GM 54

English

Timotheus and Apollinaris Timotheus and Apollinaris consummated their martyrdom in Rheims and deserved [to enter] the heavenly kingdoms. After building a church in their honor, a pious man sought relics of these martyrs. The current bishop arranged for a priest [to convey the relics] with honor. As the priest was travelling, a brash and, I think, properly unworthy woman advanced down the road, greeted the priest, and kissed the linen cloth that covered the holy ashes. She asked that some of these relics be given to her. The priest hesitated for a long time and postponed giving [anything to her]. Finally he was overcome by her insistence and cut off a small piece for her. He mounted his horse and began to resume the journey that had been entrusted to him. But even though he spurred both flanks of his horse, he could not be moved forward at all; in fact, he was so weighed down that he could scarcely lift his head. The priest realized that he was bound by the power of the martyr. Motivated by remorse, he quickly retrieved what he had under the influence of negligence presumed to distribute. Once he returned to the reliquary the relic he had given away, he was allowed to proceed.

Latin(1)

Timotheus et Apollinaris(2*), apud Remensium urbem consummato martyrio, caelestia regna meruerunt. Quorum reliquias quidam(3), aedificata in eorum honore basilica, devotus expetiit. Pontifex vero qui aderat cum honore per presbiterum dirigit. Cumque iter(4) ageret, mulier inportuna et, credo, indigna merito, in via procedit, salutatumque presbiterum, deosculat(5) lenteo, quo sacrae(6) tegebantur favillae; rogat(7) sibi de his aliquid condonari(8). Tunc presbiter diu dubitans et tribuere differens, victus tandem ab inprobitate eius, divisit ei particulam. Ascendensque sonipem(**), iter expedire coepit iniunctum, sed percutiens utraque equi latera, nequaquam poterat promoveri; ipse vero ita gravatus erat, ut vix caput valeret eregere. Intellegens autem, martyrum se virtute teneri, paenitentia motus utiliter recepit, quod neglegentia(9) intercedente largire praesumpsit; restitutumque(10) in capsa quod abstulerat, abire permissus est.

1. 53. 1a, corr. m. al.

2. Apollonaris 1a.

3. prima m. superscr. 1a.

4. interogaret pro i. a. 1a, corr. m. al.

5. deosculatur linteum 2.p.

6. care 3.

7. et rogat 2.

8. condonare 1b, corr.

9. negligentiam 3.

10. restitumque 3; restitutoque p.

*Acta SS. Timothei et Apollinaris Flodoardus, H. Rem. I, 4, exscripsit, quae nihil valent. Idem l. l. hoc caput attulit, ut 'Gregorii Turonensis episcopi in libro miraculorum'. Basilica sanctorum, quam Eusebius vir spectabilis, Flodoardo teste, aedificasse dicitur, iam diruta est; cf. Longnon p.392.

**Ascensoque caballo bene Flod.