept in greek_version_draft/.

PL 66:194

Petr. Sic cuncta esse, ut asseris, constat patenter: quia verba quae proposueras, rebus probas. Sed quaeso te, ut indices si sancti viri omnia quae volunt possunt, et cuncta impetrant quae desiderant obtinere.

Peter. That all things are so as you assert stands plainly established: because the words which you had set forth you prove by deeds. But I ask you to make known whether holy men can do all the things which they will, and obtain all the things which they desire to gain.

CAPUT XXXIII. — De miraculo Scholasticae sororis ejus.

CHAPTER 33. — On the miracle of Scholastica his sister.

Gregorius. Quisnam erit, Petre, in hac vita Paulo sublimior, qui de carnis suae stimulo ter Dominum rogavit (II Cor. XII), et tamen quod voluit, obtinere non valuit? Ex qua re necesse est ut tibi de venerabili Patre Benedicto narrem, quia fuit quiddam quod voluit, sed non valuit implere. Soror namque ejus, Scholastica nomine, omnipotenti Domino ab ipso infantiae tempore dedicata, ad eum semel per annum venire consueverat. Ad quam vir Dei non longe extra januam in possessione monasterii descendebat. Quadam vero die venit ex more, atque ad eam cum discipulis venerabilis ejus descendit frater: qui totum diem in Dei laudibus sacrisque colloquiis ducentes, incumbentibus jam noctis tenebris simul acceperunt cibos. Cumque adhuc ad mensam sederent, et inter sacra colloquia tardior se hora protraheret, eadem sanctimonialis femina soror ejus eum rogavit, dicens: Quaeso te ne ista nocte me deseras, ut usque mane de coelestis vitae gaudiis loquamur. Cui ille respondit: Quid est quod loqueris, soror? Manere extra cellam nullatenus possum. Tanta vero erat coeli serenitas, ut nulla in aere nubes appareret. Sanctimonialis autem femina, cum verba fratris negantis audisset, insertas digitis manus super mensam posuit, et caput in manibus omnipotentem Dominum rogatura declinavit. Cumque de mensa levaret caput, tanta coruscationis et tonitrui virtus, tantaque inundatio pulviae erupit, ut neque venerabilis Benedictus, neque fratres qui cum eo aderant, extra loci limen quo consederant, pedem movere potuissent. Sanctimonialis quippe femina caput in manibus declinans, lacrymarum fluvios in mensam fuderat, per quas serenitatem aeris ad pluviam traxit. Nec paulo tardius post orationem inundatio illa secuta est, sed tanta fuit convenientia orationis et inundationis, ut de mensa caput jam cum tonitruo levaret: quatenus unum idemque esset momentum, et levare caput, et pluviam deponere. Tunc vir Dei inter coruscos et tonitruos atque ingentis pluviae inundationem videns se ad monasterium non posse remeare, coepit conqueri

Gregory. Who, Peter, will there be in this life loftier than Paul, who concerning the sting of his flesh thrice besought the Lord (2 Cor. 12), and yet what he willed he was not able to obtain? From which matter it is necessary that I tell you concerning the venerable Father Benedict, that there was something which he willed, but was not able to fulfil. For his sister, Scholastica by name, dedicated to the omnipotent Lord from the very time of her infancy, had been accustomed to come to him once a year. To whom the man of God used to come down, not far outside the gate, onto a holding of the monastery. On a certain day, indeed, she came according to custom, and her venerable brother came down to her with his disciples: and they, spending the whole day in the praises of God and in holy conversations, took food together as the darkness of night was already pressing upon them. And while they were still sitting at table, and amid holy conversations the hour was drawing itself out later, the same nun, his sister, asked him, saying: I beseech you, do not forsake me this night, that until morning we may speak of the joys of the heavenly life. To whom he replied: What is this that you say, sister? I can by no means remain outside the cell. But so great was the serenity of the sky, that no cloud appeared in the air. But the nun, when she had heard the words of her brother refusing, placed upon the table her hands with the fingers interlaced, and bowed her head upon her hands, about to entreat the omnipotent Lord. And when she raised her head from the table, so great a force of lightning and of thunder, and so great an inundation of rain burst forth, that neither the venerable Benedict, nor the brethren who were present with him, could move a foot outside the threshold of the place where they had been sitting. For the nun, bowing her head upon her hands, had poured rivers of tears upon the table, by which she drew the serenity of the air over into rain. Nor did that inundation follow a little later after the prayer, but so great was the concurrence of the prayer and of the inundation, that she now raised her head from the table together with the thunder: so that it was one and the same moment, both to raise the head and to send down the rain. Then the man of God, amid the lightnings and the thunders and the inundation of the immense rain, seeing that he could not return to the monastery, began to complain,

Editors' notes and page, col. 194

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: monasterii› · call in col 194

Observa ex hoc loco monachis praedia ad victum assignata, in ipso Benedictini ordinis exordio: ita ut, non mendicando, non manibus laborando ad vitam necessaria parare cogerentur. Id ex S. Gregorii epistolis alibi ostendemus. Nonnullos ex fidelium oblationibus, ut ipsi clerici, vixisse liquet ex epistola 3, l. III, olim 2, indict. 11. Ipse Greg. monasteria quae condidit reditibus dotavit, altero Gregorio teste, scilicet Turonico l. X Hist.

