GC 1

English

The miracles of angels

While I was living in the territory of Clermont, a trustworthy man talked with me; I know that he told the truth because I knew that what he said had certainly happened. He said that he gave orders that a drink be brewed for the reapers from grain soaked and boiled in water. [The historian] Orosius wrote that this brew was called ‘caelia’ because of the cooking? The man delayed in the city. When the drink had been prepared and stored in a container, the servants, as is characteristic, drank most of it and left only a little for the intentions of the lord. The lord relied upon his instructions and ordered the reapers to be invited, so that when he returned from the city he might find them cutting his corn. This was done, and about seventy workers were gathered in the cornfield. The lord of the estate arrived and inspected the quality and the quantity of the drink; but he found only a little bit. The lord was embarrassed because he determined that no more than five measures were left. Thinking that this had been done to shame him, so that there would not be enough drink for the workers, he was uncertain what to do or where to turn. Finally, with the inspiration of the Lord he turned to the container and piously recited over its mouth the names of the holy angels that the sacred readings taught. He prayed that their power deign to transform this pittance into an abundance, so that the workers would not lack something to drink. [What happened next is] extraordinary to report! Throughout the entire day drinkers never lacked [drink] drawn from this container. Until nightfall ended work, drink was served in abundance to everyone.

Latin

Igitur dum in Arverno territurio commorarer, vir mihi fidelis retulit, et scio, quia vera narravit, quia evidenter cognovi gestum fuisse, quae dixit. lubet, inquid, fieri, ex annonis aqua infusis atque decoctis messoribus poculum praeparari. Hanc enim coctionem Orosius a coquendo caeliam vocari narravit. Quod cum praeparatum fuisset et in vase reconditum, atque ille apud urbem moras innecteret, ut mos servorum est, maximam partem exhaustam, exiguam dominicis usibus reliquerunt Ille quoque fidus de iussione invitare messores iubet, ut, eo ab urbe redeunte, hos segitem decidere repperiret. Quo facto, iam operariis in segite collocatis circiter septuaginta, advenit dominus fundi, perscrutansque qualitatem quantitatemque potus, perparum repperit. Tunc pudore confusus et sibi factum ad verecundiam reputans, ne potum defecerit operariis, quod, ut ipse arbitrabatur, super quinque modiorum mensuram non erat, quid ageret, quo se verteret, in ambiguo dependebat. Tandem, inspirante Domino, conversus ad vasculum, nomina angelorum sanctorum, quae sacrae docent lectiones, super aditum eius devote invocat, orans, ut virtus eorum parvitatem hanc in abundantiam convertere dignaretur, ne operariis defeceret quod haurirent. Mirum dictu! Tota die ab hoc extractam numquam defuit bibentibus, sed, usque quod nox finem operandi fecit, omnibus fuit in abundantia ministratum.