GC 8

English

The oratory on an estate at Martigny

Near a village in the territory of Tours there was an oratory situated in the villa of Martigny. It was commonly reported that Martin had often prayed in this oratory. Whenever the opportunity arose for abbot Guntharius, while he was head of his community of monks, to travel on the road that passed not far from this oratory, he prayed before traveling on. After he became bishop [of Tours], he passed by on this road and came to the oratory, but he hesitated to dismount to pray in this place. Immediately his horse turned his head toward the oratory and stood in the middle of the road. Guntharius kicked the horse with his feet, whipped it, and spurred it on; but like a bronze [statue] it was not moved. Then the bishop realized that it was held by divine power. He dismounted, prayed, remounted his horse, and traveled on. 0 horse, if the Lord would open your mouth as he once did for a donkey [cf. Numbers 22:28-301, I wish that you would say what was so spectacular that you did not move. What was so attractive that you stared at the door of the shrine? What was so frightening that you compelled your rider to pray? Without doubt you would shout in a louder voice that you witnessed the splendor of Martin and did not dare to move until your master had performed his usual greeting.

Latin

Igitur Turonico oppido oratorium erat propinquum, situm in villa Martiniacensim, in quo celebre ferebatur saepius orasse Martinum. Denique Guntharius abba, dum gregi monasteriali praeesset, si viam, quae haud procul ab oratorio inceditur, casu conferente tereret, oratione facta, transibat. Post adsumptum vero episcopatum agerem ipsum praeteriens, venit ante oratorium, sed distulit ad orationem in loco discendere; ilico equus, conversum caput ad oratorium, in media restat via. Dehinc verberatur calcibus, loris agetur, urguetur stimulis, sed tamquam aeneus non movetur. Tunc sacerdos sensit, se virtute divina teneri; et discendens, facta oratione, equite ascenso, practeriit. Velim, o sonipes, si tibi os Dominus, uti quondam fecit asinae, reseraret, diceris, quid vidisti spectabile, ut non incederes; quid amabile, ut ostium cellulae contemplares; quid formidabile, ut ascensorem orare conpelleres? Nempe altiore voce clamaris, quia claritatem Martini cernens movere non es ausus, nisi tuus occursum debitum proponeret dominus.