Note from this passage that estates were assigned to monks for their livelihood at the very beginning of the Benedictine order, so that they were not forced to provide the necessities of life by begging or by manual labour. We shall show this elsewhere from St Gregory's letters. That some lived, like the clergy themselves, on the offerings of the faithful is clear from Letter 3 of Book III (formerly 2), indiction 11. Gregory himself endowed with revenues the monasteries he founded, on the testimony of the other Gregory, namely of Tours, History, Book X.

(printed under page 100)

PL 66:195

Editors' notes and page, col. 195

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 195

Ms. χύσις.

A manuscript reads χύσις ("outpouring").

(printed under page 101)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 195

Ms. τὸν Θεόν μου· ἀρτίως δὲ λοιπὸν ἐὰν δύνασαι.

A manuscript reads: "my God; but now, if you can".

(printed under page 101)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 195

Ms. μονῆς εἰσῆλθεν.

A manuscript reads μονῆς εἰσῆλθεν ("went into the monastery").

(printed under page 101)

(4) ‹anchor: οὐρανοῦ μυστήρια› · call in col 195

Ms. σκηνώματα.

A manuscript reads σκηνώματα ("dwellings").

(printed under page 101)

(5) ‹anchor: ὃ ἦν ἑαυτῷ ἑτοιμάσας› · call in col 195

Ms. ἦν αὐτὸς ἑτοιμάσας.

A manuscript reads ἦν αὐτὸς ἑτοιμάσας ("he himself had prepared").

(printed under page 101)

(6) ‹anchor: ἀνατεταγμένος ὑπῆρχεν› · call in col 195

Ms. ἀνατεταμένος ὑπῆρχεν.

A manuscript reads ἀνατεταμένος ὑπῆρχεν ("was stretched upward").

(printed under page 101)

Page

running head: 195 S. P. B… (clipped at the right edge of the image)
marginal letters: (not seen; top image only, gutter outside the crop)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET. Top image read only: the column prints the Byzantine Greek translation of the Dialogues (Scholastica's prayer and the storm), facing Gregory's Latin in col. 196.

PL 66:196

contristatus, dicens: Parcat tibi omnipotens Deus, soror; quid est quod fecisti? Cui illa respondit: Ecce te rogavi, et audiri me noluisti; rogavi Dominum meum, et audivit me. Modo ergo si potes, egredere, et me dimissa ad monasterium recede. Ipse autem exire extra tectum non valens, qui remanere sponte noluit, in loco mansit invitus. Sicque factum est ut totam noctem pervigilem ducerent, atque per sacra spiritalis vitae colloquia sese vicaria relatione satiarent. Qua de re dixi eum voluisse aliquid, sed minime potuisse: quia si venerabilis viri mentem aspicimus, dubium non est quod eamdem serenitatem voluerit in qua descenderat permanere; sed contra hoc quod voluit, in virtute omnipotentis Dei ex feminae pectore miraculum invenit. Nec mirum quod plus illo femina, quae diu fratrem videre cupiebat, in eodem tempore valuit: quia enim juxta Joannis vocem, Deus charitas est (I Joan. IV, 16), justo valde judicio illa plus potuit, quae amplius amavit.

saddened, saying: May the omnipotent God spare you, sister; what is this that you have done? To whom she replied: Behold, I asked you, and you were unwilling that I should be heard; I asked my Lord, and He heard me. Now therefore, if you can, go out, and, having dismissed me, withdraw to the monastery. But he, not being able to go out beyond the roof, who had been unwilling to remain of his own will, remained in the place unwillingly. And so it came about that they passed the whole night sleepless, and satisfied one another by alternating discourse through the holy conversations of the spiritual life. On which account I said that he willed something, but was by no means able: because, if we look at the mind of the venerable man, there is no doubt that he willed that same serenity, in which he had come down, to remain; but against this which he willed, he found, in the power of the omnipotent God, a miracle out of a woman's breast. Nor is it a wonder that the woman, who had long desired to see her brother, was at that same time able to do more than he: because indeed, according to John's word, God is charity (1 John 4:16), by a very just judgement she was able to do more, who loved more.

Petr. Fateor, multum placet quod dicis.

Peter. I confess it; what you say pleases me greatly.

CAPUT XXXIV. — De anima sororis ejus visa qualiter e corpore sit egressa.

CHAPTER 34. — On the soul of his sister, seen in what manner it went forth from the body.

Gregorius. Cumque die altero eadem venerabilis femina ad cellam propriam recessisset, vir Dei ad monasterium rediit. Cum ecce post triduum in cella consistens, elevatis in aera oculis vidit ejusdem sororis suae animam de ejus corpore egressam, in columba specie coeli secreta penetrare. Qui tantae ejus gloriae congaudens, omnipotenti Deo in hymnis et laudibus gratias reddidit, ejusque obitum fratribus denuntiavit. Quos etiam protinus misit, ut ejus corpus ad monasterium deferrent, atque in sepulcro quod sibi ipse paraverat, ponerent. Quo facto contigit ut quorum mens una semper in Deo fuerat, eorum quoque corpora nec sepultura separaret.

Gregory. And when on the following day that same venerable woman had withdrawn to her own cell, the man of God returned to the monastery. When behold, after three days, standing in his cell, having lifted his eyes into the air, he saw the soul of that same sister of his, gone forth from her body, penetrate the secret places of heaven in the likeness of a dove. And he, rejoicing together at her so great glory, rendered thanks to the omnipotent God in hymns and praises, and announced her death to the brethren. Whom also he straightway sent, that they should carry her body to the monastery, and place it in the sepulchre which he had himself prepared for himself. Which being done, it came about that those whose mind had always been one in God — their bodies also not even burial should separate.

