ON ST. BERTHARIUS, ABBOT AND MARTYR, IN THE MONASTERY OF MONTE CASSINO,
IN THE YEAR 883 OR 884.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Bertharius, abbot and martyr, in the monastery of Monte Cassino. (S.)
BY B. B.
§ I. The life of St. Bertharius, which is here printed for the first time, was written by Ignatius, prior of Monte Cassino. He was slain by the Saracens, and more probably not alone, in the sack of Monte Cassino, where his relics have remained.
Gattola, formerly keeper of the archive of Monte Cassino, writes [Historia abbatiæ Cassinensis per sæculorum seriem distributa, page 606. Venice 1733.]: Ignatius of Prague, a monk of Monte Cassino, composed the life of St. Bertharius, abbot and martyr, which exists in our manuscript codex num. 34, from page 119 to 133, divided into lessons for the feast-day of the holy Man and its octave, and begins: "The Passion of St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino, published by the venerable brother Ignatius of Prague, prior of Monte Cassino." Giovanni Battista Mari also mentions the same Life in the Annotation to chapter XII of Peter the Deacon On the illustrious Men of Monte Cassino, which little work Mari brought out into public light in the year 1655 Muratori, Rerum Italic. scriptores, vol. VI, page 3. Milan 1725.. And he says Ibid. col. 24.: The acts of his (St. Bertharius's) martyrdom, written by Ignatius of Prangen (read of Prague), prior of the monastery of Monte Cassino, hitherto unpublished, are preserved with us, with this beginning: "At the time when the sacred empire, for protecting the affairs of the Roman church, etc." Which last words agree entirely with those which are had in Gattola, place cited; he, however, recites much more. Before these, Arnold Wion had mentioned the same Life in these words Lignum vitæ, book III, at the 22nd day of October, page 348. Venice 1595.: His Life exists in manuscript at Monte Cassino with this beginning: "At the time when the sacred empire;" likewise our Labbe in the new Library of manuscript books, reviewing it in this manner Page 367. Paris 1653.: The Life and Passion of St. Bertharius, martyr and nineteenth abbot of the sacred monastery of Monte Cassino, composed by Father D. Ignatius of Prague, venerable prior of the same monastery of Monte Cassino, and illustrated with the Notes of Costantino Caetani, abbot of St. Barontus. The Life I find among our hagiographical manuscripts; of the notes of Caetani (which I find cited by Labbe alone) I have not hitherto detected any trace. Finally the Reverend Father D. Sebastiano Kalefati, prior of the cloister and at present prefect of the library of Monte Cassino (whose learning, diligence and exceptional kindness toward us we praised in the Acts of St. Simplicius), very recently wrote back to me these things: In most of the manuscripts of our library is read the Passion of this holy Abbot (Bertharius) compiled by Ignatius of Prague… The older codex, which is the first to present it, is the breviary of the monastery of Monte Cassino, in which at page 48, in the "Prayer to our holy Fathers," it is said… "For thy servant our abbot Andrew and for all this holy congregation." Since Andrew obtained the abbatial see from the year 1370 to 1373, within which years the above-said breviary was being written, both this passion, copied from leaf 119 to 133, and the lives of the saints which follow, seem to have been added to this breviary; and in fact their script indicates rather the following, fifteenth, century. And it is still unpublished. It is divided into several lessons for the office of the nocturns of the feast-day, of the days within the octave, and of the octave of this Saint. It begins "Published by the venerable brother Ignatius of Prague, and Prior of Monte Cassino, the Passion of St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino. First lesson. At the time when the sacred empire, etc." It ends "by the help and mercy of God they were driven out of Italy. But Thou." Although it was written very faultily through the carelessness of the copyist, yet etc.
[2] collected from the Anonymous of Monte Cassino, Now that Ignatius flourished in the fifteenth century, and probably about its beginning, as may be conjectured from Gattola, who puts him first in order among the learned Men
among the Cassinese of the tenth Benedictine century (that is, the fifteenth century of Christ), where also certain other manuscript works of his are enumerated Gattola. Ubi supra.. It is, then, a writing of a more recent age, in which the author gathered together almost everything that had been handed down by the Cassinese about the blessed Man. Chiefly, however, he was guided by the one who is commonly called the Anonymous of Monte Cassino, because his name is nowhere found. It is certainly established, however, that he was contemporary with St. Bertharius, and indeed most probably died before him; whence also his narrative embraces the events from about the year 840 to the year 875, as Camillo Pellegrino relates. He first published it in print at Naples in the year 1643 Muratori, vol. II, page 223., and Muratori had it reprinted under the title: A little History of the deeds of the Lombards, by an Anonymous monk of the same monastery, a contemporary author Ibid. page 264., although in the parchment codex the inscription is read simply: Reckoning of years concerning the monastery of the most holy Benedict; which heading, adds Pellegrino Ibid. page 262., since I found that it by no means suited the whole little History, it seemed good to me to substitute another, which I have put in, formed at my own discretion. It is indeed to be regretted that so ancient a monument (whose manuscript exemplar goes back to the beginning of the tenth century, as having been annotated by the abbot John, who presided from the year 915 to the year 931 Ibid. vol. V, page 210.) is defective in many things. For, as Pellegrino says again Ibid. vol. II, page 262., the parchments, through age, presented in very many places letters so worn away that many times I had rather to interpret than to read them, and at length I was compelled to pass over two or three little words, and, with plainly greater loss, some entire lines wholly obliterated. Moreover the same parchments, whether through the fault of the copyist or the defect of the author (for there was no indication of erasure), retained empty gaps in the place where the numbers should have been written, the epochs of the years from abbot Petronax to abbot Bertharius Muratori Rer. Ital. vol. II, page 262., and this is all the more to be regretted because the author presents the events not continuously but by leaps.
[3] from Erchempert, Leo of Ostia and Peter the deacon, Ignatius also used the history of the Lombards of Benevento by Erchempert (otherwise Rembert, Erembert, Herempert and Herembert), which is a continuation of Paul the deacon, beginning from the year 774 (in which he ends) up to the year 888 [Fabricius, Bibl. mediæ et infimæ latin. Under the word: Erchembertus. Compare Muratori. Rerum Ital. script. vol. II, page 230 and following. Likewise the Biographie universelle; under the words Erchempert, Paul diacre, Pellegrini (Camille).]. And this is another witness contemporary with St. Bertharius, as having died about the year 889 Muratori. Ibid. vol. VI, col. 28.. I confess, he says himself Ibid. vol. II, page 237., that I narrate not only what I have taken in with my eyes, but rather what I have taken in with my ears. For the rest, he reports few things about St. Bertharius, more about the wars which prepared the destruction of the monastery of Monte Cassino and the death of the holy Abbot. Finally it is beyond doubt that Ignatius, as he wrote, had almost perpetually in hand the Chronicle of the Monastery of Monte Cassino by Leo Marsicanus, first a monk there, then cardinal of the holy Roman church and bishop of Ostia, whence he is also commonly called Leo of Ostia, and he flourished up to the beginning of the twelfth century. His work, by the reckoning of all the learned, says Muratori Ibid. vol. IV, page 153., is to be held in the highest esteem, and it embraces the events from the death of St. Benedict to about the year 1087. The rest, which is narrated from chapter 34 of the third book, likewise the whole of book IV, was added by Peter the Deacon, whom Mabillon notes to be far inferior in weight and authority Fabricius, ubi supra. Under the word: Leo Marsicanus.. The Chronicle of Leo and Peter was reprinted in new type by Muratori among the writers of Italian affairs Vol. IV, page 153 – 602., and indeed with the Notes of Angelo de Nuce or Nuceus, abbot of Monte Cassino, who, in the judgment of the same Muratori Ibid. page 153., among very many useful things commented also on many useless ones, as one oppressed by an intemperate itch for writing. Finally, recently, namely in the year 1846, the work of Leo and Peter was published anew in the Monumenta Germaniæ, by the most diligent labour and study of the learned man W. Wattenbach Pertz, vol. VII, page 551 – 844., who used several, and those the best, codices, which he collated most accurately with one another Ibid. page 555 and following.. The same Peter also mentions St. Bertharius in the little work On the illustrious Men of the monastery of Monte Cassino, which likewise, with the Notes of Giovanni Battista Mari, is found in Muratori's collection Muratori, vol. VI, page 3 – 62.; and also in another little work On the Rise and Death of the Just of the Monastery of Monte Cassino, first brought to light by Mai Scriptorum veterum nova collectio, vol. VI, part II, page 245 – 280. Rome 1832..
[4] Ignatius, prior of Monte Cassino, wrote From all these Ignatius gathered and scraped together his materials. For the life of St. Bertharius is an ample farrago, and for the most part rather undigested. It treats at length of the incursions of the Saracens, of devastations, of cities taken by storm and burnt by them, of the dissensions, wars and treacheries of the Italian princes among themselves; in view of the digressions, it inserts here and there a few things about St. Bertharius, and not always approved ones, as we shall say in the Annotations; on the other hand, it passes over some facts about him recorded by the aforesaid writers. Finally it is very deficient in Chronology. Notwithstanding these things, however, we have thought this writing should be inserted almost entire in our Work; both because this is the only life of St. Bertharius which is had, and moreover it has remained unpublished hitherto, although praised by several writers, as I said at num. 1; and also because Ignatius, although an author of a more recent age, nevertheless lived one, nay two centuries before the writings of the Anonymous, Erchempert, Leo of Ostia, Peter the Deacon, etc., were first published in print, and therefore used Cassinese codices less worn, whence some light may perhaps at times be shed on their text as it is now published. For the rest, there arises from this the advantage that it is permitted to contract and complete this commentary in fewer words; for, besides some things about the years in which the holy Martyr presided over the Cassinese, as also about his sacred remains and writings, it will be proper to refer the rest to the Life and the Annotations.
[4] The holy Abbot suffered in the year 883; As regards the time of the passion, most put the year 884, others, and rightly indeed, the year 883. When the emperor (Charles the Fat) had departed from Italy, enticed by the wealth of the monastery of Monte Cassino, they (the Saracens) came there unexpectedly, and on the day before the nones (that is, the fourth day) of September, having burnt the upper monastery, on the 11th of the Kalends of November (22nd of October) they set fire also to the lower, and most cruelly cut down Bertharius, the most holy abbot, at the altar of St. Martin. So Mabillon at the year 884 Annal. Bened. book XXXVIII, num. 91, vol. III, page 232.. Others commonly agree, by name Baronius and Pagi Compare Gattola. Hist. Cass. sæc. IV, page 69.. But Camillo Pellegrino contends Muratori scriptores, vol. V, page 207 and following. that it happened in the preceding year, namely 883, which he also undertakes expressly to prove in his Series of the abbots of Monte Cassino. He assumes as certain, and certainly not undeservedly, that St. Bertharius succeeded Bassacius a few days after the latter's death, and therefore after the seventeenth day of March (the 16th of the Kalends of April) in the year 856, when, as Leo of Ostia witnesses, Bassacius died Ibid. page 207. Likewise Pertz, vol. VII, page 601.. But Bertharius, says Pellegrino, sat over 27 years and 7 months (and this the Ostian expressly relates Ibid., page 577, likewise page 602. Muratori, vol. IV, page 309.), slain by the Saracens on the 11th of the Kalends of November (22nd of October), wherefore he must be said to have been elected on the 12th of the Kalends of April (21st of March), and slain in the year 883, in the month mentioned before, namely October Pellegrino. Ubi supra.. Since, however, Leo of Ostia, by the mutual agreement of all the codices, refers the death of Bertharius in plain words to the year 884, he must, says Pellegrino, be fittingly interpreted, lest he seem to overturn the whole chronology handed down by him hitherto. Therefore he does not doubt that the text has been corrupted in this place: for that he (the Ostian) says that Bertharius was slain by the Saracens "on the 11th of the Kalends of November, in the second Indiction;" which Indiction, beginning to be reckoned from the preceding month of September, demonstrates the year 883 by so certain an argument that no room for doubting this now remains; and it must be firmly held that the year 884 was substituted there by some later person discharging the office of censor, which he more than once usurped. Other things are added, which, if you please, see in the same Pellegrino, whose authority is certainly by no means to be despised, as he was a man of keen intellect and very laborious, and expressly undertook to set in order the series of the abbots of Monte Cassino. Yet, in Mabillon's judgment Annal. vol. III page 232., the second Indiction agrees rightly with the year 884, which, he says, I think must be retained. In my opinion the controversy is settled if we say that St. Bertharius was really slain on the 22nd of October in the year 883, which by our manner of reckoning was to end only at the close of December, but that the year 884 is written by Marsicanus because he used the Greek Indiction, running from September to September See Du Cange's Glossarium, under Indictio.; whence Wattenbach rightly notes at this place Pertz, vol. VII, page 610.: The year 884, computed from the beginning of the Indiction.
