VP 17.5

English

I do not think I should be silent about what the Lord showed him concerning the kings of the Franks. For he saw in a dream vision a large tower, so high that it appeared to approach heaven and with many windows; the Lord stood on its summit and angels were placed at its windows. One of these held a large book in his hand, saying: "For such a time this and that king will live in the world." And he named each one individually, saying what their times would be like, of the ones alive in that time and of those who would be born after it, and he described the quality of their reigns and how long their lives would be. And after each name the other angels would respond by saying "Amen." And the things concerning these kings were later fulfilled, just as the holy man had announced in the aforesaid revelation.

Once when returning from the king on a boat, the bishop fell asleep. And behold, the wind began to raise the waves of the river up so high that the ship seemed about to be swallowed by them. However, as we said, the bishop continued in a kind of sleep that frequently happens to those slumbering as though he were oppressed by something. Having at last been awakened by his companions, he made the sign of the cross over the water and the storm subsided. After this, because he kept on sighing, he was asked by his companions what he had seen during his sleep. He said: "I had decided not to talk about it, but will tell you nevertheless. I saw myself as if I were spreading nets to capture the whole world, and no one was helping me except this boy Aredius." And deservedly did the Lord show him as a net maker because he captured people daily at the divine office.

Once a certain man came to him with long hair and a long beard; prostrating himself at his feet, the man said: "My lord, I am the man who was in danger at sea and was rescued by your help." And the bishop reproved him and asked why he gave him this glorious praise, saying: "Tell me how God rescued you from this dire situation, for my own power cannot save anyone."

The man said: "Recently I boarded a boat going to Italy with a multitude of pagans; among this crowd of rustics I was the only Christian. When a storm arose, I began to call upon the name of the Lord and beg for your intercession to rescue me. The pagans, however, invoked their gods for help, one calling upon Jove, another upon Mercury, still another upon the aid of Minerva, and one upon that of Venus. And when we were in the greatest danger, I say to them: 'O men, don't call upon these gods for they are not gods but demons. If you want to be rescued from this imminent death call upon the holy Nicetius, that he may obtain your safety through the Lord's compassion.'

"And while they were shouting this with one loud voice, saying: 'God of Nicetius rescue us, the sea at once calmed down, the wind abated, the sun returned, and our ship arrived where we wished. I, however, vowed not to cut the hair on my head until I had presented myself to your eyes." Then, when his hair had been cut at the bishop's orders, he returned to Clermont, from where he said he had come.

The stories which I heard about Nicetius from the aforesaid abbot cannot be counted, but I think I should finish this book.

Latin

Sed nec hoc silere putavi, quod eidem de regibus Francorum a Domino sit ostensum. Vidit enim in visu noctis turrem magnam, tanta celsitudine praeditam, ut polo propinqua suspiceretur, habentem fenestras multas, Dominumque stantem super cacumen eius et angelos Dei per speculas illas positos. Unus autem ex his tenebat librum magnum in manu, dicens: 'Tantum temporis rex ille et ille victurus est in saeculo'. Nominavitque omnes viritim, vel qui eo tempore erant vel deinceps nati sunt; dixitque et qualitatem regni et quantitatem vitae eorum. Sed post uniuscuiusque nomen semper 'Amen' ceteri angeli respondebant. Sicque de his in posterum est impletum, sicut sanctus per praefatam revelationem adnuntiavit. Regressus autem a rege evectu navali, obdormivit. Et ecce commotus vento fluvius coepit fluctus in excelsa porrigere, ita ut putaretur navis ipsa dimergi. Sacerdos autem, ut praefati sumus, dormiens somnum nescio quem, ut plerumque dormientibus evenit, quasi ab aliquo obpraessus dabat. Excitatus quoque a suis, facto signo crucis super aquas, cessavit procella. Deinde suspirans crebrius, interrogatus a suis est, quid vidisset. Qui ait: 'Silere quidem decreveram, sed tamen dicam. Vidi enim me quasi per universum orbem retia ad capiendum extendere, et nullus erat adiutor meus, nisi tantum hic puer Aridius'. Et merito eum Dominus retificem ostendere voluit, qui cotidie populos ad divinum ofticium capiebat. Venit autem ad eum homo quidam, caesariem barbamque prolixam efferens, prostratusque ad pedes eius, ait: 'Ego sum, domine, qui in maris periculo positus, tuo adiutorio sum salvatus'. At ille obiurgans hominem, cur de eo laudationis huius proferret gloriam, ait: 'Dic, qualiter te Deus ab hac necessitate eripuit; nam virtus mea nulli iuvare potest'. Qui ait: 'Nuperrimo tempore cum navem ascendens Italiam peterem, multitudo paganorum mecum ingressa est, inter quos et ego tantum solus eram inter illam rusticorum multitudinem christianus. Orta autem tempestate, coepi invocare nomen Domini atque, ut me intercessio tua eriperet, flagitare. Pagani vero invocabant deos suos, et ille Iovem, iste Mercurium proclamabat, alius Minervae, alius Veneris auxilium flagitabat. Cumque iam in discrimine mortis essemus, aio ad eos: „[Nolite], o viri, nolite hos invocare, non sunt enim dii isti, sed daemones. Nam si vultis de praesenti interitu erui, invocate sanctum Nicetium, ut ipse obteneat: cum Domini misericordia vos salvari". Cumque una voce elevata in huiuscemodi clamore dixissent: „Deus Niceti, eripe nos", protenus mare mitigatum est, ceciditque ventus, ac sole reducto, in quo voluntas nostra fuit navis accessit. Ego autem vovi, ne prius comam capitis tonderem, quam tuis obtutibus praesentarer'. Tunc iussu episcopi tonsoratus homo Arvernum adiit, unde se esse confessus est. Innumera sunt enim, quae de hoc viro relata a memorato abbate cognovimus, sed finire iam libellum puto.

Notes

• personal belief - standing up to pagan belief. in comparison to jews, arians, pagans, etc