LEM 3

English

Therefore afterward, when the enemy had reached the town which is called Decempagus and located thirty miles from Metz, because our God always takes care of His servants, and in His anger does not withhold His mercy, as the Psalmist says, such a deep darkness suddenly surrounded the Huns that they did not know at all what to do or where to turn. Then, anxiously inquiring into the cause of this great calamity (as one must do in such a case) the Huns heard from one of the captives they were leading that they were suffering this on account of the bishop Auctor, servant of the heavenly Lord, whom the captive claimed to have seen among the prisoners. A search was immediately made, and they found the blessed Auctor, and when they asked him about what he would take as a bribe to free them from such peril, he responded that no gift could be offered to him more pleasing than to allow all the captives whom they were leading to return to their homes. If they did so, he promised that, without doubt, he would obtain from his Lord their release from the darkness by which they were held fast. And it was done. Immediately the Huns sought out in their whole army the captives they were leading, and delivered them to the blessed Auctor; the darkness passed away, the light returned, and they were liberated from their distress as promised. Thus the venerable servant of Christ, sharing the lot of the prisoners for a time, released many from captivity together. Oh, he triumphed more gleefully over the release of those citizens than the cruel barbarians, victorious at first, would have triumphed in carrying them off!

Latin

Igitur exindel hostes dum ad oppidum quod appellatur Decempagos, quod a Mettensi urbe triginta milibus abest, pervenissent, quia Deo nostro semper' de suis servulis cura est, et in ira misericordiam non continet, sicut ait Psalmista, tante subito eosdem Hunos tenebre circumvallarunt, ut quid agerent, quo se verterent, omnino nescirent. Tunc causam tante calamitatis, ut in tali re opus erat, sollicite inquirentes', ab uno ex captivis! quos ducebant audiunt, quia propter celestis Domini, Auctorem episcopum, quem in captivorum numero se vidisse dicebat, talia paterentur. Mox igitur facta inquisitione, beatum Autorem reperiunt; quem dum percunctarentur quid in munere vellet accipere, ut a tanto eos periculo liberaret, ille ad hec respondit sibi nullum aliud gratius posse munus offerri, quam si omnes quos ducebant captivos sinerent ad propria remeare; quod illi si facerent, promittit se sine dubio a suo Domino impetraturum, ut ab illis quibus tenebantur tenebris eruerentur: factumque est. Et mox in universo suo Huni exercitu captivos quos ducebant requirentes, beato Auctori reddiderunt, a suis, ut eis promissum fuerat, cessantibus tenebris, luce reddita, angustiis liberati sunt. Sicque venerabilis Christi famulus, dum ad modicum in captivorum sorte deputatus est, multos pariter a captivitate resolvit O quantum pociori gloria de reductis iste civibus triumphavit, quam crudeles barbari, qui eos antea quasi victores abduxerant triumphare potuissent!