CAPUT XXXV. — De mundo ante oculos ejus collecto, et de anima Germani Capuanae civitatis episcopi.

CHAPTER 35. — On the world gathered before his eyes, and on the soul of Germanus, bishop of the city of Capua.

Alio quoque tempore Servandus diaconus atque abbas ejus monasterii quod in Campaniae partibus a

At another time also Servandus, deacon and abbot of that monastery in the parts of Campania

Editors' notes and page, col. 196

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: pervigilem› · call in col 196

Duo Carnot., Bigot. et Becc., pervigiles, cui lect. favet Graec. interpres.

The two Chartres manuscripts, the Bigot and the Bec manuscripts read "pervigiles" ("keeping vigil all night"), a reading the Greek translator supports.

(printed under page 101)

(b) ‹anchor: post triduum› · call in col 196

Die 10 Februarii, quo Scholastica colitur.

On 10 February, the day on which Scholastica is honoured.

(printed under page 101)

Servandus diaconus et abbas cujus hic mentio praefuit monasterio S. Sebastiani in urbe Alatrina, quae quinto lapide Verulis, Cassino triginta distat, ex actis S. Placidi num. 11. De Liberio patricio legesis Haeftenum in hunc locum. MABILL.

Servandus, the deacon and abbot mentioned here, presided over the monastery of St Sebastian in the city of Alatri, which lies five miles from Veroli and thirty from Cassino, according to the Acts of St Placidus, no. 11. On Liberius the patrician, read Haeften on this passage. MABILLON.

(printed under page 101)

PL 66:197

Editors' notes and page, col. 197

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 197

Ms. ἀνάπλεος.

A manuscript reads ἀνάπλεος ("full").

(printed under page 102)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 197

Ms. καταγωγίοις... ἀνωγέοις.

A manuscript reads καταγωγίοις ("lodgings") ... ἀνωγέοις ("upper rooms").

(printed under page 102)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 197

Ms. κατώγεα τοῖς ἀνωγέοις.

A manuscript reads κατώγεα τοῖς ἀνωγέοις ("the lower rooms to the upper rooms").

(printed under page 102)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 197

Ms. ὥρα.

A manuscript reads ὥρα ("hour").

(printed under page 102)

(5) ‹anchor: ἐν Καπύῃ› · call in col 197

Ms. Καπούης.

A manuscript reads Καπούης ("of Capua").

(printed under page 102)

(6) ‹anchor: ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ῥοπῇ (call printed as ³ in the full-width line)› · call in col 197

Ms αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ καὶ ῥοπῇ.

A manuscript reads αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ καὶ ῥοπῇ ("at that very hour and moment").

(printed under page 102)

(7) ‹anchor: καὶ λίαν› · call in col 197

Ms. ἐκπλήττομε. Forte ἐκπλήττομαι.

A manuscript reads ἐκπλήττομε. Perhaps ἐκπλήττομαι ("I am astounded").

(printed under page 102)

Page

running head: 197 PROLEGOMENA. (head runs across the page; seen as PROLEGOMEN… clipped)
marginal letters: A and B printed in the gutter shared with col. 198 (A at the first line, B at the eighteenth); C, D not viewed (top image only)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET. Top image read only: the column prints the Byzantine Greek translation (Servandus's visit, Benedict at the window), facing Gregory's Latin in col. 198.

PL 66:198

Liberio quondam patricio fuerat constructum, ad eum visitationis gratia ex more convenerat. Ejus quippe monasterium frequentabat; ut quia idem quoque vir doctrina gratiae coelestis influebat, dulcia sibi invicem vitae verba transfunderent, et suavem cibum coelestis patriae, quia adhuc perfecte gaudendo non poterant, saltem suspirando gustarent. Cumque hora jam quietis exigeret, in cujus turris superioribus se venerabilis Benedictus, in ejus quoque inferioribus se Servandus diaconus collocavit: quo videlicet in loco inferiora superioribus pervius continuabat ascensus. Ante eamdem vero turrim largius erat habitaculum in quo utriusque discipuli quiescebant. Cumque vir Dei Benedictus, quiescentibus adhuc fratribus, instans vigiliis, nocturnae orationis tempora praevenisset, ad fenestram stans, et omnipotentem Deum deprecans, subito intempesta noctis hora respiciens, vidit fusam lucem desuper cunctas noctis tenebras effugasse, tantoque splendore clarescere, ut diem vinceret lux illa quae inter tenebras radiasset. Mira autem res valde in hac speculatione secuta est: quia, sicut post ipse narravit, omnis etiam mundus velut sub uno solis radio collectus, ante oculos ejus adductus est. Qui venerabilis Pater, dum intentam oculorum aciem in hoc splendore coruscae lucis infigeret, vidit Germani Capuani episcopi animam in sphaera ignea ab angelis in coelum ferri. Tunc tanti sibi testem volens adhibere miraculi, Servandum diaconum iterato bis terque ejus nomine, cum clamoris magnitudine vocavit. Cumque ille fuisset insolito tanti viri clamore turbatus, ascendit, respexit, partemque jam lucis exiguum vidit. Cui tantum hoc obstupescenti miraculum, vir Dei per ordinem quae fuerant gesta narravit, statimque in Cassinum castrum religioso viro Theoprobo mandavit ut ad Capuanam urbem sub eadem nocte transmitteret, et quid de Germano episcopo ageretur agnosceret et indicaret. Factumque est, et reverentissimum virum Germanum episcopum is qui missus fuerat jam defunctum reperit, et requirens subtiliter agnovit eodem momento fuisse illius obitum quo vir Domini ejus cognovit ascensum.

