E06019: Constantius of Lyon, in his Life of *Germanus (bishop of Auxerre, ob. c. 448, S00455), written in Latin at Lyon (central Gaul) between c. 460 and c. 480, describes how, by applying consecrated oil, Germanus healed victims of an outbreak of plague caused by a conspiracy of demons.

Constantius of Lyon, Life of Germanus of Auxerre 8

For a full account of Constantius' Life of Germanus, see $E05841. This passage follows the one discussed in $E07550.

Quodam tempore conspiratione terribili beato uiro bellum quoddam daemones intulerunt. Quem cum multiplici infestatione temptatum, indutum fidei lorica inexpugnabilem repperissent, conceptam machinam ad plebis excidium contulerunt. Nam primum paruuli, deinde maiores natu, repente tumefactis intrinsecus faucibus interibant, ut, inruente morte, aegritudinis spatium uix triduo traheretur. Ita more furentis gladii populus delebatur. Nihil opis humana prouisio conferebat, et paene sero plebs trepida ad diuinum praesidium per antistitem decucurrit.

Qui protinus oleum benedixit, cuius tactu ita intrinsecus tumefacta tabescebat infirmitas, ut statim meatus peruius et anhelitum et cibum deficientibus ministraret, tantaque celeritate remedium caeleste succurrit quanta inruerat inlata pernicies. Quod admissu malignorum spirituum contigisse, unus ex obsessis, dum a sancto uiiro purgatur, euomuit, omnesque in fugam uersos eius oratione confessus est.


'At one time there was a fearful conspiracy of demons to wage a kind of war on the man of blessings himself. When they found him immune, thanks to the breastplate of faith, to all their assaults, they contrived a device for the destruction of his flock. First the children, then their elders, began to succumb to a swelling in their throats which brought about death after an illness of less than three days. His congregation was being wiped out as if they were being slaughtered by the sword. No human measures brought any relief and, when it was almost too late, the panic-stricken people appealed to their bishop for divine aid.

Immediately he blessed some oil and, at its touch, the internal swelling went down and a passage was thereby opened for breathing and swallowing. The heavenly remedy effected a cure as rapidly as the onslaught of the disease had brought death. One of those who had been possessed bawled out when he was being exorcised that all this had been brought about by the entry of demons, and acknowledged that they had been put to flight by the holy man's prayer.'

This passage is followed by the one discussed in $E07551.

Text: Borius 1965. Translation: Hoare 1954.