[5] more probably with companions. It is not altogether clear whether the holy Man underwent martyrdom alone or with companions. Hugues Ménard at this day records Martyrologium SS. ord. D. Benedicti. St. Bertharius and very many monks of the same monastery who were slain by the Saracens. In the same way Bucelin Menologium Benedictinum, page 728.; Arnold Wion Lignum Vitæ, book III, 22 Oct. writes that he was slaughtered with many other monks; Ferrari Catalogus SS. Italiæ, on the same day., with some monks; the recent Benedictine martyrology, printed in the German language at Donauwörth [Kirchenkalender aller Heiligen unter der Regel des II. Benediktus. Donauwerd 1786.], adds no companion, adhering, that is, to Mabillon, who expressly declares that the Monks who escaped by flight took refuge at Teano, and adds: Thus the excellent Shepherd was one victim for all Annal. Benedictini, vol. III, page 132.. The words of Leo of Ostia can be drawn to either side, but they favour the former better. The Saracens, he says Muratori, vol. IV, page 317., likewise occupied the greater monastery, which was below, devastated and burnt it; and slaying many therein, they cut down with the sword St. Bertharius himself also…
But the Monks … together with the lord Angelarius, at that time their provost, set out for Teano to dwell there. It is certainly easy to suppose that in so great a slaughter several were slain, and that the words and slaying many therein refer also to monks, at least in part; but that those who escaped as survivors fled to Teano. Peter the deacon, in the little work On the illustrious Men of Monte Cassino Ibid. vol. VI, col. 23., mentions Bertharius alone, but in the other little work On the Rise and death of the Just of the monastery of Monte Cassino, first brought to light by Cardinal Mai: And there suffered with him, he says Scriptorum veterum nova collectio edited by Angelo Mai, vol. VI, page 257., many others also. Carlo Sigonio favours Mabillon. The Saracens, he says, on the 11th of the Kalends of November De regno Italiæ, book V. Operum vol. II, col. 350. Milan 1732., cast a foul fire upon the roofs of the lower (monastery) also, and most cruelly cut down Bertharius the abbot at the altar of blessed Martin. For the monks who, at so great a terror, hurried away from there in fearful flight, Teano was a convenient refuge. They, having taken away such things of the sacred furniture as each could, chose Angelarius, provost of the monastery, as abbot for themselves, and established their seat in the cell of St. Benedict. The Saracens, laden with booty, returned eagerly to the Garigliano. Another thing is related in the Life to be published by us; according to this, St. Bertharius had very many companions in his passion. So also in the catalogue of the saints of the Order of St. Benedict, composed by order of Pope John XXII, it is read: St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino, with many and almost innumerable monks, through martyrdom rejoice with Christ for ever [Dissertatio apologetica qua S. Bertharii sanctitas, etc. vindicantur, page 26. Naples 1805.]. Yet the feast of Bertharius alone is celebrated, no mention being made of his companions; which, Bovio shows, otherwise frequently happens Ibid. page 52., that although several are announced in the Martyrology, the office of one only is made in the breviary. Finally let us note with Mabillon Acta, sæc. IV, part II, page 464. that no memory of St. Bertharius is had in the manuscript breviary of Oderisius of the eleventh century. Nor does his name occur in the Roman martyrology, or in Usuard's, or in the latter's auctaria in our Sollerius.
[8] Where his relics were laid; Leo of Ostia, in Nuceus's edition, at the end of chapter 44, book I, writes Muratori, Scriptor., vol. IV, page 318.: The above-said holy martyr Bertharius was buried above, next to the church of St. Benedict, in the chapter-house of the brethren. Nuceus himself, however, notes in the same place that these words are lacking in his other codex: for he used two manuscript codices, both of Monte Cassino; the former, which he published and marked A, written in Lombardic letters in the thirteenth century; the latter in Latin letters in the twelfth century and marked B, whose variant readings he subjoins. A fuller account of both, if you please, see in Wattenbach Pertz, vol. VII, page 556 and 557., who a little lower down, where he treats of Peter the Deacon, the Ostian's continuator, observes Ibid. page 572. that he (Peter) did not leave untouched what Leo had written, and that what is added and changed in Nuceus's codex A proceeded from Peter; and he adds: Which, while it is likely in itself, because they are found only in that codex which also contains the continuation, is confirmed by this, that most of them treat of the counts of Tusculum, the kinsmen of our Peter, plainly similar to which things are found in his catalogue of the pontiffs (not yet published). From these things, then, in my opinion, it becomes certain that the words recited above about the burial of St. Bertharius are not Leo's but Peter's, which Wattenbach also thinks Ibid. page 610.. Nor yet would I say that credence is on that account to be refused them. The same Peter, indeed, speaks a little differently on this matter in the little work On illustrious Men Muratori, vol. VI, col. 23.: His (St. Bertharius's) most sacred body was buried next to the church of St. John the Baptist in the chapter-house of Monte Cassino; and in the other little Work On the Rise and Death of the just Mai, Scriptorum Vet. vol. VI, part II, page 263.: He was buried in the monastery of Monte Cassino, above. The Anonymous has nothing, Erchempert nothing, about the death of the holy Martyr: for the former did not get so far, the latter passes it over. According to Mabillon Annales, vol. III, page 232., the body was buried in the upper monastery next to the church of St. Benedict in the chapter-house of the brethren with his predecessor Bassacius, and at last brought into the church; it is now preserved in its own chapel. And Arnold Wion Lignum Vitæ, page 348.: His body lies in the chapel sacred to his name, on the right side of the altar. But afterwards it was translated again. For Nuceus notes on the aforesaid place of the Chronicle of Monte Cassino Muratori, vol. IV, page 317.: The body was buried first above (that is, in the upper monastery) in the chapter-house of the brethren, as Leo relates; thence under the high altar of the basilica; afterwards, under abbot Ignatius in the year 1513, translated to the chapel erected in honour of the same Martyr. Finally, the old church having recently been renewed, to a new chapel erected in honour of the same holy Martyr. That is to say, that very Angelo de Nuce, abbot of Monte Cassino, in the year 1666, as Gattola has it Historia Cassin. page 712., with great solemnity translated the body of the same Saint to the chapel most fittingly adorned with variegated marbles and dedicated in honour of St. Bertharius the martyr, through the piety of D. Ippolito Saltarelli of Castelforte, then chancellor of the Cassinese congregation. At which time the basilica of the monastery of Monte Cassino had indeed already been built as it now is; not, however, completed in every respect as regards its adornment Tosti, Storia della badia de Monte-Cassino, vol. III, page 308.. This Pope Benedict XIII then solemnly consecrated on the 19th day of May in the year 1727 Ibidem page 310..
[9] concerning their present state From the testimonies recited it certainly follows that the relics of St. Bertharius were deposited from the very beginning in the upper monastery, and have remained there, although in different places, up to our times. Their state after the middle of the eighteenth century is had in the historical Description of the monastery of Monte Cassino, in these words [Descrizione istorica del sacro real monistero di Monte-Cassino, page 135. Naples 1775.]: The last chapel (the fourth on the right side for those entering the church; so D. Kalefati) is dedicated to St. Bertharius, martyr and abbot of Monte Cassino; his body lies under the altar, whither it was at last translated by abbot Angelo Nuceus in the year 1666. (But D. Sebastiano Kalefati writes that it is now unknown where the body of St. Bertharius is; whether under the altar of his chapel, or whether it is kept mingled with others in the little caskets of the sacristy, as I shall presently say.) A bone from his right arm is shown for veneration in a reliquary; the head is kept in the collegiate church of San Germano, in which city the holy Man was slain. Of this notable relic Bovio, who at the beginning of this century wrote an apologetic Dissertation on the cult of St. Bertharius, reports thus Dissertatio apol. page 41.: What of the head of this Saint, enclosed in a silver case and always very religiously preserved in the collegiate church, until in the recent most difficult affairs of our regions it met the common loss? That is to say, while Bovio was writing these things, that lamentable calamity had already happened, when in the year 1799 the sacrilegious audacity of the French soldiers raged against the relics of the Saints of Monte Cassino. Then also the head and the bone of the right arm of St. Bertharius were thrown down and trampled, so that they are now had only in part (if indeed anything at all survives) and mingled with other sacred bones and ashes. So D. Sebastiano Kalefati wrote back to us. Compare the Acts of St. Simplicius at this day, page 595. Do we not know (so Bovio continues) from the histories of our people and the tradition of our elders that the piety of the citizens (of San Germano) toward that most illustrious deposit was always so great that the whole city at any time had recourse to it especially, whether fearful storms, or sudden fires, or earthquakes, and other misfortunes like these were to be averted?
[10] and of a certain translation. It remains for us to elucidate the passage of Wion where he mentions a certain solemn translation of the relics from the lower to the upper monastery. That is to say, he announces thus at the second day of December Lignum Vitæ, page 383.: At Monte Cassino, the translation of St. Bertharius, abbot and martyr, when his sacred relics were brought back from the monastery of the Holy Saviour, which was at the foot of the mountain, to the monastery of Monte Cassino, with much attestation of miracles. And he adds in the Notes: Concerning which the Cassinese tables on this day. The history of which indeed I do not know to have been yet committed to writing; but the history of the whole event and the miracles which were wrought by the divine will in that same translation I have seen at Monte Cassino in the chapel of the same Saint, in which they are seen painted with a certain wonderful art. These things thus Wion at the end of the sixteenth century. Which are not easily reconciled with the assertions of Nuceus, nay and of the Ostian himself, who expressly relates that the body of the holy Man was first buried above; but here the relics are said to have been translated from the monastery of the Holy Saviour, which was at the foot of the mountain, to the monastery of Monte Cassino, certainly above. Nor have I anywhere found that they were ever brought back from the monastery above to below. This knot was untied by the said D. Sebastiano Kalefati, whom I had consulted in writing on this matter: Of the Acts, he says, of the translation of the body of this holy Martyr from the church of the Holy Saviour at the foot of the mountain to this lower basilica no record survives: for this must have happened immediately after the martyrdom was suffered. But of the translation which Wion mentions (Lign. vitæ 2 Decemb.) there is a record in the account of the same, compiled afterwards by Father D. Antonio of Naples about the year 1630, and it is still unpublished in our library, Manuscript num. 570, page 126. But this is recent, and happened when, on account of the splendid miracles wrought in the monastery by the intercession of this Saint, the abbot of that time, to increase the cult and devotion of St. Bertharius, translated his sacred body from the high altar, under which it rested with very many others, to the chapel of St. Scholastica, likewise at the foot of the mountain, so that within a few months he prepared in this basilica a chapel wonderfully adorned for the same Saint, on whose walls he had painted the miracles which gave cause to this translation. When this was wholly completed, the abbot, the whole convent of Monte Cassino, and the clerics of the diocese, raising the body of the holy Martyr in procession from the church of St. Scholastica, the head also being added, which was kept at San Germano, translated it with solemn pomp into the chapel prepared for it. — After some days the head was restored to the church of San Germano — Finally Pope Leo X granted a plenary indulgence to those visiting this chapel, as from the brief published in the Dissertation
apologetica, page 37. From which it is at length gathered that this chapel, together with the pictures of the miracles of the Saint, as part of the ancient basilica, was overthrown together with it in the seventeenth century, when the present basilica was erected. But in the chapel of St. Bertharius, as it now is, on the testimony of the author of the historical Description Descrizione istorica, etc. page 136 and following., several panels are again seen showing the deeds of the holy Abbot: one represents the martyrdom of him and his companions before the altar of the Holy Saviour; another St. Bertharius making a speech to the people; another again the holy Abbot treating with the pope, the emperor and the king in the cause of Teutberga, repudiated by Lothair; another the same giving the beginnings to the building of the city of San Germano, etc.