which had once been built by Liberius the patrician, had come to him, as was his custom, for the sake of a visit. For he used to frequent his monastery, so that, since this man too flowed with the teaching of heavenly grace, they might pour into one another the sweet words of life, and might taste, at least by sighing, the sweet food of the heavenly fatherland, which they could not yet do by rejoicing perfectly. And when the hour now required rest, the venerable Benedict settled himself in the upper part of a tower, and Servandus the deacon settled himself in its lower part as well; in that place, that is, a passable ascent connected the lower parts to the upper. In front of the same tower, moreover, there was a larger dwelling in which the disciples of both were resting. And when Benedict, the man of God, while the brothers were still resting, intent on vigils, had anticipated the times of the night prayer, standing at the window and entreating almighty God, suddenly, at the dead hour of the night, as he looked out, he saw a light poured down from above put to flight all the darkness of the night, and shine with such splendour that that light which had beamed amid the darkness surpassed the day. And a very wonderful thing followed in this contemplation: for, as he himself afterwards related, the whole world too, gathered as it were under one ray of the sun, was brought before his eyes. And while the venerable father was fixing the intent gaze of his eyes on this splendour of flashing light, he saw the soul of Germanus, bishop of Capua, being carried by angels into heaven in a fiery sphere. Then, wishing to bring in a witness for himself of so great a miracle, he called Servandus the deacon by his name twice and three times over, with a great outcry. And when he, disturbed by the unaccustomed outcry of so great a man, had come up, he looked and saw now only a small part of the light. To him, amazed at so great a miracle, the man of God related in order the things that had happened, and at once sent word to Cassino, to the devout man Theoprobus, that he should send to the city of Capua that same night, and find out and report what was happening concerning Germanus the bishop. And so it was done, and the man who had been sent found the most reverend man, Germanus the bishop, already dead; and, inquiring carefully, he learned that his death had taken place at the same moment in which the man of the Lord had perceived his ascent.

Petr. Mira res valde, et vehementer stupenda. Sed hoc quod dictum est, quia ante oculos ipsius quasi sub uno solis radio collectus omnis mundus adductus est, sicut nunquam expertus sum, ita nec

Peter. A very wonderful thing, and exceedingly astonishing. But this which has been said, that the whole world, gathered as it were under one ray of the sun, was brought before his eyes, just as I have never experienced it, so neither

Editors' notes and page, col. 198

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 198

Primus Theod., constitutum.

The first Thierry manuscript reads "constitutum" ("set", "built").

(printed under page 102)

(b) ‹anchor: quietis exigeret› · call in col 198

In edit. Gussanv. post exigeret, legitur: ut se sopori dare debuissent; turris erat eodem in loco constituta, quae super totius cellae habitaculum imminebat; in cujus turris, etc. Haec absunt a mss. et ab aliis editis. In Graeca quoque vers. non leguntur.

In Gussanville's edition, after "exigeret", there reads: "so that they ought to give themselves to sleep; there was a tower built in the same place, which rose above the dwelling of the whole cell; in which tower", etc. These words are absent from the manuscripts and the other editions. Nor are they read in the Greek version.

(printed under page 102)

Compend., Mira autem valde res eamdem speculationem secuta est.

The Compiègne manuscript reads: "But a thing most wonderful followed that same contemplation."

(printed under page 102)

(d) ‹anchor: in sphaera› · call in col 198

Germ., in spera. Colitur autem S. Germanus die 30 Octobris.

The Saint-Germain manuscript reads "in spera" (spelling of "sphere"). St Germanus is honoured on 30 October.

(printed under page 102)

(e) ‹anchor: cognovit ascensum› · call in col 198

Primus Aud., Lyr., Becc., Prat., Bigot., habent abscessum.

The first Saint-Ouen, the Lyre, Bec, Préaux and Bigot manuscripts have "abscessum" ("departure").

(printed under page 102)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 199

Ms. στενὴ αὐτῇ ἐστιν· ὅστις οὖν ὀλίγον τι τοῦ φωτὸς τοῦ ἀκτίστου ἐθεάσατο.

A manuscript reads: "is narrow to it; whoever, then, has seen some little of the uncreated light".

(printed under page 103)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 199

Ms. ἐν τῷ νῷ.

A manuscript reads ἐν τῷ νῷ ("in the mind").

(printed under page 103)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 199

Corrupte in editis βραχύς ἐστιν; unde ms. lectionem praeferendam duximus.

The printed editions corruptly read βραχύς ἐστιν ("is short"); so we judged the manuscript's reading preferable.

(printed under page 103)

(4) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 199

Ms. παρέστη ἐπί.

A manuscript reads παρέστη ἐπί ("stood beside, upon").

(printed under page 103)

(5) ‹anchor: ἁρπαγεῖσαν, ἐδείχθη› · call in col 199

Ms. ἐδείχθη πόσον αὐτῷ.

A manuscript reads ἐδείχθη πόσον αὐτῷ ("it was shown how much to it").

(printed under page 103)

(6) ‹anchor: τοῦτο δέ› · call in col 199

Ex ms. emendavimus edit.

We have corrected the edition from a manuscript.

