VP 8.1

English

A certain senator named Florentinus, who had taken Artemia as his wife and had had two children by her, was sought as bishop of the city of Geneva; the matter had already been agreed to by the king when Florentinus came home to tell his wife what he had done. Hearing it, she answered her husband: "I beg you, do not go through with this, dearest husband, and do not seek the episcopacy of this city, for I carry in my womb a bishop I conceived from you." The wise man listened to his wife and let the matter rest, remembering how the divine voice had once instructed blessed Abraham, the founder of our faith: "Whatever Sarah will say to you, do as she says." When the time for giving birth came the woman was delivered of a boy whom, as though he were the future victor over the world, she named Nicetius at his baptism; she arranged for him to be raised with the greatest care and to be educated in the writings of the Church. After his father died, he lived with his mother in the paternal home, and, although already a cleric, worked with his hands along with the rest of the household, understanding that corporeal impulses can be stifled only by work and hardship.

While he was still living at home an unpleasant sore once appeared in his face, whose pus made the boy desperate as it increased and boiled over. His mother kept invoking the names of many saints, especially of the blessed Martin, for his health. When the boy had lain in bed for two days, his eyes closed, without a word of consolation for his lamenting mother and she, wavering between hope and fear, was preparing what was needed for the funeral rite, he opened his eyes on the evening of the second day and said: "Where has my mother gone?" Coming to him at once, she said: "Here I am. What do you want, my son?" And he said: "Don't be afraid, mother. For the blessed Martin has made the sign of Christ's cross over me and told me to arise in good health." When he had said this, he at once got out of bed. And the divine power doubled the grace of this miracle, so that not only was Martin's merit made known but this boy, a future bishop, was also saved from the illness. The scar that remained on his face attested this event.

Latin

Igitur Florentinus quidam ex senatoribus, accepta Artemia coniuge, cum duos iam haberet liberos, ad episcopatum Ianubensis urbis expetebatur, et re iam obtenta cum principe, ad domum revertitur, coniugique quae egerat nuntians. Quod illa audiens, respondit viro: 'Desine, quaeso, dulcissime coniux, ab hac causa, et ne quaesieris episcopatum urbis, quia ego ex concepto a te sumpto episcopum gero in utero'. Requievit vir sapiens, audita uxore, rememorans illud quod vox divina quondam principio fidei nostrae Abrahae beato praeciperat: Omnia quaecumque dixerit tibi Sarra, audi vocem eius. Denique inpletis pariendi diebus, mulier enixa est puerum, quem quasi victorem futurum mundi Nicetium in baptismo vocitavit. Eodemque summa nutritum diligentia litteris eclesiasticis mandavit institui. Defuncto antem patre, hic cum genetrice iam clericus in domo paterna resedens, cum reliquis famulis manu propria laborabat, intellegens, commotiones corporeas non aliter nisi laboribus et aerumnis obpremi posse. Quodam vero tempore, cum adhuc in domo ipsa degeret, orta est ei pusula mala in facie; quod virus invalescens ac excoquens fecit puerum disperatum. Sed mater eius iugiter inter multa sanctorum nomina beati Martini nomen pro eius salute peculiarius invocabat. Cumque per biduum poer iacuisset in lectulo clausis oculis et nullum verbum consolationis matri lamentanti proferret; sed potius ipsa genetrix inter spem metumque titubans, iuxta ritum exsequiarum necessaria funeris praeparat, secunda die ad vesperum aperiens oculos, ait: 'Quo ivit mater mea?' Quae statim adveniens, ait: 'Ecce adsum, quid vis, fili?' Et ille: 'Ne timeas', inquid, 'mater; beatus enim Mar- tinus super me crucem Christi faciens, surgere me iussit incolomem'. Haec effatus, statim surrexit a lectulo, geminavitque virtus divina miraculi huius gratiam, ut et Martini panderetur meritum, et hic, quia futurus erat pontifex, a contagio salvaretur. Testis enim fait huius causae visa cicatrix eius in facie.