§ II. Of the festal memory of St. Bertharius. An inquiry concerning his writings.
Festal memory His heavenly birthday is celebrated on the 22nd of October in the same Wion Lignum Vitæ, page 348. and Bucelin Menolog. Bened. page 728., on which day, however, says Mabillon Annal. Ubi supra. Likewise Acta, sæcul. IV, part II, page 467., no memory of him is made in the Calendar of Oderisius I, abbot (who died in the year of Christ 1105). On the testimony of Gattola Historia Cassinens. sæc. IV, page 69., nevertheless, the memory of St. Bertharius is celebrated among the Cassinese with the double rite of the second class on the 22nd of October. Compare above, num. 5. Moreover, as I said a little before, Wion records the feast of the translation at the 2nd day of December. This festivity, he says Lignum vitæ, vol. II, page 383., is celebrated by the monks of Monte Cassino under the title of a lesser double, and so much the more religiously because our most holy lord Pope Leo X, about the year 1513, granted to all the faithful of Christ of both sexes, truly penitent and visiting the chapel of St. Bertharius from the first vespers of this translation until and through the whole day of the said translation, who should have stretched out helping hands for its preservation, a plenary remission and indulgence of all their sins. And that those visiting might be rendered more capable of such an indulgence, he granted to the abbot of Monte Cassino that he might depute in his church suitable secular priests or regulars of any order, who, having diligently heard their confessions, might absolve them from all and each of their crimes, excesses and offences, however grave and enormous, even from cases reserved to the apostolic see (except, however, those which are recited in the bull In Cœna Domini), a salutary penance being enjoined, as may be seen from the bulls of the same pontiff which are kept in the archive of Monte Cassino. Bucelin mentions the same feast and rite, and on the same day. Hugues Ménard also announces the feast. Let us hear again D. Sebastiano Kalefati: After, he says, at the beginning of the sixteenth century the monastery of Monte Cassino was united to the reformed Benedictine Congregation in Italy under the name of St. Justina of Padua, which on this account was called the Cassinese, the monks of this sacred monastery lost whatever they had of their own both in the divine office and in the Calendar and in the other monastic and ecclesiastical rites; so much so that today, apart from the arrangement of the office, which alone has remained according to the rule of our holy father Benedict, in the choice of saints and festivals they agree in all things with the Roman breviary. At present the Calendar of Monte Cassino has only the following proper festivals, namely: the Translation of St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino, martyr, 3rd of February. — The Feast of St. Bruno of Segni, bishop, abbot of Monte Cassino, Confessor, 18th of July, from the common. — St. Victor, Pope III, abbot of Monte Cassino, 16th of September, with 2 proper lessons. — St. Deusdedit, abbot of Monte Cassino, martyr, 9th of October, from the common. — St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino, martyr, 22nd of October, from the common. — The rest as in the commonly published Romano-Benedictine calendar and breviary… But in the manuscript breviaries preserved in our library, written from the ninth to the fifteenth century, not a few feasts of particular Saints of this monastery are found with proper legends, namely the life distributed into as many lessons as would be needed to discharge the office of either one or several days, as I noted of the life of St. Bertharius. And these things indeed at Monte Cassino. But in the city of San Germano (which, as we saw above, our St. Bertharius founded under the name of Eulogimenopolis) his feast is celebrated with the double rite of the first class with an octave [Bovio. Dissertatio apologetica, qua S. Bertharii sanctitas, etc. vindicantur, page 53 and following.], and indeed of precept, from the year 1592 onward, by decree of the diocesan synod of Monte Cassino under abbot Girolamo of Perugia, by which it is enjoined that thereafter the day of St. Bertharius, martyr, abbot of Monte Cassino, be observed of precept in the city of San Germano Ibid. page 39.. Bovio adds Ibid. page 40.: With this the other Cassinese synods, which there is no leisure to go through, agree entirely. Nor yet was the feast of St. Bertharius then introduced for the first time, but only the obligation of precept was introduced: for that it had long before this synod been customary to celebrate it there is made known indeed from many monuments, but especially from certain chapters made in the year 1505 for the chapter and clergy of San Germano; and also from others of the year 1319, most diligently preserved in our archive. We saw at num. 9 that the head of St. Bertharius was translated into the collegiate church of that city. The praised Bovio also testifies Ibid. page 41. to the very old custom in that city of giving the name of Bertharius to infants in baptism, so that even in the older baptismal books themselves the name of Bertharius occurs very frequently.
[12] recently attacked But toward the middle of the past eighteenth century an implacable war was declared against D. Bertharius, namely by the people of San Germano, and not only was his feast with office and Mass attacked, but even his sanctity denied, chiefly for this reason, that in the latest edition of the Roman martyrology his name has been passed over. Nay, in the year 1768 a particular charge was laid against the Cassinese curia, that in the decrees of the Holy Visitation something had among other things been enjoined for the feast of St. Bertharius; and to settle that dispute an appeal was made to the judgment of his royal majesty himself, and from there came forth the definitive sentence that nothing whatever should be innovated against that immemorial feast, penalties being inflicted also on a certain refractory person who, on that feast-day, while the solemnities of the Masses were being performed, even with the Ordinary of the place himself assisting in public form, had dared to celebrate a Mass of requiem, as the liturgists call it. Yet did the fearful and turbulent consciences meanwhile grow quiet? Nay rather, those whom fear or force had driven to the celebration of the feast were thereafter seized by so great a fury that on that very day every year the office of another saint was recited privately by some; by others either no Mass or some votive one was celebrated; by certain others, finally, what is scarcely credible, the faithful were called away and kept from hearing Mass on that day, a day of precept. These things thus D. Luigi Bovio of Bitonto, a professed monk of Monte Cassino, in the apologetic Dissertation published on this occasion, in which the sanctity of St. Bertharius, abbot of Monte Cassino, and the monuments of his martyrdom and of his feast-day, accustomed to be celebrated from time immemorial both in the cathedral basilica of Monte Cassino and in the collegiate church of San Germano, are vindicated from the reproaches of detractors Page 1 and following.. From which title it is clear what the writer proposed to himself, who was afterwards abbot and president of the Cassinese congregation and finally bishop of Melfi and Rapolla; he died in the month of November 1847.
[13] and vigorously defended. First, then, he establishes the sanctity of D. Bertharius, reciting according to the series of times the perpetual testimonies of writers both Cassinese and others. Let it suffice here to set down one from a Cassinese manuscript codex of the fifteenth century Ibid. page 17.: The lord Antonio Carafa, of venerable memory, doctor of both laws, abbot of the sacred monastery of Monte Cassino, together with the convent of the said monastery, instituted and ordained that the feast of St. Bertharius, abbot and martyr of the above-said sacred monastery, be celebrated solemnly with an octave … on the 22nd day of October. The above-said abbot was in the government of the monastery eight years and seven months, in the times of the Roman pontiffs Eugene IV and Nicholas V; hence, as Bovio aptly notes in the same place, almost two hundred years before the constitution of Urban VIII. It is known that this pontiff forbade cult to be shown to those who had been neither beatified nor canonized by the apostolic see; yet he willed those to be excepted who were honoured either by the common consent of the church, or by the immemorial course of time, or by the writings of the fathers and holy men, or finally by the very long knowledge and toleration of the apostolic see or of the ordinary Ibid. page 6.. And Urban himself testifies and teaches that under immemorial time comes a space of a hundred years, and it is the common opinion that the beginning of the hundred-year number is to be fixed at the year 1635, in which Urban's constitution came out Ibid.. Then Bovio resolves another objection Ibid. page 20 and following., by which the adversaries would have it that Bertharius was killed by the Saracens not out of hatred of the faith and the Catholic religion, but only out of hatred of his person, and therefore is not a Martyr. This, however, is futile and vain. Let us hear Peter the Deacon: The Saracens, he says In Bovio. Ibid. page 22., enter the church and there find Bertharius; and when they had come to him, they said: Are you Bertharius, who until now have defended the Christians, and for their deliverance have twice gone beyond the mountains to the emperor? It is just, therefore, that you should undergo death for them and for the faith of your God. For the rest, it is clear that St. Bertharius was slain for justice; and, as we have noted elsewhere (see at this day the Acts of St. Lupentius, Preliminary Commentary, num. 1), pious men who had been put to death unjustly or for no cause were commonly called martyrs. After this there is no need to discuss at length another objection, and that the capital one in the mind of the adversaries; namely that in the latest edition of the Roman Martyrology the name of St. Bertharius is lacking: for how light this is follows from the Saints whose Acts we illustrate on the several days in our Work, and very many of whom are not announced in the aforesaid martyrology. See, if you please, Bovio's Dissertation Page 33 and following..
[14] Writings attributed to St. Bertharius, Bertharius, says Leo of Ostia Pertz, vol. VII, page 603. Muratori, vol. IV, page 509., being exceedingly learned, composed some treatises and sermons, and also verses in praise of the saints. His Antikeimenon also, on very many questions of both the old and the new Testament, is had here (at Monte Cassino); some books also on the art of grammar, and also two medical codices, collected here and there certainly by his industry concerning the innumerable uses of remedies; he also wrote with wonderful eloquence many verses to the empress Engelberga and to others his friends. And a little more distinctly Peter the deacon, On the illustrious Men of Monte Cassino Muratori, vol. VI, col. 23.: He wrote not contemptible
little works, but the chief are those which he published when already established as abbot. He wrote a sermon on St. Luke, a homily on blessed Scholastica; the book which he called Antikeimenon. And on the life, death and miracles of the most holy Benedict, and also to the empress Engelberga and to others his friends, he made wonderful verses. Trithemius reviews fewer [Book III, de doctoribus et scriptoribus, chapter 72. Opera pia et spiritualia, page 45. Mainz 1605.]: He is said, he says, to have composed many little works which show the vein of an abundant genius, of which there are extant excellent sermons to the brethren, book I. He is said to have written certain things on medicines and other matters, which have not come to me. Arnold Wion divides Lignum vitæ, book I, chapter 5, page 15. the works of St. Bertharius into two classes. The first comprises the writings before his conversion (as he says), and they are: two volumes collected here and there concerning innumerable diseases, likewise some books on grammar; the second comprises the Antikeimenon, or, as Arnold has it, the book of the Antikeimenids; likewise book I of sermons and homilies; of these, adds Arnold, I have the manuscripts; besides, on the Gospel of the ten virgins, for the day of St. Scholastica, homily 1, which begins thus: "The reading of the holy gospel;" on St. Matthew the apostle, sermon 1: "Illustrious and glorious;" on St. Romanus the abbot, sermon 1: "There is present to us the day;" there is also extant a sermon of his on St. Luke the evangelist, in our breviaries; verses to the empress Engelberga. He also described the Life of our holy father Benedict in hexameter and pentameter verses, with this beginning:
O father Benedict, most celebrated in all lands, Who hold the summit of the honour of confessors…
Which was printed at Rome in the year 1590 through our care. I should not doubt that Arnold, a writer as diligent as he was sincere, saw all these things in the manuscript codices of the archive of Monte Cassino, and indeed under the name of St. Bertharius. Yet of some it is not so established that they are to be attributed to the holy Man.