(printed under page 103)

Page

running head: 199 S. P. BENEDIC… (clipped at the right edge of the image)
marginal letters: A and B printed in the gutter shared with col. 200 (A at the first line, B at the fourteenth); C, D not viewed (top image only)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET. Top image read only: the column prints the Byzantine Greek translation (Gregory's answer on the soul that sees the Creator), facing Gregory's Latin in col. 200.

PL 66:200

conjicere scio quonam ordine fieri potest, ut mundus omnis ab homine uno videatur.

do I know how to conjecture in what order it can come about that the whole world is seen by one man.

Gregor. Fixum tene, Petre, quod loquor: quia animae videnti Creatorem angusta est omnis creatura. Quamlibet etenim parum de luce Creatoris aspexerit, breve ei fit omne quod creatum est: quia ipsa luce visionis intimae, mentis laxatur sinus, tantumque expanditur in Deo, ut superior existat mundo: fit vero ipsa videntis anima etiam super semetipsam. Cumque in Dei lumine rapitur super se, in interioribus ampliatur; et dum se sub se conspicit exaltata, comprehendit quam breve sit quod comprehendere humiliata non poterat. Vir ergo Dei, qui intuens globum igneum, angelos quoque ad coelum redeuntes videbat, haec procul dubio cernere nonnisi in Dei lumine poterat. Quid itaque mirum si mundum ante se collectum vidit, qui sublevatus in mentis lumine extra mundum fuit? Quod autem collectus mundus ante ejus oculos dicitur, non coelum et terra contracta est, sed videntis animus est dilatatus, qui in Deo raptus videre sine difficultate potuit omne quod infra Deum est. In illa ergo luce quae exterioribus oculis fulsit, lux interior in mente fuit, quae videntis animum cum ad superiora rapuit, ei quam angusta essent omnia inferiora monstravit.

Gregory. Hold fast, Peter, to what I say: that to the soul that sees the Creator all creation is narrow. For however little of the Creator's light it has beheld, everything that is created becomes small to it; for by the very light of the inmost vision the bosom of the mind is loosened, and is so expanded in God that it stands higher than the world; indeed the soul of the one who sees becomes even above itself. And when in the light of God it is caught up above itself, it is enlarged in its inner parts; and while, exalted, it beholds itself beneath itself, it comprehends how small is that which, when humbled, it could not comprehend. The man of God, therefore, who, gazing on the globe of fire, saw the angels too returning to heaven, could without doubt discern these things only in the light of God. What wonder is it, then, if he saw the world gathered before him, who, raised up in the light of the mind, was outside the world? But when the world is said to have been gathered before his eyes, it is not that heaven and earth were contracted, but that the mind of the one who saw was enlarged, which, caught up in God, could see without difficulty all that is beneath God. In that light, therefore, which shone upon his outward eyes, there was an inner light in the mind, which, when it caught up the mind of the one who saw to higher things, showed him how narrow all lower things were.

Petr. Videor mihi utiliter non intellexisse quae dixeras, quando ex tarditate mea tantum crevit expositio tua. Sed quia haec liquido meis sensibus infudisti, quaeso ut ad narrationis ordinem redeas.

Peter. It seems to me that I have profitably failed to understand what you had said, since from my slowness your explanation has grown so much. But since you have poured these things clearly into my understanding, I beg you to return to the order of the narrative.

CAPUT XXXVI.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Quod regulam monachorum scripserit.

That he wrote a rule for monks.

Gregorius. Libet, Petre, adhuc de hoc venerabili Patre multa narrare; sed quaedam ejus studiose praetereo, quia ad aliorum gesta evolvenda festino. Hoc autem nolo te lateat, quod vir Dei inter tot miracula quibus in mundo claruit, doctrinae quoque verbo non mediocriter fulsit. Nam scripsit monachorum regulam, discretione praecipuam, sermone luculentam. Cujus si quis velit subtilius mores vitamque cognoscere, potest in eadem institutione regulae omnes magisterii illius actus invenire: quia sanctus vir nullo modo potuit aliter docere quam vixit.

Gregory. I should like, Peter, to relate still many things about this venerable father; but some of his deeds I pass over on purpose, because I am hastening to unfold the deeds of others. Yet I do not want this to be hidden from you: that the man of God, amid so many miracles by which he was renowned in the world, shone no less brightly by the word of his teaching. For he wrote a rule for monks, outstanding in discretion, lucid in its language. If anyone wishes to know his character and life more closely, he can find in that same ordinance of the rule all the acts of his mastership: for the holy man could in no way teach otherwise than he lived.

Editors' notes and page, col. 200

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 200

Prat. et primus Gemet., et dum sub se mens conspicit. Sequimur Germ. et alios melioris notae.

The Préaux manuscript and the first of Jumièges read "et dum sub se mens conspicit" ("and while the mind beholds beneath it"). We follow the Saint-Germain manuscript and others of better note.

(printed under page 103)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 200

Germ. et Val-cl., qui intueri..... ex quibus forsan editoribus conflare placuit, qui in turri; quod tamen legitur in primo Carn. Sequimur mss. Angl. Norm. primum, Theod. secundum Carn., etc.

The Saint-Germain and Val-des-Écoliers manuscripts read "qui intueri ....."; from which the editors perhaps chose to make "qui in turri" ("who in the tower"), which however is read in the first Chartres manuscript. We follow the English and Norman manuscripts, the first Thierry, the second Chartres, etc.

(printed under page 103)

Pler. cum Germ., quia ad sup.

Most manuscripts, with the Saint-Germain, read "quia ad sup[eriora]" ("because to higher things").

