LEM 4

English

While Arnulf was doing penance because of some faults, he happened to be crossing a bridge on the Moselle river. As he was looking down at the deep streams of the river, impenetrable to the gaze, his mind filled with the confidence of his unwavering hope, he took a ring off his finger and threw it into the deep water and said, "I will consider myself freed from the net of my sins when I recover the ring that I am throwing now." One day several years later, while he had risen to the episcopal office, a fisherman brought him a fish that he had ordered prepared for his evening meal, because he was abstaining from meat. When the servant in charge gutted the fish in the usual way, he found that same ring in its intestines. Astonished by his discovery, but unaware of its meaning, he brought the ring to blessed Arnulf. As soon as he saw it, he recognized it and, certain of the remission of his sins, he gave thanks to almighty God, and from that time he stopped living such a slack life and instead compelled himself to greater abstinence. This venerable father acted in the same manner as Gideon, who once asked God for a sign. Indeed, with a fleece placed on the ground, the latter wished to obtain a sign indicating whether he would have victory over his enemies [cf. Jgs 6:36-38]. By throwing his ring in the deepest streams of the river, Arnulf wished to find out whether he could now gain victory over his enemies. The enemies whom Gideon defeated were strong, but those whom Arnulf overcame were stronger. I learned this story not from a mediocre man, but from the defender of all truth, the lofty king Charlemagne, who descended from the family of Arnulf, j and is his great-great-great-grandson.

Latin

Hic denique cum penitentiam pro aliquibus excessibus ageret, contigit ut per Moselle fluminis pontem transiret. Cumque subter fluentium aquarum profundos nec visu penetrabiles gurgites cerneret, non dubie spei fiduciam mente gerens, extractum' digito anulum in illam aquarum profunditatem proiecit: "Tunc, inquiens, me putabo culparum nexibus absolutum, quando istum quem proiicio recepero anulum." Post aliquot vero annos cum ad episcopatus ascendisset officium, ei die quadam piscator quidam piscem attulit, quem ille sibi, quia a carnibus abstinebat, ad refectionem vespertinam iussit pararil. Cumque eius minister officii more solito exinterasset, eundem anulum intra ipsius piscis intestinum repperit. Ille factum admiratus, sed rem nesciens, beato Arnulfo detulit. Quem ille ut vidit, statim recognovit, ac Deo omnipotenti, iam de remissione peccatorum fidus, gratias retulit, ac deinceps non remissius vitam duxit, sed maiori se potius abstinentia coartavit. Nec dissimiliter pater hic venerabilis quam olim Gedeon ille signum a Domino poposcit. Ille etenim indicium per vellus in area positum capere voluit, utrum in bello victoriam de inimicis habere potuisset; iste anulum in profundissimum fluminis gurgitem proiciens, experiri cupit utrum de inimicis iam victoriam cepisset. Fortes quidem erant quos ille devicerat, sed hi quos iste superaverat fortiores. Hec ego non a qualibet mediocri persona didici, sed ipso totius veritatis assertore, precelso rege Karolo, referente cognovi; qui de eiusdem beati Arnulfi descendens prosapia, eil in generationis linea trinepos extabat.