[15] to be attributed, The metrical Life of St. Benedict is commonly adjudged to him, and has recently been printed in new type in Migne's Patrologia Vol. CXXVI, col. 975 – 978.; Angelo Mai also advises in the notes to Peter the Deacon's little work On the Rise etc.: I have in my hands two homilies of Bertharius, on St. Matthias the apostle and on St. Scholastica, written in a very old codex, which at a fitting time I shall publish, as I think, with other writings of Cassinese authors Scriptorum veterum nova collectio, vol. VI, page 263, note 2.. The learned man was prevented by death from carrying out his purpose. But the homily on St. Matthias was brought to light by Luigi Tosti. It begins: Illustrious and glorious Storia della Badia de Monte-Cassino, vol. I, page 119 and following.; from which it is clear that it is the same homily which Wion wrongly indicates as on St. Matthew. The other, on St. Scholastica, was formerly ascribed to Bede, but was relegated by Mabillon among the spurious or supposititious works of the same father, and rightly indeed, as follows clearly both from Mabillon himself Patrologia Mign. vol. XC, col. 30 – 34. In the Prolegomena. and from the recent London editor of Bede, J. A. Giles, who found in the library of Boulogne-sur-Mer a manuscript codex of the eighth or ninth century in which the homilies of the venerable man are contained The complete Works of Ven. Bede, vol. V, page XIII and following. London 1843.. I should not doubt, therefore, that it is to be attributed to our St. Bertharius, to whom also, on Mabillon's testimony Patrologia Mign. Ibid. col. 33., it is attributed in a Cassinese manuscript codex; and it may be read among the supposititious works of Bede in Migne Ibid. vol. XCIV, col. 480 – 489., and again, but with the prologue or exordium cut away, in the appendix to the Works of St. Bertharius Ibid. vol. CXXVI, col. 979 and following.. The sermon on St. Romanus too is today quite commonly reckoned a genuine work of our holy Abbot Ceillier, auteurs ecclésiast. vol. XIX, page 385. Tosti, vol. I, page 119.; Henschenius indeed ascribes it to Gislebert Acta SS. vol. V of May, page 153., but for this reason alone, that Bosco so establishes it in the Bibliotheca Floriacensis. Finally in the Patrologia Vol. CXXVI, col. 987 and following. there is added from Mabillon's Annals Vol. I, page 647 and following. a short treatise under the title: How one should fast through the year; which, however, Ceillier thinks could with equal reason be attributed to any other abbot than Bertharius Auteurs eccl. vol. XIX, page 386. Compare Ziegelbauer.. As regards the books on grammar and the two volumes collected here and there on innumerable diseases, they have not hitherto, so far as is known to me, been published in print, nor yet is there any reason why I should doubt that they are to be found in the manuscript codices of Monte Cassino under the name of Bertharius. But as for Wion's adding that they were written before his conversion, or monastic profession, I do not know on what foundation this rests. There is no need, as Nuceus rightly notes Rer. Italicar. scriptores, vol. IV, page 309., to recur to times in which Bertharius, not yet a monk, acted as a physician, either by office or by learning, and composed these medical books: for clerics and likewise monks, nay even bishops and archbishops, formerly practised medicine. Several examples are cited in confirmation. Compare Ziegelbauer, Historia litteraria ordinis S. Benedicti Vol. II, page 301 and following. Augsburg 1754.. Further, from the Life of St. Bertharius which we publish it appears that he was enrolled among the monks even from boyhood.
[16] to be denied him, Greater is the dispute concerning the books of ἀντικειμένων, which are expressly attributed to St. Bertharius by Leo of Ostia, Peter the Deacon and Wion; Trithemius is silent about them; Mabillon thinks they are rather to be attributed to Julian, bishop of Toledo Annal. vol. III, page 54.: Leo and Peter, he says, were deceived by the distich written on the same little work in the Cassinese codex, which Bertharius only had copied. Gattola also makes Mabillon's opinion his own Histor. Cassin. sæc. IV, page 70.. In the Bibliotheca maxima Patrum of Lyons the little book of ἀντικειμένων is printed among the works of Julian Vol. XII, page 647 and following. Edition of 1677., which, says Andreas Schott the editor, we now at last restore to its birth and its parent, following the authority of Felix, whose assertion, as one who succeeded Julian in the see of Toledo, is by no means to be despised. Add that Samson, abbot of the monastery of Pinamelaria in Baetica, in his apologetic against Hostegesis (first brought to light by Flórez in vol. XI of the España sagrada Page 325 – 516. Madrid 1753.), several times praises the Little work of ἀντικειμένων of St. Julian, nay cites it in the very words which may be read either in the Bibliotheca maxima or in Migne's Patrologia [Compare Patrol. Mign. vol. XCVI, col. 598, Question VII; and Flórez, vol. XI, page 478 and following. Likewise Bibliotheca max. vol. XII, page 654. Question XVI.]. Abbot Samson wrote these things about the year 864 Patrologia Mign. vol. CXVI, col. 587., hence eight years after the election of St. Bertharius. From these Nicolás Antonio concludes Bibliotheca Hispana vetus, vol. 1, page 421. Madrid 1788.: It must be beyond doubt that Julian of Toledo wrote the work of Ἀντικειμένων. Nevertheless D. Luigi Tosti, in his recently published History of the abbey of Monte Cassino, has gone to the opposite opinion: to him, even today, it is beyond doubt that the praised books are to be ascribed to St. Bertharius Vol. I, page 118 and following.. There exist, he says, in the archive of Monte Cassino two parchment codices; one in quarto, the other in folio; both written in Lombardic letters in the ninth century. The former bears on the outside this title, written in a hand not ancient: The questions of St. Bertarius on the old and new Testament. On the first leaf are had the following distichs:
Bertarius Christi jutus juvamine sanctus Presbyter hunc * librum condere jussit amans. Has bene scripturas satagis hinc discere sanctas Qui legis, explora mystica quæque tenet. Posce piis precibus nec non super astra Tonantem, Ut Famulo reddat præmia digna suo, Postea quem abba servavit tempore longo, Et relegens semper doctus ab arte fuit. Tu quoque, discipule, solerti mente recurre Illius ad schedas discere recta. Vale. [Bertarius, holy priest, helped by the help of Christ, lovingly ordered this * book to be made. You who read, if you are eager to learn well these holy scriptures from here, search out the mystical things that each contains. Beg also with pious prayers the Thunderer above the stars that He may render worthy rewards to His Servant, whom afterward as abbot He preserved a long time, and who, reading again, was ever learned in the art. You too, disciple, with skilful mind run back to his sheets to learn right things. Farewell.]
On the recto of the leaf is read, written in a more recent hand: The book Antikeimenon of Bertarius, martyr, abbot of Monte Cassino, on questions of the old and new Testament. These things premised, D. Luigi Tosti argues thus: The Ostian and Peter the Deacon (of whom the one flourished in the eleventh century, the other in the twelfth) affirm that two books of ἀντικειμένων were composed by St. Bertharius; which so express an assertion of theirs is not cancelled by the conjecture or assertion of Mabillon, namely that Bertharius did not compose the aforesaid books but only had them copied: for the distichs on which Mabillon relies were added to the manuscript codex two centuries later: the Codex is of the ninth century; the verses, although likewise written in Lombardic character, of the eleventh Ibid. page 117.; and this, adds D. Tosti, the learned man would easily have recognised if he had turned over the codex a little more attentively. The distichs, therefore, were not added by order of Bertharius; and even if this were granted, it would not yet follow that the work was composed by another author: for it is not inconsistent that someone should hand over his own lucubrations to a copyist to be transcribed. Then, why should Bertharius expect worthy rewards on this title alone, that he had the books of ἀντικειμένων of Julian or another transcribed? May it not be deduced even from this, that two exemplars of the same age are had, that the holy Abbot's own work is meant? Another's he would without doubt have been content with a single transcript. And this is about the sum of Tosti's argumentation; some other things are indeed added; but even less cogent. I do not think, therefore, that there will be anyone who thinks that by these the arguments brought above for St. Julian of Toledo are cancelled, and in particular the testimony of Samson, which indeed, it is almost evident, escaped Tosti's notice. Compare Fabricius Bibliotheca latin. under the words: Julianus. Bertharius. and Ceillier Auteurs ecclésiast. vol. XIX, page 386.. The latter favours Julian, the former Bertharius. Ziegelbauer tries to leave the matter undecided, yet inclines rather to the opinion of Fabricius Historia litteraria ord. S. Benedicti, vol. I, page 463..
[17] at least in part. Between the opposite opinions Bovio embraces a middle one, and brings forward reasons certainly not to be despised. Wherefore it is necessary to subjoin them briefly here. Bovio's words are [Dissertatio apologetica, page 60. In the Appendix on the literary works of St. Bertharius.]: In the codex of the library of Monte Cassino marked num. 285, which Muratori cites under number 478 according to the old numbering, and which displays Lombardic characters of the tenth century
there exists, from the first page to 86, a work thus inscribed: "Here begins the book Antikeimenon, that is, of questions on the books of the old and new Testament;" but in a more recent hand two other titles are put, in which the name of Bertharius is had. This work corresponds plainly to the printed one (in the Bibliotheca maxima and elsewhere), and I would say it is to be granted altogether to Julian of Toledo. But from page 86 to 109 there exists another very similar little work, thus inscribed: "Questions (sic) of the old Testament;" and from page 106 begin questions on the new Testament, without any title, with these words: "If you be dead with Christ, etc.," and they end with these: "One and the same Spirit worketh." And in the margin of page 86 the most perspicacious Costantino Caetani noted these words with his own hand: "They are of another Cassinese doctor, St. Bertharius." By which who would not see the dispute settled? Julian has, Bertharius would have, his own Antikeimenon. Leo and Peter, therefore, are not to be thought deceived, as Mabillon, Montfaucon and Gattola think, by the two little verses of that epigram inscribed on the front of the codex:
Bertharius Christi jutus juvamine sanctus Presbiter hoc librum condere jussit amans. Bertharius, holy priest, helped by the help of Christ, lovingly ordered this book to be made.
These words demonstrate this one thing, that St. Bertharius's care was in this, that one and the same codex should embrace a twofold work of the same kind, but not that Bertharius there displays the part of a mere procurer of the codex, and not also of an author. Nor, finally, were our forebears deceived, who added the more recent title to the codex under the name of Bertharius: for they had read through that twofold work contained in it. Not observing which, the learned men who followed found occasion of falling into error, namely when they did not distinguish the one from the other: that the Antikeimenon of Bertharius is (other) than the Antikeimenon of Julian is not obscurely plain there. Since, then, Bovio, after a diligent and accurate inspection of the Cassinese codex, asserts that its former part corresponds exactly to the little work of Julian as it is published; but that the other, from page 86 to 109, is superadded and has not hitherto been published in print, I do not see why it should be adjudged away from St. Bertharius.
Annotations* hoc
PASSION OF ST. BERTHARIUS, MARTYR AND ABBOT OF THE SACRED MONASTERY OF MONTE CASSINO.
From the manuscript collection of the cardinal of Santa Severina in D. Giuseppe Corta, from Cassinese codex 34.
Bertharius, abbot and martyr, in the monastery of Monte Cassino. (S.)
BHL Number: 1271
aFROM MANUSCRIPTS.
CHAPTER I.
The birth and boyhood of St. Bertharius; his fervour in religion before and after receiving the priesthood.
Prologue: commendation of the nation of the Franks. At the time when the sacred empire, for protecting the affairs of the Roman church, came into the hands of the Franks, which nation excels the peoples of the other nations in nobility, generosity, sagacity of intellect, honesty of morals and military vigour; these, by the favour of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtaining the imperial summit, according to the counsel of the divine oracle, who do all things with counsel, are ruled by prudence; as they are provident in counsel and circumspect in action, having rooted out as it were certain useless briars, those ensnared and condemned in Gentile and heretical depravity, who for such long times had oppressed Italy, men of virtue began to shine forth, and as in a full field which the Lord hath blessed, distinguished with the variety of divers flowers b; some, like violets, scattering the fragrance of lilies and roses, gladdened the city of God, made in their works a spectacle to God and men; of whose company most blessed Bertarius, like a precious lily shining with purity of life, shone forth, whitening with wonderful whiteness, turned into the blush of a red colour.
[2] Bertharius, a boy of good disposition, He, born of a noble stock c, most fittingly ennobles the nobility of his family by honesty of morals and zeal for holy conversation d. Being placed in the peril of boyhood, and fearing the labyrinth of this world, lest, seduced by its allurements, he should grow lukewarm from the love of sweet Jesus, who had already begun to irradiate his heart with the rays of His charity; and, what is more than these, being strengthened by doctrine, that he might acquire for himself an abundant shoot flowering with faith. Bertarius, inflamed with the most sweet love of Him, within the years of boyhood despised the world while it was flourishing in his heart, and, surpassing the frailty of his body by vigour of mind, fearlessly took up the habit of holy religion e, loving Jesus with faith, with vow, with his whole heart, and persevering in His praises.
[3] enrolled among the Cassinese, There shone then and glowed everywhere on earth the flowing and sweet fountain of eloquence and the origin of the whole monastic religion, the honour and glory of monks, and the spiritual gem of holy institution, the rule of Benedict, and especially in the monastery of Monte Cassino, where his most holy body also rests, awaiting the happy robe of its immortality together with his beloved sister Scholastica, and the coming of their Lord, whom they always loved with a pure heart, under the abbot Bassacius of blessed memory. To him the boy of good disposition f, Bertarius, coming, humbly asked that he would gather him into the number of his holy congregation. The abbot, foreknowing in the Holy Spirit of how great merits he would be, addressed him with a most gracious countenance, as he was, and exhorted him, showing him the form of the holy institution. When he saw that he held firm to his purpose, assenting to his wishes he received him.