(printed under page 103)

(d) ‹anchor: sermone luculentam› · call in col 200

Duo Gemet., totidem Carnot. et Prat., sermone luculento.

The two Jumièges manuscripts, as many of Chartres, and the Préaux manuscript read "sermone luculento" ("in lucid language").

(printed under page 103)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 201

Ms. addit πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.

A manuscript adds πρὸς τὸν Θεόν ("to God").

(printed under page 104)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 201

Ms. ἐκέλευσε βασταχθῆναι.

A manuscript reads ἐκέλευσε βασταχθῆναι ("ordered him to be carried").

(printed under page 104)

(3) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 201

Ms. ἀνέπεμψεν. Ἐν αὐτῇ οὖν ὥρᾳ.

A manuscript reads ἀνέπεμψεν. Ἐν αὐτῇ οὖν ὥρᾳ ("he sent up. So in that very hour").

(printed under page 104)

(4) ‹anchor: νύκτωρ τε καὶ μεθ'› · call in col 201

Ms. καὶ καθ' ἡμέραν.

A manuscript reads καὶ καθ' ἡμέραν ("and by day").

(printed under page 104)

(5) ‹anchor: Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν ἡμέρᾳ› · call in col 201

Ms. τῶν ἡμερῶν.

A manuscript reads τῶν ἡμερῶν ("of the days").

(printed under page 104)

Page

running head: 201 PROLEGOM… (clipped at the right edge of the image)
marginal letters: A and B printed in the gutter shared with col. 202 (A at the chapter heading, B at the fifteenth line); C, D not viewed (top image only)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET. Top image read only: the column opens with the Greek chapter heading ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΛΖʹ and prints the Byzantine Greek translation of chapter XXXVII (Benedict's death), facing Gregory's Latin in col. 202.

PL 66:202

CAPUT XXXVII.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

De prophetia sui exitus fratribus denuntiata.

Of the prophecy of his departure, announced to the brothers.

Eodem vero anno quo de hac vita erat exiturus, quibusdam discipulis secum conversantibus, quibusdam longe manentibus, sanctissimi sui obitus denuntiavit diem: praesentibus indicens ut audita per silentium tegerent; absentibus indicans quod vel quale eis signum fieret quando ejus anima de corpore exiret. Ante sextum vero sui exitus diem aperiri sibi sepulturam jubet. Qui mox correptus febribus, acri coepit ardore fatigari. Cumque per dies singulos languor ingravesceret, sexta die portari se in oratorium a discipulis fecit, ibique exitum suum dominici corporis et sanguinis perceptione munivit, atque inter discipulorum manus imbecillia membra sustentans, erectis in coelum manibus stetit, et ultimum spiritum inter verba orationis efflavit. Qua scilicet die duobus de eo fratribus, uni in cella commoranti, alteri autem longius posito, revelatio unius atque indissimilis visionis apparuit. Viderunt namque quia strata palliis atque innumeris corusca lampadibus via recto orientis tramite ab ejus cella in coelum usque tendebatur. Cui venerando habitu vir desuper clarus assistens, cujus esset via quam cernerent, inquisivit. Illi autem se nescire professi sunt. Quibus ipse ait: Haec est via qua dilectus Domino coelum Benedictus ascendit. Tunc itaque sancti viri obitum sicut praesentes discipuli viderunt, ita absentes ex signo quod eis praedictum fuerat, agnoverunt. Sepultus vero est in oratorio beati Joannis Baptistae, quod destructa ara Apollinis ipse construxit. Qui et in eo specu in quo prius Sublacus habitavit, nunc usque si petentium fides exigat, miraculis coruscat.

In the same year in which he was to depart from this life, he announced the day of his most holy death to some disciples who were living with him and to some who dwelt far off: enjoining those present to keep what they had heard covered in silence; indicating to those absent what sign, or of what kind, would be given them when his soul went forth from the body. Six days before his departure he ordered his grave to be opened for him. Soon after, seized by fevers, he began to be wearied by a fierce burning. And as the weakness grew heavier day by day, on the sixth day he had himself carried by his disciples into the oratory, and there he fortified his departure by receiving the Lord's Body and Blood; and, supporting his feeble limbs between the hands of his disciples, he stood with his hands raised to heaven, and breathed out his last breath amid the words of prayer. On that very day, to two of his brothers, one staying in his cell, the other placed farther off, there appeared the revelation of one and the same vision. For they saw that a road, strewn with cloaks and glittering with countless lamps, stretched by a straight path towards the east from his cell right up into heaven. A man of venerable bearing, shining, standing above it, asked them whose road it was that they saw. But they professed that they did not know. He said to them: This is the road by which Benedict, beloved of the Lord, ascended to heaven. Then, therefore, just as the disciples who were present saw the holy man's death, so those who were absent recognized it from the sign that had been foretold to them. He was buried in the oratory of blessed John the Baptist, which he himself built when the altar of Apollo had been destroyed. And in that cave too, in which he had earlier lived at Subiaco, he shines with miracles even now, if the faith of those who ask requires it.

CAPUT XXXVIII.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

De insana muliere in ejus specu sanata.

Of a mad woman healed in his cave.

