Life And Writings Of Sulpitius Severus

1 Life and Writings of Sulpitius Severus. 2 Preface to Desiderius. 3 Chapter I. Reasons for writing the Life of St. Martin. 4 Chapter II. Military Service of St. Martin. 5 Chapter III. Christ appears to St. Martin. 6 Chapter IV. Martin retires from Military Service. 7 Chapter V. Martin converts a Robber to the Faith. 8 Chapter VI. The Devil throws himself in the Way of Martin. 9 Chapter VII. Martin restores a Catechumen to Life. 10 Chapter VIII. Martin restores one that had been strangled. 11 Chapter IX. High Esteem in which Martin was held. 12 Chapter X. Martin as Bishop of Tours. 13 Chapter XI. Martin demolishes an Altar consecrated to a Robber. 14 Chapter XII. Martin causes the Bearers of a Dead Body to stop. 15 Chapter XIII. Martin escapes from a Falling Pine-tree. 16 Chapter XIV. Martin destroys Heathen Temples and Altars. 17 Chapter XV. Martin offers his Neck to an Assassin. 18 Chapter XVI. Cures effected by St. Martin. 19 Chapter XVII. Martin casts out Several Devils. 20 Chapter XVIII. Martin performs Various Miracles. 21 Chapter XIX. A Letter of Martin effects a Cure, with Other Miracles. 22 Chapter XX. How Martin acted towards the Emperor Maximus. 23 Chapter XXI. Martin has to do both with Angels and Devils. 24 Chapter XXII. Martin preaches Repentance even to the Devil. 25 Chapter XXIII. A Case of Diabolic Deception. 26 Chapter XXIV. Martin is tempted by the Wiles of the Devil. 27 Chapter XXV. Intercourse of Sulpitius with Martin. 28 Chapter XXVI. Words cannot describe the Excellences of Martin. 29 Chapter XXVII. Wonderful Piety of Martin. 30 Letter I. To Eusebius. 31 Letter II. To the Deacon Aurelius. 32 Letter III. To Bassula, His Mother-In-Law. 33 Dialogue I. Concerning the Virtues of the Monks of the East. 34 Chapter I. When I and a Gallic friend had assembled in one place 35 Chapter II. |Truly| said I, |you have clearly proved how much a sincere love can accomplish 36 Chapter III. |Three years ago, Sulpitius, at which time, leaving this neighborhood 37 Chapter IV. I therefore bent my steps toward the hut which I had beheld from a distance. 38 Chapter V. |Assuredly,| continues Postumianus, |I shall take care in future not to mention the abstinence of 39 Chapter VI. |After he had kindly accepted our gifts, on the sailors calling us back to the 40 Chapter VII. For while many things in his books which were extracted from them by the bishops 41 Chapter VIII. Accordingly, setting out from that place, I made for the town of Bethlehem 42 Chapter IX. |But as to familiarities which take place between virgins and monks 43 Chapter X. |Not far from the desert, and close to the Nile 44 Chapter XI. |When the monk whom I have mentioned heard of this 45 Chapter XII. |In this monastery I saw two old men who were said to have already lived 46 Chapter XIII. |Well then, when I entered upon the nearest parts of the desert 47 Chapter XIV. |We found another equally remarkable man living in a small hut 48 Chapter XV. |But lest this should perchance seem incredible to any one 49 Chapter XVI. |There was also an illustrious name of another anchorite in those regions 50 Chapter XVII. |I visited two monasteries of St. 51 Chapter XVIII. |I will relate two wonderful examples of almost incredible obedience 52 Chapter XIX. |In the same monastery, the fact which I am about to narrate was said to 53 Chapter XX. |I will, however, still further give you an account of two extraordinary marvels. 54 Chapter XXI. |But to me reflecting on these things, there occurs the thought of our own unhappiness 55 Chapter XXII. |A certain young man from Asia, exceedingly wealthy, of distinguished family 56 Chapter XXIII. |What,| replied I, |is there not enough about my friend Martin in that book of 57 Chapter XXIV. |Indeed, Postumianus,| replied I, |while I was listening attentively 58 Chapter XXV. |For, if it is worthy of admiration that the flames did not touch that Egyptian 59 Chapter XXVI. |Why do you,| here exclaimed Postumianus, |speak to me in such a manner? As if 60 Chapter XXVII. |Well,| said the Gaul, |I, for my part, though I am unequal to so great 61 Dialogue II. Concerning the Virtues of St. 62 Chapter I. |Well then, when first, having left the schools, I attached myself to the blessed man 63 Chapter II. |Martin, then, clothed in this garment, proceeds to offer the sacrifice to God. 64 Chapter III. |In the same way, some time afterwards, we made a journey with him while he 65 Chapter IV. |I have often noticed this, Sulpitius, that Martin was accustomed to say to you 66 Chapter V. |You have conquered, O Gaul,| said Postumianus, |you have conquered 67 Chapter VI. |And as we have, once