[4] he soon shone forth by observance of the vows, The Lord's boy Bertarius, therefore, associated with the Lord's flock, turning over these and similar things in his heart, was accustomed to say: He who wishes to make his works meritorious ought to imitate the footsteps of Christ. And in the year of his probation he resolved to keep three things, in which the imitation of Christ chiefly consists, and which the Saviour of the world, placed in this mortal flesh, is related and proved to have chiefly exercised and firmly held, which He left by hereditary right to His imitators who follow Him, and in which the essence of all religion consists: of inviolate chastity, of voluntary poverty, of obedient subjection. And since in this so sweet and pleasant connection and fraternal union nothing was lacking which good will could desire, nothing can be compared to the perfection of sacred religion, which is in the imitation of Christ, nor be given in exchange for it; and it consists substantially in the threefold vow of continence or chastity, of poverty and of obedience. For perfection consists in assimilation to Christ, chiefly because in nothing is a man so much assimilated to Jesus Christ as in these three.
[5] purity of heart, "For, as the divine Wisdom says, he that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend" Prov. XXII, ℣ 11., that is, Christ. Nothing cleanses the heart more effectively than suffering endured for the love of Christ. Hence Daniel and the three children, adorned with all wisdom for their continence, cleanness and obedience, shone forth, and were exalted by Him. Animated by their example, Bertarius of good disposition, like a tree planted by the running waters, in a short time brought forth most abundant fruits, fragrant with the odour of all virtues: for his soul was pleasing to the Most High, and for this reason He decreed to clothe him with the beauty of virtue and to exalt him among his neighbours: since the grace of God is upon His Saints, and, according to what most holy David sings: The Lord will not forsake His Saints, communicating to them the benefits of His goodness, continually conferring on them the effect of His grace and the benefit of His mercy.
[6] in the spirit of prayer For truly God continued the benefits of charity and kindness to this most holy Boy, whom, almost from his mother's womb kept unblemished by the prerogative of charity and chastity and innocence, He led out of this stormy sea to the harbour of holy religion, and protected him: for the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world illuminated him with a certain special ray. And since the grace of God is related to God as the ray to the sun; and by it, as by a straight path, we are led into the divine and secret mysteries to be contemplated, and therefore, radiating simply into us, it makes us deiform; so the grace of God, like a certain most pure and delightful ray gliding down from the true sun into his mind, conferred on him the gift of inviolate integrity, continence and purity; that thus, made near to God and acceptable, having attained the perfection of the virtues, he might be made one spirit with Him. He was beyond all contemplative, and a lofty and most ardent suppliant and beholder of the secrets of God.
[7] and the other virtues; He was cheerful of countenance g, polished in speech, pious in mind, kind in heart, diligent in reading, watchful in prayer. And the kindness which had grown up with him from boyhood was so great in him that he showed it by evident signs and displayed it by proven effect. His life was without complaint, his goodness without malice, his humility without elation, his integrity without corruption; he certainly did not lack charity, nor was he inhuman to anyone; common in manners, singular in purity of conscience.
[8] made a priest A good intellect can be commended naturally by itself, and does not seem adorned by accidental things h. Learning, indeed, which distinguishes from the unskilled, joined him to the wise in friendly society; to which it is very easy to adorn the noble, which also makes the noble out of the obscure. Growing (Bertarius) through the increases of a loftier intellect, he at length attained through the grades of orders the dignity of the priesthood. Who and what kind of man he was, or how he conducted himself in the priesthood, almost no one can clearly explain: for according to the nobility of his mind he assigned to each his proper dignity: reverence to a superior, concord to an equal, discipline to an inferior, obedience to God, holiness to himself, patience to enemies, active compassion to the wretched; he suffered with the wretched from his heart; by word and example he edified all.
[9] he emulates more ardently the more perfect things Truly Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen, O Lord, out of the world to religion; Thou hast taken him up out of religion to the supreme reward. For, that he might render himself irreproachable to the divine majesty, always attentive to his own littleness, he cleaved with entire confidence to the divine power; he was puffed up by no estimation of himself; he did not look to the praise of men. He did not aim here at his own honour, he did not seek worldly favour, because the honour of God alone illuminated his mind: Truly he panted after salvation, he shunned the disease of sin, he searched out inner purity, he conformed himself to all who served as soldiers of God with him. To his superiors he showed reverence in every place, time and speech, and thus, pleasing both to God and to men, with the maturity of age he grew in the prerogative of the virtues. Rendered worthy of these, as it is written, (that) a lamp set upon a candlestick may give light to all that are in the house of God.
[10] he emulates. Now it is due and proper to the good and the beautiful and the virtuous that it be made manifest. Therefore the honourable and virtuous man is placed in a more eminent place, that he may give light and offer to others an example of virtue and honesty. Whence they sin grievously who in any way take away or hinder honour from the virtuous and honourable man, because they act against the justice and ordinance of God. Whence it came about that the venerable Boy, God working with him, as in age he advanced from virtue to virtue, so he was promoted from grade to grade of the sacred orders. But how he was advanced to the government of this monastery will, God being propitious, appear in what follows.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAPTER II.
The Saracens devastate Italy. St. Bertharius is elected abbot. Things undertaken by Louis II for the monastery of Monte Cassino and against the Saracens.
The Saracens laying waste Italy. At the time when the faith of Christ was flourishing, men of virtue illuminated the globe of the earth with a beautiful flower through the parts of the world a. While Louis was reigning in the elder Rome b, a huge multitude, carried by a fleet from Africa to Rome, plundered entirely the church of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, killing many there; taking the road by the Appian Way, they came to the city of Fondi, and gave it over to swords and fires, and, delivering all the citizens partly to captivity, partly to death, devastating everything, and putting in at Gaeta, they encamped c. Against them the army of the Franks, sent from Spoleto, was improvidently d overcome and fled. Pursuing them eagerly, the Saracens, burning with fire the monasteries subject to the monastery of Monte Cassino, namely of St. Andrew the apostle and of the holy martyrs Apollinaris, George and Stephen, returned to Gaeta e.
[12] and threatening Monte Cassino But how almighty God wonderfully delivered the monastery of Monte Cassino from their hands I shall relate. Following the tracks, they strove with all their endeavours to hasten to this monastery, of which they had heard as fame was already spreading it abroad. But since a later hour held them back that day, they pitched their tents there, intending, when the next day came, to destroy the whole monastery and to slay all the brethren. There was then the greatest serenity of sky, and so great a dryness of the river f that it could be crossed on foot. When, therefore, this rumour had come to the ears of the brethren, and they had heard of so sudden and fearful an incursion of the pagans, and saw it impending, struck with excessive fear, at once all, with bare feet and ashes sprinkled on their heads, with litanies and contrite heart and humbled spirit, fled to the kindly Lord.
[13] they are restrained by heaven, There was then among them Bertarius g, shining like a rose of red colour of the heavenly paradise, by whose prayers the Lord, coming to their aid unexpectedly, He who in His goodness wills the salvation of men, removed this danger. For behold, about the morning vigils the sky was covered with dense and black clouds; lightnings flash, thunders roar, and so strong an inundation of rains suddenly came about that the aforesaid river, overflowing its banks, spread more widely on all sides. In the morning, then, the Saracens, rising, hasten to the shores of the river; they see from afar that the river which on the preceding day they had been able to cross on foot they could now scarcely even reach the banks of, and so, frustrated in their hope, they returned to Gaeta.
[14] SS. Peter and Benedict appearing. But a little after, when they were returning to their own country, Peter the apostle and blessed Benedict, appearing visibly to them, rebuke them for the plundering of their churches. But they, being greatly elated by the spoils of the Christians, reproaching them with proud insult, and wishing now to seize them by force, the spears h suddenly vanishing, so great a storm arose that all their ships, partly dashed against one another, partly driven among mountains and rocks, perished in a horrible shipwreck, so that scarcely any escaped through whom their destruction might come to the knowledge of others. Thou… i.
[15] St. Bertharius, abbot, The holy archimandrite Bassacius, paying the debt of the flesh, departed to the Lord in the year eight hundred and fifty-eight k. By the assent of God there is elected by the congregation of Monte Cassino the future martyr Bertharius, the disciple of the said Bassacius, vigorous in morals and life, and conspicuous in all goodness; who also imitated his master's industry in all things, and especially in ecclesiastical studies l. In the year of the Lord eight hundred and fifty-eight m Bertharius is ordained the nineteenth abbot, who presided twenty-seven years and seven months, in the times of the Roman pontiffs Nicholas and Adrian and John the eighth n. How he o fought with all his strength against the Saracens dwelling at Gaeta, and how he loved the Christians even unto death, the imperial precepts indicate and the tokens of the end of the matter itself disclose. This Bertharius, then, a bright star of the empyrean heaven, chosen by the Father of lights, from whom every perfect gift comes down; enriched with a manifold abundance of virtues, shone forth like a topaz, conspicuous for honesty and purity, in all of which virtue effectively consists. For what of virtue was lacking to him who, loving a clean heart, which consists chiefly in purity, prepared himself as a dwelling for God, who is the author of all good things? For divine grace had illuminated him so greatly that he was venerated with wonderful affection not only by his own people but also by foreign nations. Thou.
[16] he walls round the monastery of Monte Cassino. Remembering, then [p], the danger which had lately befallen from the Saracens under his predecessor, had not God mercifully averted it, he fortified the whole monastery, which was above, on every side with walls and very strong towers in the manner of a castle. As a wise provider he shuts out every defect, and, as far as he can, every impending evil or danger from those of whom he has care. He also began a city [q] at the foot of the mountain near the monastery of the Lord Saviour. And because he had received the greatest part of the relics from the most serene and most Christian emperor Louis, which the latter had taken from the city of Capua, and especially of St. Germanus the bishop, whose body the same emperor had received, he ordained that the city itself should be called San Germano [r].
[17] Seodan, king of the Saracens. Meanwhile the most wicked Scodan [s], king of the Saracens, having gone out from Bari, came to Capua, and, devastating it all round about, traversing Cancia and Liburia, he pitched his tents in the Neapolitan plain, killing very many every day and practising divers iniquities. Not a day [t] at all passed on which up to five hundred Christians and more were not slain; and Scodan said that this was the portion of God, that he might fulfil that word of the gospel: "Whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to God." Joan. XVI, ℣ 2. The heathen nation mocks the words of the gospel; but they were conquered by fortitude, and cast out of doors, and, deprived of property and honours, they perished. Behold, prudent reader [u], how the members of Antichrist, at different times, yet with one will, are joined together. For that savage tyrant, sitting upon the corpses of the dead, used to eat, like a putrid or shameless dog, and he took and utterly destroyed all things in the circuit of the castle, except the chief cities.
[18] the monastery of St. Vincent having been laid waste, It was then the custom [v] of the monks of St. Vincent and of St. Benedict, for charity's sake, to visit one another in the days of holy Lent. Charity and its inner most sweet touch cannot hide the force of their ardour in the recesses of their breast. All things to them
were common. So that, since a part of our monastery possessed certain of the serfs of St. Vincent, and likewise they certain of ours, it pleased the fathers of each monastery, namely Bertharius and Maio [x], that they should by no means be distabiarentur [y], but that, just as it then was, their possession should always remain inviolate. Now one day that same most abominable Scodan, gathering an army, came unexpectedly with his satellites to the monastery of St. Vincent, at which time certain of our brethren of the monastery of Monte Cassino had come there for the sake of visitation and charity, as has been said. The report of this [z] having become known, the monks at once, at a hastened run, fled to the castle which is next to the monastery, very fearful indeed, but nevertheless unharmed. The Saracens, entering the monastery, laid waste everything they had found, broke many things; the grain and pulse they threw into the river which flows by, and digging here and there they found and carried off almost the whole treasure of the church, which the monks, through fear of them, had long since hidden. And that most abominable Scodan drank from the sacred chalices and ordered himself to be incensed with golden thuribles. Thus, then, alas! the monastery of St. Vincent was burned by those pagans worthy of the thunderbolt, the monks being partly slain, partly scattered in different directions. It remained thus desolate for thirty-three years. And the most wicked Scodan, after the third day, coming up to the gates of the city of Capua, took loaded wagons and various animals together with men, and, coming near Teano, encamped [aa]. And thence going up to Venafro [bb], and taking it after a little while, and devastating all the neighbourhood, he stayed there for some days.
