E02115: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (4.34), tells the story of an unnamed monk of a monastery near Bordeaux (south-west Gaul), whose prayers saved some grain from a rainstorm, and was then chastised by his abbot, lest he become vainglorious. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 4.34

Quid etiam apud quendam monasterium eo tempore actum sit, pandam; nomen autem monachi, quia superest, nominare nolo, ne, cum haec scripta ad eum pervenerit, vanam incurrens gloriam reviliscat. Quidam iuvenis ad monasterium veniens, abbati se commendavit, ut in Dei servitium degeret. Cui ille cum multa obiceret, dicens, durum esse servitium illius loci, nec omnino tanta possit implere, quanta ei iungebantur: se omnia impleturum, invocato nomine Domini, pollicetur. Sicque collectus est ab abbate. Factum est autem post paucos dies, dum in humilitate atque sanctitate se in omnibus exiberet, ut expellentes monachi de horrea anonas quasi choros III ad solem siccare ponerent, quas huic custodire praecipiunt. Dum autem, reficientibus aliis, hic ad custodiam resideret anonae, subito nubilatum est caelum, et ecce! imber validus cum rumore venti festinus ad anonae congeriem propinquabat. Quod cernens monachus, quid ageret, quid faceret, nesciebat. Tractans autem, quod, si ceteros vocaret, prae multitudine hoc recondire ante pluviam in horrea non valerent, cuncta postposita, ad orationem convertitur, Dominum deprecans, ne super triticum illud imbris illius gutta descenderet. Quod cum se terrae deiciens exoraret, divisa est nubis, et circa anonam pluvia valde diffusa est, nullum granum tritici, si dici fas est, humectans. Cumque reliqui monachi cum abbate haec consentientes, velociter ut anonam collegerent advenissent, cernunt hoc miraculum, requirentesque custodem, inveniunt haut procul harene deiectum orantem. Quod videns abbas, se post eum prosternit, et pertranseunte pluvia, consumata oratione, vocat, ut surgeret; quem apprehensum verberibus agi praecepit, dicens: 'Oportet enim te, fili, in timore et servitio Dei humiliter crescere, non prodigiis atque virtutibus gloriari'. Reclusumque in cellulam septem dies eum sicut culpabilem ieiunare praecepit, quo ab eo vanam gloriam, ne ei aliquid impedimentum generaret, averteret. Nunc autem idem monachus, ut a fidelibus viris cognovimus, in tanta abstinentia est devotus, ut in diebus quadragesimae nullum alimentum panis accipiat, nisi tantum die tertia plenum calicem thisinae hauriat. Quem Dominus, orantibus vobis, usque vitae consumationem, ut sibi placeat, custodire dignetur.

'I will now tell you something which happened in another monastery at about the same time. I do not propose to give the name of the monk concerned, for he is still alive, and if he should read what I have written he might be filled with vainglory and so lose virtue. A certain youth came to the monastery and asked the abbot to let him join the brothers, for he wanted to spend his life in God’s service. The abbot was not very keen to do this, for he said that the service was hard in that house and that he did not think that the young man would be able to do all that would be asked of him. The youth promised that, with God’s help, he would do everything that was expected of him, and he was accepted. He turned out to be humble and godfearing in all that he did. A few days later it happened that the monks carted three bushels or more of their grain out of their barn and set it to dry in the sun, telling the young novice to watch over it They went off to rest and he was left in charge of the grain. Suddenly the sky became overcast, a great wind blew up and it looked as if a downpour of rain might fall on the heap of grain. When the young monk saw what was happening he did not know what to do. Even if he called the others, it was clear that they could never cart all this grain back into the barn again before the rain fell. He therefore gave up the attempt and concentrated on praying to God that no drop of rain might fall on the corn. He threw himself on the ground as he prayed. The cloud divided, the rain poured down all round the corn, but not a single grain was wetted, if what I have heard is true. The other monks, with the abbot at their head, came running to collect in the grain, for they realized what was about to happen. This was the miracles which they saw, and, when they looked for the monk in charge of the corn, they found him prostrate in prayer a few yards away. When the abbot perceived what had occurred, he lay down in prayer beside the monk. The rain passed over and the abbot finished his prayer. He then told the youth to get up and ordered him to be seized and beaten. 'It is for you, my son.' said he, ‘to grow more and more humble in the fear and service of God, not to puff yourself up with prodigies and miracles (prodigia atque virtutes).' He had him shut in his cell for a whole week and made him fast as if guilty, to prevent him from becoming too pleased with himself, lest this should come to harm him. Today, and this I have learnt from reliable sources, this monk is so abstinent in his behaviour that he will not even eat bread in Lent and he will only drink a cup of barley water every third day. Let us pray to the Lord to deign to watch over him to the very end of his life, if He so wishes.'

Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 167. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 228-229, lightly modified.