for all, entered the palace 68 Chapter VII. To these sayings Postumianus replies: |While listening to you 69 Chapter VIII. |Admirably,| exclaimed Postumianus, |does your speech bind those friends of ours from going beyond the 70 Chapter IX. |About the same time, a cow which a demon harassed met Martin as he was 71 Chapter X. |Moreover, it will be worth while to relate also some of his familiar sayings 72 Chapter XI. |A certain soldier had renounced the military life in the Church 73 Chapter XII. |I believe, my dear Sulpitius, that you remember with what emphasis he extolled to us 74 Chapter XIII. |But in what I am now about to narrate 75 Chapter XIV. |But when we questioned him concerning the end of the world 76 Dialogue III. The Virtues of Martin Continued. 77 Chapter I. |It is daylight, our Gallic friend, and you must get up. 78 Chapter II. |You have assembled, my pious and eloquent friends, to hear me 79 Chapter III. |The following is a small matter which I learned lately from the narration of Arpagius 80 Chapter IV. |You knew the too barbarous and, beyond measure, bloody ferocity of Avitianus 81 Chapter V. |While these are certain facts, since Avitianus related them to many persons 82 Chapter VI. |I am enraged in heart, believe me, and, through vexation 83 Chapter VII. |There was a certain village in the country of the Senones which was every year 84 Chapter VIII. |But to return to Avitianus: while at every other place 85 Chapter IX. |I will make use of another not dissimilar marvel in a like kind of work 86 Chapter X. |Being accustomed to eat fish at the time of Easter 87 Chapter XI. |I will now come to an event which he always concealed 88 Chapter XII. |In the meantime, those bishops with whom Martin would not hold communion went in terror 89 Chapter XIII. |When this became known to Martin, he rushed to the palace 90 Chapter XIV. |But clearly, as we experienced, he repaired, with manifold interest 91 Chapter XV. |Again, on a certain day, after he had sat down on that wooden seat of 92 Chapter XVI. Upon this, Postumianus exclaims, |Let that well-known man in our immediate neighborhood 93 Chapter XVII. Then said I, since I perceived by the setting sun that evening was at hand 94 Chapter XVIII. |But when you have again set sail from that place with the view of making 95 Letter I. A Letter of the Holy Presbyter Severus to His Sister Claudia Concerning the Last Judgment. 96 Chapter I. On reading your letters, my feelings were, in many ways 97 Chapter II. But because you have desired from me in all my letters which I had sent 98 Chapter III. O how happy shall be that departure of ours 99 Chapter IV. Against these, from among the company of the saints 100 Chapter V. After him, there will stand up David worthy of his descendant the Lord 101 Chapter VI. After these, and several others who have discharged for us the duties of instruction 102 Chapter VII. Then will the Evangelist repeat this to the wretched beings 103 Letter II. A Letter of Sulpitius Severus to His Sister Claudia Concerning Virginity. 104 Chapter I. How great blessedness, among heavenly gifts, belongs to holy virginity 105 Chapter II. For it is a great and a divine thing 106 Chapter III. But that the merit of virginity may shine forth more clearly 107 Chapter IV. Now, therefore, since we have set forth, although in few words 108 Chapter V. Now, there are three kinds of virtue, by means of which the possession of the 109 Chapter VI. But you perhaps say here, |Teach me, then, what righteousness is 110 Chapter VII. But as we had begun to remark it is not sufficient for a Christian to 111 Chapter VIII. Do you flatter yourself on account of the attribute of virginity? Remember Adam and Eve 112 Chapter IX. There follows the clause |how she may please God 113 Chapter X. Wherefore, I beseech you, O virgin, do not flatter yourself on the ground of your 114 Chapter XI. I believe that I have now set forth, briefly indeed 115 Chapter XII. O Virgin, maintain thy purpose which is destined for a great reward. 116 Chapter XIII. But perhaps you say, |Why did not the Apostles enjoin these things on virgins?| Because 117 Chapter XIV. God seeks for adornment of this kind, and desires a soul arrayed in such a 118 Chapter XV. If you wish, then, to be with Christ, you must live according to the example 119 Chapter XVI. Take heed that ye love not human glory in any respect 120 Chapter XVII. Avoid words of contention and causes of animosity: flee also from all occasions of discord 121 Chapter XVIII. Delight thyself rather in fastings than in feastings, mindful of that widow who did not 122 Chapter XIX. When you repeat a psalm, consider whose words you are repeating and delight yourself more 123 Letter III. A Letter of Severus to Holy Paul the Bishop. 