[19] he threatens Monte Cassino; It was then the beginning of Lent, and the brethren of Monte Cassino, fearing the coming of that most abominable man, all betook themselves above to blessed Benedict. After a few days the army of that wicked man came near the monastery of the Lord Saviour, which was below, about two stadia; which, however, happened through the error of their guide. For when they wished to go down through the mountains to Atina [cc], a certain little old man who was their guide went down with them into the Round Valley, thence into Rapido; when they had come into the plain, they entered the church of St. Elias and took away what they found. Thence through Circlariae into the Lord's garden [dd], and through the pasture-ground to the Spring of Lucius [ee], at last searching the clearing of Constantius, Olivetum and also Matrevola, and giving them to extermination and death, they went to Venafro and thence returned to Bari.
[20] the emperor Louis, having visited Monte Cassino, But Bertharius [ff] the archimandrite, seeing lower Italy scourged from heaven for its iniquities, came to the emperor Louis, beseeching and urging him to hasten his journey and rescue the church of Monte Cassino, and at the same time the whole of Italy, from the hand of the Saracens. For he was already set on the way; and the emperor, having received the fealty of the archimandrite Bertarius, hastened his journey from day to day; and when he had come to the Chiuse of Liguria, Pope Benedict the third went forth to meet him [gg]. Afterward the emperor Louis, going out from the Chiusa of Liguria, directed a general edict to all parts of his empire, that there should be no one at all who should withdraw himself from this expedition [hh]. And in the year of the Lord's Incarnation eight hundred and seventy-two [ii] he gathers a very great army; and so, Christ being his leader, he came to Sora, a city of Campania, and in the month of June arrived [kk] at the monastery of the holy father Benedict, distinguished by the bodies of the holy martyrs Peter and Andrew, Gregory and Pontianus, which is below, where he was received with the greatest honour by the venerable archimandrite Bertharius, all going forth to meet him. On the next day he went up the holy mount of Monte Cassino to greet father Benedict and his sister Scholastica; and there likewise he was received by the brethren with great honour.
[21] he advances against the Saracens, And when, going round, he had surveyed the whole monastery, and had praised it as most excellently built, making for blessed Benedict a precept of confirmation of the whole abbey [ll], according as Justinus [mm] and Charles and his other predecessors the emperors had done, and subjecting to it the county [nn] of Isernia, of Venafro, of Sessa, of Calvi, of Calinum, of Aquino, of Atina, of Orpinum, and also of Sora, and conferring royal gifts there, commending himself very earnestly to the brethren, he came down from the mountain with the archimandrite [oo] Bertarius, went to Capua, which favoured the Saracens, which, having besieged it for three months, he took, and destroyed for the greatest part. Thence he proceeded to Salerno, thence sailed to Amalfi, going also to Pozzuoli he used its baths, and returning through Naples went to Suessula; at last, encamping at the Caudine valley, not long after he entered Benevento. Further, having gathered an army at Lucera [pp], a city of Apulia, he engages the Saracens; by whom overcome in the first contest, at length, God helping, having obtained a triumphal victory over them, he becomes master of all their camps.
[22] he takes Bari and Taranto by storm; Thence going up to Bari, he besieged it for four years; then taking Matera [qq], their most strongly fortified city, he consumed it with fire and sword. After this he came to Venosa, and having placed a garrison of fighters both in it and in Canosa, he began to assail Bari grievously from both sides, by which terror [rr] many were compelled to flee to the emperor's clemency. After this he proceeded against the city of Oria *, and thence returned to Benevento [ss], and, the supreme right hand assenting to him, when the Saracens had now come to the last extremity, the emperor, having sent an army, took Bari. Having taken in it Scodan, the most impious king, and all his satellites, he ordered them all to be slain with the sword; the just vengeance of God following the impious, who had made such slaughters of men. Thence also the emperor's army, moving camp, began to besiege the city of Taranto: for the same most wicked men had formerly taken that too.
[23] out of regard for Bertharius he spares Hisembard Meanwhile two certain counts strove to rise up against the emperor. When the emperor learned this, he pursued them as far as Matrice [tt], where, not daring to make a stand, they fled to Benevento. And the emperor, while he pursues them, came to Isernia, which, attempting to resist, he took by storm and captured. Thence passing through Alife and Telese [uu], he came to the city of Sant'Agata; which, since he could not take it, he besieged for very many days. At length the Archimandrite Bertarius, since Thibardus [vv] the Gastald, who held that city, was his kinsman, interceding for him with the emperor, obtained both favour for him and pardon for the city.
[24] he is put in custody by fraud, Radelchis * also, prince of Benevento, prostrated at the feet of the same emperor, obtained the emperor's favour both for the aforesaid counts who had fled and for himself, who had presumed to receive them. While, then, the emperor Louis was staying securely at Benevento, Radelchis, prince of Benevento, led by the envy of the devil and made bold after the manner of the traitor Judas, having found an occasion in that the Franks were doing many things insolently in the city, rose up against him as he was living securely, and laying hands on the Lord's anointed, that is on the emperor Louis, took him and committed him to custody, and despoiling all his soldiers, compelled them to flee. But God did not long suffer an innocent man to be afflicted in vain. For soon, within forty days, thirty thousand [xx] Saracens, carried by fleet from Africa to Salerno, besieging Salerno on every side from without, utterly destroyed it, countless husbandmen being slain in it; and they laid waste in part Naples and Capua.
[25] and shortly afterward released, And so the emperor Louis, released at once from custody [yy], returned to Monte Cassino, the dwelling-place of security and quiet and the chamber of his empire [zz]. And having gathered an army, after three days he went to Veroli, a city of Campania, and having stayed there about eleven months, he made a precept [aaa] for the monastery of Monte Cassino concerning the church of St. Benedict situated on the mountain which overhangs the city of Alife, and also concerning one court of his, named Laianum, in the place which is called Cucurritus, and concerning St. Gregory and the bank of Ursa Pescoli, Petra Fraudi and the whole county of Termoli.
[26] the Saracens having been put to flight, he dies. Afterward the emperor, having returned to Monte Cassino [bbb], sending certain of his counts, joined battle with the Saracens, and slew first three thousand, then nine thousand Saracens near Capua. And Louis after this, going out from Monte Cassino, came to Capua, and when the Saracens [ccc] learned of his coming, leaving the principality, they went to Calabria, and utterly laying it waste, embarking on their ships for their own country, they suffered a very great storm, and as many as could escape returned. And the emperor Louis, when he had stayed in lower Italy for seven [ddd] years, having taken up the body of blessed Germanus, bishop of Capua, came to Monte Cassino [eee], and, asked by the venerable archimandrite Bertarius, left or released the greatest part of the holy relics in the church of the Lord Saviour, and so with the remaining part returned to Neustro-Francia. And so, ending his life [fff], he left the empire to his son Charles, who received the imperial crown from Pope John the eighth [ggg].
ANNOTATIONS.
Sergius II, as Anastasius narrates at length Patrologia Mign. Ibid. col. 1297 and 1298..
p. From Leo of Ostia Ibid. vol. IV, page 309., a few things being added or changed here and there.
q. A city … he willed to be made and began it. So the Anonymous, ubi supra. Nuceus supplies the worn-away word Ibid. note 5.: He ordered a city to be made below, etc., adding: Whence it is possible to observe the adverb juso for deorsum, still retained by our people, which others pronounce more elegantly giù.
r. It is certain, both from the Anonymous Ibid. vol. II, page 268, num. 27. and from Leo Ibid. vol. IV, page 310., that St. Bertharius willed the city begun by him to be called Eulogimenopolis, that is, the city of Benedict. Which, as Nuceus notes Ibid., either he did not carry out or his successors did not observe. Elsewhere he relates Ibid. page 314, note 4. that Louis gave the head of St. Germanus to the new church, whence also it more probably borrowed its name. Now, certainly, the city is still called not of St. Benedict but of St. Germanus, from ancient tradition and custom, and it is a not ignoble market-town of the surrounding region and of the neighbouring ones Ibid. page 310. note 6.. The Anonymous also narrates Ibid. vol. II, page 268, num. 27. that during the building of that church a mute man received speech by the merits of St. Benedict. The Ostian has the same Ibid. vol. IV, page 310. Pertz, vol. VII, page 603..
s. From the Ostian, book I, chapter 35 Muratori, page 311. Pertz, page 604.; where in place of Scodan, Seodan is put. Elsewhere it is also written Sangolan, Sauglan, Saugdan.
t. These things are from the Anonymous Ibid. vol. II, page 268. num. 28., with some things added by Ignatius.
u. This whole passage is badly written, so that through almost an entire page the lines had to be transposed.
v. The Ostian, ubi supra.
x. Majoni in the Ostian.
y. Discambiarentur should be read.
z. Namely of the coming of Seodan.
aa. Here the Ostian inserts some things passed over by Ignatius, perhaps on purpose. Which, says the Ostian Ibid. vol. IV, page 312. Pertz, vol. VII, page 605., the venerable abbot Bertharius having learned, fearing greatly for both the place and the people the coming of that wicked man, sent him three thousand gold pieces by his deacon Ragenald, and so mitigated his ferocity. For the rest, the authors here disagree. Erchempert writes Ibid. vol. II, page 244, num. 29. that Seodan then indeed plundered the monastery of St. Vincent the martyr; and received three thousand gold pieces for the buildings not burned. To which he subjoins: This done, he received as many coins also from the vicar of blessed Benedict (Bertharius). The Ostian, then, whom Ignatius follows, affirms more: namely that the monastery of St. Vincent on the Volturno was then both plundered and burned by the Saracens. Which of them should be believed, let the reader judge, says Mabillon Acta SS. ord. S. Bened. sæc. IV, part II, page 465..
bb. So Ignatius again with the Ostian.
cc. Atina, Atino, a city formerly episcopal, on a mountain, near the borders of Samnium, between Sora and Venafro… Now it is a village of Campania Felix, four miles from Arpino and from Monte Cassino toward the north, at the roots of the Apennine. Baudrand Novum Lexicon Geographicum.. It now numbers 6768 inhabitants Guibert, Dictionn. Géographique. Paris 1850.. It is the most ancient city, the Atinum of the Romans, formerly an episcopal see Ibid..
dd. The Ostian writes: into the Hortus Domnicus or Dominicus Muratori, vol. IV, page 312. Pertz. vol. VII, page 605..
ee. And through the Pasture-ground to the Spring of Lucius, and coming to Peola, they killed that old man who had misled their way. At last, searching carefully the clearing of Constantius, Olivetum and also Matronula, and carrying off the cows of the monastery and as many mares as they found, they returned to their own people at Venafro, and not long after went back to Bari. So the Ostian Ibid.. From which the text of Ignatius is to be supplemented and emended. Nuceus notes in general Ibid.: The places through which that unspeakable nation made its way still retain their names, yet not all of them.
ff. In place of Bertharius, the Ostian has: The Lombards, therefore, seeing themselves scourged from heaven … now for the third time send envoys into Francia to the aforesaid Louis, beseeching and urging him that he would deign to come again and rescue them and their country from the most abominable nation of the Saracens. With the Ostian agree the Anonymous Murat. vol. II, page 264, num. V. and Erchempert Ibid. page 245, num. 32.. Our Ignatius, therefore, changed the Ostian's text, so that what he gives to the Lombards, Ignatius attributes to St. Bertharius. It may be that he was among the envoys, but none of the ancients relates it. Compare the Annotations above, letter i. This third embassy of St. Bertharius to Louis, therefore, is no better proved than the two former.
gg. Here indeed Ignatius hallucinates prodigiously. This Italian expedition undertaken by Louis II against the Saracens the writers unanimously report
at the year of Christ 865 or 866 See Sigonio, de Regno Italiæ, book V. Opera, vol. II, col. 316. Milan 1732.. But Benedict III had already died in the year 858 Art de vérifier les dates, page 271.. Moreover, nowhere is mention had of Bertharius having met the emperor Louis on the way. So that Ignatius drew these things from his own store.