Nuper namque est res gesta quam narro; quia quaedam mulier mente capta, dum sensum funditus perdidisset, per montes et valles, silvas et campos die noctuque vagabatur; ibique tantummodo quiescebat, ubi hanc quiescere lassitudo coegisset. Quadam vero die dum vaga nimium erraret, ad beati viri Benedicti specum devenit, ibique nesciens ingressa mansit. Mane autem facto ita sanato sensu egressa est, ac si eam nunquam insania capitis ulla tenuisset; quae

For the thing I relate happened recently: a certain woman, out of her mind, having lost her reason entirely, used to wander day and night over mountains and valleys, woods and fields, and rested only where weariness had forced her to rest. One day, while she was wandering very far astray, she came to the cave of the blessed man Benedict, and, not knowing it, went in and stayed there. When morning came she went out with her reason so restored as if no madness of the head had ever held her; and she

Editors' notes and page, col. 202

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 202

Pratel., pro silentio.

The Préaux manuscript reads "pro silentio" ("for silence").

(printed under page 104)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 202

Pratel. et primus Gemet., sepulcrum.

The Préaux manuscript and the first of Jumièges read "sepulcrum" ("tomb").

(printed under page 104)

Secundus Gemet., dolore.

The second Jumièges manuscript reads "dolore" ("with pain").

(printed under page 104)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 202

Secundus Carnot., Bigot. et Becc., viderunt namque viam stratam.... quae, etc.

The second Chartres manuscript, the Bigot and the Bec manuscripts read "viderunt namque viam stratam .... quae" ("for they saw a road spread .... which"), etc.

(printed under page 104)

(e) ‹anchor: in eo specu› · call in col 202

Ita Germ., Val-cl., duo Carnot. et uterque Theoder. Aliorum codicum non una est lectio. In Compend. Bigot., Lyr. et primo Aud. legitur: in quo prius Sublacu habitavit. In primo Gemet., in quo prius cui vocabulum est Sublacis, hab. In altero Gemet., in quo prius hab. cui Sublacus vocab. est.

So the Saint-Germain, Val-des-Écoliers, the two Chartres and both Thierry manuscripts. The other manuscripts do not have one reading. In the Compiègne, Bigot, Lyre and first Saint-Ouen manuscripts there reads: "in quo prius Sublacu habitavit" ("in which he formerly lived, at Subiaco"). In the first of Jumièges: "in quo prius cui vocabulum est Sublacis, hab[itavit]" ("in which, at the place called Subiaco, he formerly lived"). In the other of Jumièges: "in quo prius hab[itavit] cui Sublacus vocab[ulum] est" ("in which he formerly lived, the place called Subiaco").

(printed under page 104)

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 203

Ms. τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρῳ λογισμῷ.

A manuscript reads τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρῳ λογισμῷ ("those of weaker reasoning").

(printed under page 105)

(2) ‹anchor: Φανερὸν› · call in col 203

Hoc loco animadvertat lector, verba illa, Φανερὸν οὖν ὑπάρχει, ὅτι τὸ Παράκλητον Πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς προέρχεται, καὶ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ διαμένει, id est, Aperte igitur patet, quod Paracletus Spiritus a Patre procedit, et in Filio permanet; longe aliter legi apud Gregorium Latine, nempe: Cum enim constet, quia Paracletus Spiritus a Patre semper procedat et Filio. Ex quo manifeste apparet, a Graecis postea Zachariae papae versionem fuisse depravatam, ut bene notavit Joannes diaconus lib. IV de Vita ejusdem B. Gregorii, cap. 75, de Dialogis loquens, his verbis: Quos libros Zacharias, sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae episcopus, Graeco Latinoque sermone doctissimus, temporibus Constantini imperatoris, post annos ferme 175, in Graecam linguam convertens, Orientalibus Ecclesiis divulgavit: quamvis astuta Graecorum perversitas in commemoratione Spiritus sancti a Patre procedentis, nomen Filii suaptim radens, abstulerit. Haec Joannes diaconus. Hanc censuram attexere curarunt Romani sub Sixto V editores, et alii deinceps. Vide quae de hoc argumento in praefatione jam praemisimus num. 26.

At this place let the reader note that those words, Φανερὸν οὖν ὑπάρχει, ὅτι τὸ Παράκλητον Πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς προέρχεται, καὶ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ διαμένει, that is, "It is therefore plainly evident that the Paraclete Spirit proceeds from the Father and abides in the Son", are read very differently in Gregory's Latin, namely: "For since it is certain that the Paraclete Spirit always proceeds from the Father and the Son." From which it plainly appears that the version of Pope Zacharias was afterwards corrupted by the Greeks, as John the Deacon rightly noted in Book IV of his Life of the same blessed Gregory, chapter 75, speaking of the Dialogues in these words: "These books Zacharias, bishop of the holy Roman Church, most learned in Greek and Latin, in the times of the emperor Constantine, after about 175 years, translated into the Greek tongue and spread among the Eastern Churches; although the cunning perversity of the Greeks, in the mention of the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, quietly scraping out the name of the Son, removed it." So John the Deacon. The Roman editors under Sixtus V took care to append this censure, and others after them. See what we have already set out on this subject in the preface, no. 26.

(printed under page 105)

Page

running head: 203 S. P. BENEDIC… (clipped at the right edge of the image)
marginal letters: A and B printed in the gutter shared with col. 204 (A at the first line, B at the eighteenth); C, D not viewed (top image only)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: FACING VERSION, NOT SET. Top image read only: the column prints the Byzantine Greek translation (end of chapter XXXVIII, Peter on the relics of martyrs, Gregory's answer), facing Gregory's Latin in col. 204.

PL 66:204

omni vitae suae tempore in eadem quam acceperat salute permansit.

remained, for the whole time of her life, in the same health that she had received.