124 Letter IV. To the Same, on His Wisdom and Gentleness. 125 Letter V. To an Unknown Person, Entreating Him to Deal Gently with His Brother. 126 Letter VI. To Salvius: a Complaint that the Country People Were Harassed 127 Letter VII. To an Unknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter. 128 Chapter I. I address myself to give a condensed account of those things which are set forth 129 Chapter II. The world was created by God nearly six thousand years ago 130 Chapter III. God being offended by these things, and especially by the wickedness of mankind 131 Chapter IV. Then Noah first of all erected an altar to God 132 Chapter V. Abraham, whose father was Thara, was born in the one thousand and seventeenth year after 133 Chapter VI. At the same time God spoke to Abraham, and promised that his seed was to 134 Chapter VII. Almost at the same time, when Abraham was now a hundred years old 135 Chapter VIII. Now, Rebecca, having long been barren, at length, through the unceasing prayers of her husband 136 Chapter IX. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel; but Leah had tender eyes 137 Chapter X. Israel, therefore, avoiding the house of his brother, sent forward his company to Salem 138 Chapter XI. About this same time, Judah, the son of Jacob 139 Chapter XII. In the mean time, affairs having been well settled in Egypt to meet the famine 140 Chapter XIII. It is almost incredible to relate how the Hebrews who had come down into Egypt 141 Chapter XIV. But the Hebrews, oppressed by the multiplied evils of slavery 142 Chapter XV. But on the day before the people went out of Egypt 143 Chapter XVI. Then Moses, exulting in the safety of his own people 144 Chapter XVII. The people going on from thence, and being again tried with want of water 145 Chapter XVIII. These things being said by God, while the trumpets uttered their voices 146 Chapter XIX. Moses reported these words of God to the people 147 Chapter XX. Then follows the book of Leviticus, in which the precepts bearing upon sacrifice are set 148 Chapter XXI. There followed the revolt of those, who, with Dathan and Abiron as leaders 149 Chapter XXII. After the death of Moses, the chief power passed into the hands of Joshua the 150 Chapter XXIII. When this became known to the kings of the neighboring nations 151 Chapter XXIV. After the death of Joshua, the people acted without a leader. 152 Chapter XXV. Accordingly, when the Midianites, as we have related above 153 Chapter XXVI. But on the death of Gideon, his son Abimelech 154 Chapter XXVII. The Israelites yet again turned to idols; and, being deprived of the divine protection 155 Chapter XXVIII. At that time Samson ruled over the Hebrews, the Philistines having been subdued by the 156 Chapter XXIX. About these times, civil war, as we have said 157 Chapter XXX. The Hebrews, then, as I have narrated above, were living according to their own will 158 Chapter XXXI. The Philistines, victorious in this prosperous battle, brought the ark of God 159 Chapter XXXII. At this time, Samuel the priest ruled over the Hebrews 160 Chapter XXXIII. Accordingly, Saul, having been first anointed by Samuel with the sacerdotal oil 161 Chapter XXXIV. God, displeased with what had been done, spoke to Samuel 162 Chapter XXXV. The hatred of the king towards him increased daily 163 Chapter XXXVI. At that time Samuel died. 164 Chapter XXXVII. Saul having thus been cut off, David, when the news of his death was brought 165 Chapter XXXVIII. At this time, he knew in a guilty way Bersabe 166 Chapter XXXIX. Solomon in the beginning of his reign surrounded the city with a wall. 167 Chapter XL. Trusting in these resources, Solomon set about erecting a temple of immense size to God 168 Chapter XLI. For, on the death of Solomon in the fortieth year of his reign 169 Chapter XLII. In his room Abiud his son held the kingdom at Jerusalem for six years 170 Chapter XLIII. In the time of his reign, Ahab, the son of Ambri 171 Chapter XLIV. At that time, Ahab, king of Samaria, coveted the vineyard of Naboth 172 Chapter XLV. He, being sick in body, and having sent some of his servants to consult an 173 Chapter XLVI. But Jeu possessed the kingdom of Joram. 174 Chapter XLVII. Ozias, then, the son of Amassia, succeeded to him. 175 Chapter XLVIII. The remarkable faith of the Ninevites is related to have been manifested about these times. 176 Chapter XLIX. But in Samaria, Zacharia the king, who was very wicked 177 Chapter L. To him succeeded Ezekias his son, a man very unlike his father in character. 