hh. The constitution of Louis is recited in full in the Anonymous, num. 6.
ii. A new hallucination of Ignatius here. These things happened, as I have already noted, in the year 865 or the following [Sigonio. Ubi supra. Likewise Pellegrino's Erchempert, in Muratori, vol. II, page 245, num. 32.].
kk. From the Ostian, with the lady Engelberga his wife Muratori, vol. IV, page 312. Pertz, page 605..
ll. Making for blessed Benedict a precept of confirmation of the whole abbey, according as his predecessors had already done, and conferring royal gifts there, and commending himself much to the brethren, he came down. Leo of Ostia Ibid.. The privilege of Louis may be read entire in Gattola De origine et progressu jurisdictionis Monast. Cassin. page 38 and following., which indeed, he asserts, bears all the characters of genuineness, and was given at Benevento in the year of Christ 867 Ibid. page 40., but, says Wattenbach Pertz, vol. VII, page 605., with chronological marks either corrupt or false.
mm. See the Annotations on chapter IV.
nn. I find no mention of these in the privilege of Louis, nor in other writers.
oo. The Ostian does not mention Bertharius. See, however, below, letter ss.
pp. Lucera. The Ostian.
qq. Matera. The same.
rr. These things, with a few changes, are from the chronicle of Volturno, or of the monastery of St. Vincent on the Volturno Muratori, Scriptores rer. Ital. vol. I, part II, page 403.. The Ostian has almost the same much more compendiously, adding certain other things, as I shall render in the following Annotation.
ss. After the Ostian has related Ibidem, vol. IV, page 303. Pertz, page 606. that Louis returned to Benevento, and before he treats of the storming of the city of Bari, he inserts the following: There (at Benevento), then, while abbot Bertharius was staying in his service, he completed with all diligence and zeal a small oratory which his predecessor Bassacius had begun within the monastery of St. Sophia, and had it consecrated in honour of the holy father Benedict by Stephen, prelate of the church of Teano. Thus far the Ostian Compare Mabillon. Annal. vol. III. page 125. At the year 866.. From the words: There, while he was staying in his (Louis's) service, what Ignatius said above becomes probable, namely that Louis came down from the mountain with the Archimandrite Bertharius, etc. See letter oo.
tt. Marsia, as the Ostian has it.
uu. Correct from the Ostian: Through Telese he came to the city which is named Sant'Agata.
vv. The Ostian has Hisembardus the Gastaldio. Now a Gastaldeus, Gastaldus, Gastaldio, Castaldus, is properly a prefect of the court or a procurator of external affairs, or of foreign ones such as guests… afterwards the meaning was extended more widely, namely to the prefects of cities and provinces. So Vossius in Nuceus Muratori, vol. IV, page 283, note 6..
xx. An innumerable army of Saracens arriving from Africa. The Ostian Ibid. page 303.. Ignatius follows in this place Erchempert, who says that the number of the Saracens rose to 30 thousand Ibid. vol. II, page 244 and following, num. 24 and 25..
yy. The Ostian adds: And bound by oaths. That is, as may be seen in Sigonio at the year 871 De regno Italiæ, col. 524 and following., Adelgis compelled Louis to promise on oath that he would never thereafter enter the borders of Benevento, nor exact any vengeance for this injury (namely that he had been put in custody). Louis, having come out of custody, made for Rome, to meet Pope Hadrian VIII. He, having assembled a council, absolved the emperor from the oath. Raised up by this decree, Louis renewed the war with greater resources, but, lest he should be thought perjured, he set the queen over the chief command and ordered her to lead the army to Benevento. And these things Sigonio. But the annalist of St. Bertin relates Muratori. Scriptores, vol. I, part II, page 557. that Louis, having come out of custody, took the road through Spoleto toward Ravenna, and commanded the apostolic Hadrian to come to meet him in the course of his journey, so that he might absolve him and his men from that oath. A little before he had said: And he himself (the emperor) swore, and his wife and his daughter and all his men.
zz. Neither this nor the other (of which Ignatius a little below) coming of Louis to Monte Cassino is mentioned by the Ostian, Erchempert, etc. Louis, released from custody … withdrawing from Benevento, within three days went to Berola (Veroli among the Hernici), and having stayed there about 11 months, meanwhile, through certain of his counts, slew first three thousand, then about nine thousand Saracens near Capua. So the Ostian Ibidem, vol. IV, page 313..
aaa. I have not found traces of this precept elsewhere.
bbb. See above, letter zz.
ccc. Leo of Ostia Ibid..
ddd. The Ostian Ibid. page 314, chapter 38. relates that the emperor stayed at Capua for about a year; then he adds: Having stayed in various places in these parts for about six years. By adding the numbers Ignatius found the term of seven years.
eee. See above, letter h.
fff. In the year 875 Louis, having contracted a cruel disease, met his death at Milan in the month of August, says Sigonio De regno Italiæ, col. 326.; and indeed on the day before the Ides of August, that is the 12th Ibid. note 69.. This, however, did not happen at Milan, but in the territory of Brescia, as evidently follows from the chronicle of Andrew of Bergamo, otherwise the Priest; but on the fifth day after his passing the body was buried at Milan. I speak the truth in Christ, adds Andrew; for I was there and carried some part, and walked with the bearers from the river which is called the Oglio as far as the river Adda Pertz, Monum. Germ. vol. III, page 237 and following..
ggg. On the day of the Nativity of the Lord in the same year 875 Art de vérifier les dates, page 433..
* Another reading: Oëriam
* Another reading: Adelchis, Adelgisus.
CHAPTER III.
Some things being premised concerning the pre-eminence of the monastery of Monte Cassino, the disaster of the Saracens at Salerno is described. St. Bertharius goes to Rome. The Saracens, having occupied the Garigliano, threaten the City with destruction.
Some things on the pre-eminence of Monte Cassino being inserted, Indeed a, although it is not ours to set forth the temporal dignities of this sacred monastery, yet because the order of the passion of the glorious martyr Bertharius demands this, I think it right to set out a few things. For the title of the abbot of this monastery of Monte Cassino was distinguished: Patriarch of sacred religion; Abbot of the sacred monastery of Monte Cassino, duke and prince of all abbots and religious; Vice-chancellor b of the sacred empire through Italy; Chancellor of the kingdoms of Sicily, Jerusalem and Hungary; Count and ruler of the provinces of Campania and the Maritima. For to him it belonged to rule the land of lower Italy. And since the emperor of the Romans represents the kingdom of Christ, and freely commits the functions of the empire to whom he will, he committed his functions to this monastery, as the pope also frequently commits the whole of Campania with the dignity of the county. That is to say, the abbot and convent of Monte Cassino receives jurisdiction from the Roman pontiff, defence and protection from the emperor; whose cities, castles, possessions, islands, villas, serfs and handmaids, marches and counties it possesses and rules; on which account, namely, the imperial chamber was constituted by the emperors. And these things according to the donation of the patrician Tertullus c and of the most serene emperors Justinus d and Charlemagne e, who was the first renewer and restorer of the ancient dignities and immunities of this sacred monastery. The emperor Louis also had ordained, in the time of Bassacius, archimandrite of Monte Cassino, that he should keep watch over the cause of the empire; he commanded, and in commanding enjoined, that the archimandrite of Monte Cassino should never be absent from the emperor's side f within lower Italy g.
[28] the author returns to the Saracens, Accordingly h, not long after, the Saracens, having learned of the death of Louis, recovering their strength and holding Taranto, began thence to infest Bari and the other borders more sharply. Meanwhile the people of Salerno, Amalfi, Naples and Gaeta, unmindful of their salvation, (forgetful) of the kind Saviour, who had redeemed them with His precious blood, and ungrateful for His benefits, entering into a treaty and making terms with the Saracens, the enemies of the cross of Christ, distressed the golden City i with naval depredations.
[29] who are afflicted with a new disaster; The pious shepherd and archimandrite Bertharius, therefore, seeing the losses both of his own jurisdiction and of the empire and of the holy Roman church growing from day to day, the diminution of the Christian faith, and the innumerable slaughters of the wretched, the poor, the captives, the orphans and the faithful being made by the wicked, having taken counsel with the brethren and committed himself to the divine piety, directs his companions as apocrisiarii to Charles the third, announcing the losses of his people and of the office committed to him; earnestly beseeching the imperial clemency that he would come to the aid of afflicted and desolate Italy by bringing help. And the emperor, kindly as he was, destined from his side Duke Lambert and his brother Guido in aid of lower Italy. To whom was also associated John the eighth, supreme pontiff, and Bertharius, the future precious martyr. These three, like cohorts of the army of the heavenly host, united in one spirit, that they might extend the glory of their nation, attack the enemies of Christ. They entered Naples and Salerno, and accomplished all things prosperously under the leadership of Christ; but (and) Guaiferius, prince of Salerno, obeying the supreme pontiff in all things and breaking the treaty with the Saracens, slew very many of them k.
[30] from which they are soon raised up. But Sergius of Naples, being unwilling to estrange himself from them, was soon excommunicated by the apostolic one, and not long after, God avenging, was taken by his own brother, Bishop Athanasius, and, having been blinded, was sent away to Rome. And the same Athanasius, made duke and bishop in his place, having made peace with the Saracens and settling them near Naples, began with them to lay waste fiercely both Benevento and Capua and Salerno, and also Rome and Spoleto, and many monasteries and churches at that time, together with villas and cities, were burned and made desolate l.
[31] St. Bertharius makes for Rome In these days the people of Capua, having expelled a certain Landolf canonically elected to the bishopric, elected as their bishop a certain Landulf m, one of their nobles, a married man and a neophyte, and with many prayers deceived the aforesaid Pope John the eighth, so that he should be consecrated bishop for them. Wherefore the holy martyr and archimandrite Bertharius, and Leo, bishop of Teano, set out for Rome and began to beg the supreme pontiff that in this matter he should in no way be bent, whence a grave ruin and much shedding of blood must befall the people of Capua. And more expressly he says: O apostolic Man, know that if you consent to these things, you kindle a very great fire, and one reaching even to you.
[32] to treat concerning Landenulf, bishop of Capua; And at first indeed the apostolic one, of so great an archimandrite
was frightened by the constancy, but at last iniquity prevailed, and the aforesaid neophyte was consecrated bishop. The Saracens, having found an opportunity in this civil discord, again plunder everything, again devastate all things. On account of which the same apostolic one was compelled to come twice to Capua. The supreme pontiff, then, seeing plainly happen to him what the holy and God-accepted archimandrite and comarch of counts Bertharius had foretold, repented greatly, and at length, having taken counsel, consecrated Landulf, whom we reported above as expelled, bishop in the church of blessed Peter the apostle at Old Capua, and commanded that Landolf should preside over the church of Capua n, and that the whole bishopric should be divided between the two in equal balance.
[33] then through the latter's fault the Saracens, After this Landolf o, who presided at Capua, established in fealty to the pope, asked him to subject Gaeta to his dominion. For the people of Gaeta at that time, evading the principality of the comarch, the venerable Bertharius, primate of the abbey of Monte Cassino, as the curial privilege [p] of the emperor Justinus had ordained, were subject to the Roman pontiff alone. To whom the supreme pontiff, not foreseeing the guile and the evil which afterwards came of it, assented and granted it. The same Landolf therefore began so fiercely to assail and oppress the people of Gaeta that it was not permitted them to go out even as far as Formia [q]. Docibilis [r], or rather Indocibilis, who had in a manner obtained a name contrary to himself, presided over them as usurped duke; and as the people of Gaeta are strong in natural cunning, they enter into a counsel with Docibilis that was to bring disgrace on themselves and their people. Not at all bearing the reproach which was inflicted on them by Landolf, elated with blind pride, unwilling to subject themselves to the Abbot of Monte Cassino, their natural lord, rather subjecting (themselves) to the dominion of the pagans, they sent to Agropoli, and brought the Saracens dwelling there with their king Saduinus [s] by the sea route, to the place where (which) is called Sant'Anastasia, and thence ascending by the river as far as Fondi, coming out of their boats there as a sword out of the scabbard and laying waste everything round about, they at length arrive at Gaeta and set up their camp on the shapeless [t] hills.