Petr. Quidnam esse dicimus, quod plerumque in ipsis quoque patrociniis martyrum sic esse sentimus, ut non tanta per corpora sua, quanta beneficia per reliquias ostendant, atque illic majora signa faciunt, ubi minime per semetipsos jacent?

Peter. What are we to say it is, that often in the very relics of the martyrs too we find it to be so, that they show not so many benefits through their bodies as through their relics, and work greater signs there where they least lie in their own persons?

Gregor. Ubi in suis corporibus sancti martyres jacent, dubium, Petre, non est quod multa valeant signa demonstrare, sicut et faciunt, et pura mente quaerentibus innumera miracula ostendunt. Sed quia ab infirmis potest mentibus dubitari, utrumne ad exaudiendum ibi praesentes sint, ubi constat quia in suis corporibus non sint; ibi necesse est eos majora signa ostendere, ubi de eorum praesentia potest mens infirma dubitare. Quorum vero mens in Deo fixa est, tanto magis habet fidei meritum, quanto illic eos novit et non j⟨a⟩cere corpore, et tamen non deesse ab exauditione. Unde ipsa quoque Veritas, ut fidem discipulis augeret, dixit: Si non abiero, Paracletus non veniet ad vos (Joan. XVI, 7). Cum enim constet quia Paracletus Spiritus a Patre semper procedat et Filio, cur se Filius recessurum dicit, ut ille veniat, qui a Filio nunquam recedit? Sed quia discipuli in carne Dominum cernentes, corporeis hunc oculis semper videre sitiebant, recte eis dicitur: Nisi ego abiero, Paracletus non veniet; ac si aperte diceretur: Si corpus non subtraho, quis sit amor Spiritus non ostendo: et nisi me desierit⟨i⟩s corporaliter cernere, nunquam me discetis spiritaliter amare.

Gregory. Where the holy martyrs lie in their own bodies, there is no doubt, Peter, that they are able to display many signs, as indeed they do, and they show countless miracles to those who seek with a pure mind. But because it can be doubted by weak minds whether they are present to hear prayer there, where it is certain that they are not in their bodies, it is necessary that they show greater signs there, where the weak mind can doubt of their presence. But those whose mind is fixed in God have so much the greater merit of faith, in that they know that the saints both do not lie there in the body and yet are not absent from hearing them. Hence the Truth Himself also, in order to increase faith in His disciples, said: If I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you (John 16:7). For since it is certain that the Paraclete Spirit proceeds always from the Father and the Son, why does the Son say that He will withdraw so that He may come, Who never withdraws from the Son? But because the disciples, seeing the Lord in the flesh, thirsted always to see Him with bodily eyes, it is rightly said to them: Unless I go away, the Paraclete will not come; as if it were said openly: If I do not withdraw My body, I do not show what the love of the Spirit is; and unless you cease to see Me bodily, you will never learn to love Me spiritually.

Petr. Placet quod dicis.

Peter. What you say pleases me.

Gregor. Aliquantum jam a locutione cessandum est, ut si ad aliorum miracula enarranda tendimus, loquendi vires interim per silentium reparemus.

Gregory. We must now cease from speaking for a while, so that, if we are making our way to relating the miracles of others, we may meanwhile restore our strength for speaking through silence.

Editors' notes and page, col. 204

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 204

In scriptoribus sacris mediae aetatis, per sanctorum patrocinia saepe intelliguntur reliquiae; quod pluribus probat Cangius. Sufficiat modo Caroli Magni capitulum quo prohibet servis Dei ad bellum pergere: nisi illis tantummodo qui propter div. ministerium, missarum scilicet solemnia adimplenda, et sanctorum patrocinia portanda, ad hoc electi sunt. Tom. II Concil. Gall., pag. 235; cap. 3, tit. 2, Capitulorum selectorum Car. M. Per patrocinia reliquias intellexit Zacharias, λειψάνους, λείψανα. Significantur quoque per patrocinia sanctorum, ipsorum miracula. Dynamius patricius in Vita S. Maximi Regiensis ep.: Corpus B. antistitis est humatum in eccl. B. Petri.... quae postea ipsius nomine appellata est ob crebra ejus patrocinia.

In the sacred writers of the Middle Ages, "patronages of the saints" often means relics, as Du Cange proves with many examples. For now let one capitulary of Charlemagne suffice, by which he forbids servants of God to go to war, "except only those who have been chosen for this on account of the divine ministry, namely to carry out the solemnities of Masses and to carry the patronages of the saints." Councils of Gaul, vol. II, p. 235; chapter 3, title 2, of the Selected Capitularies of Charlemagne. By "patrocinia" Zacharias understood relics, λειψάνους, λείψανα. The saints' miracles are also meant by "patrocinia". Dynamius the patrician, in the Life of St Maximus, bishop of Riez: "The body of the blessed bishop was buried in the church of blessed Peter ..., which was afterwards called by his name because of his frequent patronages."

(printed under page 105)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible on the page foot› · call in col 204

Primus Carnot., ut fidem salutis.

The first Chartres manuscript reads "ut fidem salutis" ("that ... the faith of salvation").

(printed under page 105)

Germ. Norm. et plur., ex Patre.

The Saint-Germain, the Norman and most manuscripts read "ex Patre" ("out of the Father").

(printed under page 105)

(d) ‹anchor: quis sit amor› · call in col 204

Al., quid sit amor.

Others read "quid sit amor" ("what the love [of the Spirit] is").

(printed under page 105)