VP 17.4

English

He was most resolute in fasting, as we said. For while others were eating he would often make the rounds of the basilicas of the saints with just one servant boy, his head covered in a hood so as not to be recognized in public.

But the grace of healing was also given to him by God. Once when he was walking around the saints' dwellings in the guise just mentioned, he came to the temple of the holy bishop Maximinus in whose forecourt three possessed persons were resting, oppressed by sleep after their many fits. And when he saw them asleep, he made the sign of the cross upon them. At once, they woke up, shrieked fiercely, vomited violently, and were cleansed.

And when the plague of the groin was severely afflicting the people around the city of Trier, and the bishop of God was assiduously imploring the Lord's mercy for the sheep committed to his care, there was a loud noise one night, like an enormous thunderclap above the bridge over the river, so that one might think the city itself was falling apart. As everyone sat up in bed terrified, trying to hide from a deadly destruction, a voice was heard in the midst of the noise that was clearer than the others, saying: "What will we do here, companions? At one gate Bishop Eucharius is keeping watch, at the other Maximinus is stationed, and Nicetius holds the middle. We cannot accomplish anything here except leave this city to their protection." When this voice had been heard, the illness at once stopped and no one thereafter died of it. Hence it is clear that the city had been defended by the holy power of the bishop. 

Sometime later, when the bishop had been invited by the king, he said to his staff: "Go and find a large quantity of fish, so that when we go to meet the king we may fulfill our duty and give enough to our friends." They said to him: "Our fish reservoir into which fish usually swim is completely empty. And even the fish traps are known to have been swept from their places by the force of the river. There is no way in which we can carry out your order, for there is nothing in storage from which to gather what you command."

When he heard this, he went into his cell; then he called his servant and said: "Go and tell the head cook to collect fish from the river." When the servant delivered this message, he was laughed at by the fellow. When he returned, the bishop said: "I know that you said what I instructed and that they did not want to listen. Go again and tell them to go." After the second or third command they became very annoyed, but at last went in a rage to the fish reservoir; and when they looked at it, they found it to be so full of fish that ten men could hardly have carried away the contents. Thus divine power often provided him with what he needed.

Latin

In ieiuniis enim valde, ut diximus, fortis erat. Nam, ceteris reficientibus, saepe ipse, contecto capite a cucullo, ne agnosceretur in publico, cum uno tantum puero sanctorum basilicas circuibat. Sed et curationum gratia data est ei a Deo. Dam autem haec in illo, ut supra diximus, habitu sanctorum habitacula circuiret, ad templum sancti Maximini antestitis accessit, in cuius atrium post multas debaccationes tres inergumini praessi sopore quiescebant. Cernensque eos somno deditos, fecit signum crucis econtra; statimque expergefacti, elevantes in sublimi voces, dato impetu ad vomitum, emundati sont. Cum autem lues inguinaria Trevericum populum· in circuitu civitatis valde vastaret, et sacerdos Dei pro ovibus conmissis Domini misericordiam inploraret assidue, factus est sonus de nocte magnus tamquam tonitruum validum super pontem amnis, ita ut putaretur urbs ipsa dehiscere. Cumque omnis populus exterritus in lectulis resedisset, letifero eis interitum operiens, audita est in medio rumoris vox una ceteris clarior, dicens: 'Et quid hic, o socii, faciemus? Ad unam enim portam Eucharius sacerdos observat, ad aliam Maximinus excubat, in medio versatur Nicetius; nihil hic ultra praevalere possumus, nisi sinamus hanc urbem eorum tuitioni'. Haec voce audita, statim morbus quievit, nullusque ab eo ultra defunctus est. Unde non ambigitur, virtutem memorati antestitis fuisse defensam. Invitatus autem quodam tempore sacerdos a rege, dicit suis: 'Quaerite nobis piscium multitudinem in abundantiam, ut euntes ad occursum regis, et nostrum expleatur opus, et amicis ministretur affatim'. Dixeruntque ei: 'Lapsus enim noster, in quo pisces decidere soliti sunt, prorsus desertus habetur; sed et materiae ipsae de locis suis amnis impetu evulsae noscuntur. Non est enim, qualiter iussio vestra adimpleatur, dum non est in prumptu, qualiter capiantur quae praecipis'. Et ille haec audiens, ingressus in cellulam suam, vocavit puerum et ait: 'Vade et dic cocorum praeposito, ut exhibeat pisces ab amne'. Qui iussa referens, derisus est ab homine. Reversoque ait sacerdos: 'Scio, quia locutus es ea quac praecepi, sed audire noluerunt. Vade et dic eis, ut eant'. Cumque bis aut tertio hanc ordinationem dure susciperent, commoti tandem abierunt ad lapsum, aspicientesque invenerunt cum ita refertum piscibus, ut decim viri quae reppererant vix exhibere potuissent. Ostendebat enim ei virtus divina saepius quae ei· oportuna erant.