E02189: Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (6.37), recounts how *Lupentius (S01183), abbot of the church of *Privatus (bishop and martyr of Javols, S01183) in Javols (southern Gaul), is murdered in 584 by the river Aisne (north-east Gaul); his head and body are recovered miraculously from the river, and buried there; the sick are cured at his grave. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 584/594.

Gregory of Tours, Histories (Historiae) 6.37

Lupentius vero abba basilicae sancti Privati martyris urbis Gabalitanae, a Brunichilde regina arcessitus, advenit. Incusatus enim, ut ferunt, fuerat ab Innocentio supradictae urbis comite, quod profanum aliquid effatus de regina fuisset. Sed discussis causis, cum nihil de crimine maiestatis conscius esset inventus, discedere iussus est. Verum ubi via carpere coepit, iterum ab antedicto comite captus et ad Ponticonem villam deductus, multis suppliciis est adfectus; dimissusque iterum, ut rediret, cum super Axonam fluvium tentorium tetendisset, iterum inruit super eum inimicus eius. Quem vi oppressum, amputatum caput in culleum oneratum lapidibus posuit et flumini dedit; reliquum vero corpus vinctum cum saxo inmersit gurgiti. Post dies vero paucos apparuit quibusdam pastoribus, et sic extractum a flumine sepulturae mandatum est. Sed dum necessitates in funere pararentur et ignoraretur, quis esset e populo, praesertim cum caput truncati non inveniretur, subito adveniens aquila levavit culleum a fundere fluminis et ripae deposuit. Admirantesque qui aderant, adpraehensum culleum, dum sollicite, quid contineret, inquirunt, caput truncati repperiunt, et sic cum reliquis artubus est sepultum. Nam ferunt nunc et lumen ibi divinitus apparere; et si infirmus ad hoc tumulum fideliter deprecatus fuerit, accepta sospitate recedit.

'Lupentius, abbot of the church (basilica) of the martyr Saint Privatus in Javols, was summoned by Queen Brunhild and appeared before her. They say that he had been accused by Innocentius, count of that city, of making libellous remarks about the Queen. His case was discussed, but he was found not guilty of the charge of lèse-majesté (crimen maiestatis) and ordered to return home. On the journey he was seized by the count, dragged off to the manor of Ponthion and grievously maltreated. Once more they let him go. As he continued on his way he pitched his tent on the bank of the River Aisne, and there his enemy attacked him yet again. Rude hands were laid on him. Innocentius cut off his head, put it in a sack weighted with stones and threw it into the river. He tied the body to a rock and threw that, too, into the water. A few days passed, and then the body was discovered by some shepherds, who pulled it out of the river and prepared to bury it. While they were making plans for the burial, not knowing who it was from Adam, the more so as the severed head had not been found, there suddenly appeared an eagle, which fished the sack out from the bottom of the river and placed it on the bank. The shepherds stood stock still in amazement. They picked up the sack, wondering what could possibly be in it, and then found inside the head belonging to the body. The two were buried together. They say that even now a celestial light still shines above the burial-place; and that if a sick man prays in faith over the tomb (tumulus), he goes on his way whole.'

Text: Krusch and Levison 1951, 308-309. Translation: Thorpe 1974, 370.