E05757: Venantius Fortunatus writes a poem on the cathedral of Tours (north-west Gaul), rebuilt by Gregory (bishop of Tours 573-594) and dedicated in 590, where there are paintings of the miracles performed by *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Poem 10.6, written in Latin in Gaul, 590.

Venantius Fortunatus, Poems 10.6 (In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi versus ad ecclesiam Toronicam quae per Gregorium episcopum renovata est, 'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, verses for the cathedral at Tours which was rebuilt by bishop Gregory')

Summary:

The poem was composed to celebrate the rebuilding by Gregory of the cathedral of Tours, which had been ruined by fire (lines 13-24). In the first part of the poem the miracles of Martin are recounted: jewels were seen to cover his hands (lines 5-8); a ball of flame was seen to come from his head (lines 9-12); how he divided his cloak and gave half of it to a poor man (lines 25-30); how he cleansed the stains of a leper (lines 31-36); how he raised a dead catechumen (lines 37-42); how he prevented a pine tree from crushing him (lines 43-48); how he healed a man who had been bitten by a snake (lines 49-54); how he forced a dead robber, who had attracted veneration, to announce his crimes (lines 55-60); how he stopped a snake from approaching the bank of a river (lines 61-66); how a letter written by him cured a fever (lines 67-72).

The new church was constructed after the old one collapsed. It is embellished with broad windows likes eyes (patulis oculata fenestris) and paintings that present the deeds of Martin: Lucidius fabricam picturae pompa perornat, ductaque qua fucis vivere membra putes ('The splendour of painting brilliantly adorns its structure,and you would think the bodies alive that are depicted in colours').

Fortunatus then presents verses about each painting, probably to be painted beside them, with the following titles: 'He healed a leper' (Leprosum purgavit, lines 93-102); 'The divided cloak' (Chlamys divisa, lines 103-106); 'He made a present of a tunic' (Tunicam dedit, lines 107-116); 'He raised the dead' (Mortuos suscitavit, lines 117-120); 'The felled pine tree' (Pinus excisa, lines 121-124); 'Idols cast down' (Idola prostrata, lines 125-128); 'A false martyr' (Falsus martyr, lines 129-132).

Text: Leo 1881, 234-238. Summary: Katarzyna Wojtalik.