178 Chapter LI. By this news Sennacherim was led to return in order to defend his own territories 179 Chapter LII. The government then passed to his son Josia. 180 Chapter LIII. Joachas, his son, having then obtained the kingdom, held it for three months 181 Chapter LIV. Meanwhile Sedechias, the king of the useless multitude, although without power 182 Chapter I. The times of the captivity have been rendered illustrious by the predictions and deeds of 183 Chapter II. At that time, Nabuchodonosor had a dream marvelous for that insight into the future which 184 Chapter III. Accordingly, as the prophet interpreted the matter, the image which was seen furnished a representation 185 Chapter IV. But in Judæa, over which, as we have related above 186 Chapter V. At this period of time, Nabuchodonosor elated with prosperity 187 Chapter VI. After Nabuchodonosor, the kingdom fell to his son, whom I find called Euilmarodac in the 188 Chapter VII. Those, therefore, who were possessed of power along with him 189 Chapter VIII. Him Cyrus, his grandson by his daughter, expelled from the kingdom 190 Chapter IX. In the meantime, those Jews, who, as we have said above 191 Chapter X. Next, Darius, under whom the temple was restored, obtained the kingdom 192 Chapter XI. There was at that time at Babylon one Nehemiah 193 Chapter XII. At this period of time we think Esther and Judith lived 194 Chapter XIII. At this time, Mardochæus was among those nearest to the king 195 Chapter XIV. To this series of events it will be right that I should append an account 196 Chapter XV. The Jews, then, having returned, as we have narrated above 197 Chapter XVI. When this became known to Judith a widow woman of great wealth 198 Chapter XVII. Against him Alexander of Macedon engaged in war. 199 Chapter XVIII. For, first of all, under king Seleucus, the son of Antiochus the great 200 Chapter XIX. But that the order of the dates may be correctly preserved 201 Chapter XX. At that time, Matthathias, the son of John, was high-priest. 202 Chapter XXI. In the meantime, Matthathias dies, having appointed in his own place his son Judah 203 Chapter XXII. Judah, on the defeat of the enemy, returned to Jerusalem 204 Chapter XXIII. At that time Judah besieged the Syrians who were posted in the citadel. 205 Chapter XXIV. While these things are going on in Judæa, a certain young man educated at Rhodes 206 Chapter XXV. Demetrius, having thus obtained the kingdom, treated Jonathan with kindness 207 Chapter XXVI. Well, then, after Jonathan, his brother Simon, as has been said above 208 Chapter XXVII. Then Herod, a foreigner, the son of Antipater of Askelon 209 Chapter XXVIII. Luke made known the doings of the apostles up to the time when Paul was 210 Chapter XXIX. In the meantime, the number of the Christians being now very large 211 Chapter XXX. So then, after the departure of Nero, Galba seized the government 212 Chapter XXXI. Then, after an interval, Domitian, the son of Vespasian 213 Chapter XXXII. After Adrian, the churches had peace under the rule of Antoninus Pius. 214 Chapter XXXIII. Well, the end of the persecutions was reached eighty-eight years ago 215 Chapter XXXIV. Through the kind efforts of the same queen, the cross of the Lord was then 216 Chapter XXXV. Such were the things accomplished by Helena, while, under a Christian prince 217 Chapter XXXVI. Accordingly, they first attack and condemn in his absence Athanasius 218 Chapter XXXVII. When, after an interval of some time had elapsed 219 Chapter XXXVIII. But then the Arians, seeing that stratagem did not succeed 220 Chapter XXXIX. From this first proof that the prince had been won over to their side 221 Chapter XL. In the meantime, the Arians, not secretly, as before 222 Chapter XLI. Accordingly, the emperor orders a Synod to assemble at Ariminum 223 Chapter XLII. In the meantime in the East, after the example of the West 224 Chapter XLIII. In the meantime, the emperor compels those deputies of our party who had been sent 225 Chapter XLIV. But these, the fewer they became, showed themselves all the more powerful 226 Chapter XLV. Thus, then, the Arians, with their affairs in a very flourishing condition 227 Chapter XLVI. There follow the times of our own day, both difficult and dangerous. 228 Chapter XLVII. So, then, after many controversies among them, which are not worthy of mention 229 Chapter XLVIII. And then Instantius, Salvianus, and Priscillian set out for Rome 230 Chapter XLIX. But the power, not the will, to resist, failed Ithacius 231 Chapter L. Thus, then, all whom the process embraced were brought before the king. 232 Chapter LI. But Ithacius, seeing how much ill-will it would excite against him among the bishops