[34] the pope struggling against it in vain, When Pope John heard these things, at once led by repentance, but late, he began to approach the people of Gaeta with soothing addresses and apostolic letters and also many promises, that they might be reconciled to him and separated from the Saracens. Here you must attend skilfully to the malice of evil men. For since the Abbot of Monte Cassino acts in the place of the archbishop of Cologne, he bore the vice-chancellorship; blinded by the envy of the devil, as the people of Gaeta are cunning to this day, wishing to shake off from their neck the yoke of the dominion of Monte Cassino, they used this art (of cunning) with the prince of Capua and the supreme pontiff, as the outcome proved. For the same prince of Capua afterwards seized many goods of the monastery; wishing (he wishing) to follow the footsteps of the ancient princes and emperors in the cruelty of Diocletian and others, who conspired to root out utterly the race of Christians; but their bow was broken. But fear not, church of Monte Cassino; fear not, mother of holy religion. There will come thy Lord, Otto, the most pious, most invincible and magnificent emperor of the Romans, Caesar Augustus, with his son and grandson, Henry [u], equally known and most holy, lover of equity and justice; there will come the angels of thy testament, whom thou desirest, who will bring back the triumph of thy ancient dignity, privilege, inheritance and possessions.
[35] they occupy the Garigliano, But Docibilis, usurping for himself and his people the (cities) adjoining his city, with feigned enmity, the treaty being broken with the Saracens whom he himself had brought or hired to the ruin of himself and of the sacred monastery and to the reproach of Christendom, consecrated with them a fictitious war full of guile. In which war, on account of the guilt of such and so great wickedness committed against the monastery of Monte Cassino and the most blessed and innocent Bertharius, many of the people of Gaeta who were privy to this guile were, by the just judgment of God, unexpectedly slain and taken by the Saracens. This slaughter being accomplished, the Saracens again enter into a treaty with the people of Gaeta and Docibilis, and they were directed to dwell at the Garigliano [v], which was then of our jurisdiction. Who here could hold back tears, observing the gloss of this fraud and of this pretence against the innocence of the most holy man Bertharius and the liberty of this monastery? Why did he himself bring the Saracens, why did Docibilis enter into a treaty? Why did he break it, in a manner tacitly betraying by the very deed his pretence and their hidden compact?
[36] they lay waste the neighbouring regions, Dwelling at this Garigliano for forty years, they did innumerable evils round about, and shed much blood of the worshippers of Christ, and sent them to Christ with the palm of martyrdom. In which place, namely, they were frequently curbed, attacked and restricted by Christian princes and by the archimandrites of the monastery of Monte Cassino; but by the judgment of God they were impregnable and unconquered up to the aforesaid time [x]. When, then, the Saracens had come from Africa to lower Italy, and had subjugated it to their cruel dominion, no one resisting, they dwelt mingled with the inhabitants near the Garigliano; they covered [y] the whole face of the earth like locusts, so that, almost all the inhabitants having been taken away from there and given over to plunder and the sword, it was reduced to a wilderness and to the lairs of beasts; and they prepared a very great fleet [z] of a hundred ships, of which fifteen great ones were with horses, to storm the golden City. And what shall I say [aa], since no pen suffices to write their wickednesses, since all the trees of the forests, if they were turned into tongues, could not recount them? And alas, alas! while the enemies of the cross of Christ rejoiced, the assembly of the faithful alone was consumed with sadness, the blood of Christians was shed, the people devoted to God was harassed with continual slaughter.
[37] the inhabitants finding refuge at Rome, not safe enough For he who had escaped fire or sword became a prey, was made a captive and an exile for ever. And the bishops, scattered hither and thither, had [bb] the golden City alone left them as a refuge, since their bishop's houses had been reduced to the lairs of wild beasts. And they themselves, found wandering and without roofs, were no longer permitted to preach but to beg. There sat in sadness [cc], nay rather in ruin, Rome, the mistress of nations, the queen of the world, the mother of all churches and spouse of Christ, the consolation of the sorrowful, the harbour of those in peril. There is no [dd] greater necessity in the church militant than the lack of the vicar of Christ. For Christ is the beginning of our faith, and the lord pope is His vicar; he is the means through which the erring are joined and led back by inseparable charity to the faith, because for this reason he is the immediate prelate of all, and to him belongs the ordering of all; the wills of all are subject to his authority and dispensation. Christ, being about to ascend to the right hand of God the Father, to perfect the body of His church, left His vicar on earth with every fulness of His power.
[38] finding refuge. An innumerable [ee] people, afflicted with poverty, remained within the walls of the city of Rome; and, everything outside having been devastated and reduced to a wilderness, nothing else remained but the destruction of the city itself. For the whole of Campania being utterly devastated by those Saracens hateful to God, they secretly crossed the river which runs down from the city of Tivoli to Rome, and plundered both the Sabines [ff] and the places adjacent to them. After this Lambert [gg], the son of Guido, duke of Spoleto, sending Adalbert the marquis, alas, alas! they make a confederacy against the Christians on behalf of the Saracens.
ANNOTATIONS.
p. Here again Ignatius adds some things, I know not on what authority. The Ostian has thus: For the people of Gaeta at that time served the Roman pontiff only. As regards Justinus, he certainly ordained nothing of the kind, since, when the beginnings of the monastery of Monte Cassino were being laid, he had already died. Then what a Burologium or Curologium privilege properly means I could not easily say. This is certain, that this word is not found in Du Cange's Glossarium nor in its Supplement. Perhaps Ignatius drew his material from the Register of Peter the deacon, which, as Mari notes Ibid. vol. VI, col. 60 and 61., written on parchment in Lombardic characters by order of abbot Senioretto, has 259 leaves, in which are contained many diplomas granted to the monastery of Monte Cassino by Roman pontiffs, emperors, kings and princes. Yet Gattola, who had that Register in hand, nowhere makes mention of Justinus or Justinian in his two by no means thin volumes. So that here, as in most other places where he does not rely on the Ostian, the credibility of Ignatius wavers violently.
q. Probably a fault. Correct from the Ostian: That it should not be granted them to go out even as far as Mola.
r. Docibilis, as in the Ostian, Sigonio, etc. Probably Ignatius wrote Docilis, the more happily to set Indocilis against it. Yet he could equally have written Docibilis, according to that of John VI, 45: They shall all be taught of God (docibiles Deo).
s. Of this name there is no trace either in Sigonio or in the Ostian. The latter has thus Ibid. vol. IV, page 316. Pertz, page 609.: He (Docibilis) sent to Agropoli, and, taking on the Saracens dwelling there, first conducted them by the sea route to the Lake of Fondi, to the place where Sant'Anastasia is called, etc. Sigonio agrees, ubi supra.
t. Correct from the Ostian: on the hills of Formia, that is, according to Nuceus Ibid. note 3., on the hills between Formia, Itri and Gaeta; on which, he says, there still exist frequent ruined little huts or cabins, which by constant tradition are asserted to have been then built and inhabited by the Saracens.
u. Otto I or the Great is meant, his son Otto II, and the father of Otto III, and St. Henry or the Second, who held the throne one after another from the year 936 to the year 1024, in which Henry died Art de vérifier les dates, page 437 and following..
v. According to Nuceus Muratori, vol. IV, page 317, note 4., the river Garigliano is designated here, not Mount Garigliano, which neither exists now nor ever existed; whence he charges Pellegrino, who thinks the contrary, with error. For the rest, Ignatius adds of his own: Which was then of our jurisdiction, the Ostian being silent.
x. These things are read thus in the Ostian: In which place, namely, they (the Saracens) were frequently sought out and attacked by various princes of ours, but by the judgment of God they remained unconquered up to the aforesaid time Ibid. page 317.. Some words vary in Wattenbach; the sense is the same Pertz, page 610.. The other things which are narrated by Ignatius up to the end of this chapter are had neither in Erchempert, nor in the Ostian, nor in Sigonio.
y. These things are taken from the letter of Pope John VIII to Count Boso; and it is seventh in order in Labbe Concilia. vol. IX, col. 7..
z. A corrupt passage. Pope John has thus: We have learned by certain report that a very great fleet is coming in primo (as soon as possible) to storm the city, that is a hundred ships, of which fifteen great ones are with horses.
aa. From the Letter (21st in order) of the same John to the emperor Charles the Bald Concilia, vol. IX, col. 17..
bb. The thresholds of the princes of the apostles alone have been left them as a refuge, since the bishop's houses, etc. Ibid..
cc. From the same Letter Ibid. col. 18..
dd. From here to the end of the number the style not obscurely betrays Ignatius.
ee. From the Letter XXX of Pope John VIII to Charles Ibid. col. 26., a few things being changed at the beginning: For so great are (the evils) that within the walls of the city the remnants of the people remain, afflicted with uncounted poverty, and, everything outside, etc.
ff. The Sabines.
gg. See, among others, Letter XLV to Aio, bishop of Benevento col. 39..
CHAPTER IV.
The sack of the monastery of Monte Cassino. The death and burial of St. Bertharius.
The Saracens raging Seeing which, the holy martyr and archimandrite Bertharius a, gathering an army, and addressing his flock with many exhortations, from the very beginning of his election up to the passion which (he underwent) gloriously for Christ and for the flock committed to him, and also for the protection of the property both of his monastery and of the holy Roman universal church, never ceased to fight against the Saracens, the invaders of the churches, nay the most hostile oppressors of the faithful Christians. When, therefore, the Saracens who were dwelling at the Garigliano perceived this league, bursting out into excessive audacity and elation, they add evils to evils.
[40] burn Monte Cassino; Since, then, the servant of Christ, prince and leader of the Christians, Bertharius, was fighting against them and overcoming them, having held a council, with the favour and likewise the counsel of their confederates, they all rise up against the champion of Christ, saying: that they could by no means securely obtain the dominion of the Italian kingdom unless we destroy Bertharius, the defender and protector of the Christians, by giving him over to death; and so we shall reign securely. Gathered together into one, let us rush unexpectedly upon him. In these days also the monastery of Monte Cassino was invaded b by the Saracens and burned, all who were found there being slain with the sword for the faith of Christ, a few barely escaping, on the day before the nones of September, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation eight hundred and eighty-two c, John the eighth d governing the apostolic see.
[41] St. Bertharius consoles the brethren But the Lord's martyr Bertharius, lamenting the slaughter of his sheep and the desolation and sacking of the monastery, gathering the brethren who had remained in the monastery of the Lord Saviour, which was below, and strengthening them for the contests that were to come, said: When the weight of oppressions and persecutions presses upon us, let us invoke the help of Christ to prepare the minds of the faithful; we ought to put nothing before the charity of Him by whose blood we have been redeemed; as He Himself said: He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that taketh not up his cross and followeth me is not my disciple. And in Deuteronomy: Who hath said to his father and to his mother, I do not know you, and they have not known their own children, these have kept my precepts and observed my covenant. And Christ our Lord died for all, that they who live may not live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again. But O truly blessed church of Monte Cassino, most worthy of all praise, which the presence and the precious death of the slain brethren has made illustrious! O blessed church, which has sent martyrs to God! O happy monastery, more lucid than the sun itself and brighter than light itself, where martyrs now lie unburied and limbs sanctified by divine confessions! O church of Monte Cassino, not only adorned with emerald stones but also wonderfully distinguished with amethystine ones! O happy church of Monte Cassino, from which have come forth not only bountiful confessors but also palm-bearing martyrs! Happy the times of my government, when the Holy Spirit animated the flock committed to me to the endurance of suffering! Nor is that to be called death, but immortality; nor temporal punishment, but everlasting glory e.
[42] and having gathered them below, prepares them for martyrdom. When he had said these things, he went up to the most sacred monastery, purpled with the blood of the holy martyrs, and, committing the bodies of the holy martyrs to worthy burial, and finding the same monastery burned, he came down. Not long after, on the forty-ninth day f after the slaughter of the Cassinese, the Saracens who resided near the Garigliano, gathered together into one, began to come to burn the said monastery of the Saviour and to kill the archimandrite and the monks. Learning which, the brethren said to Bertharius, the future martyr of Christ: What shall we do, Father? Behold, the Saracens are hastening to kill us. And the Saint: My bowels, and the joy and solace of my heart, my soul, than which I possess nothing dearer, I willingly lay down for you and for love of you. What more do you wish that we should do for you? And they said: That you command us to withdraw with the precepts and the offerings and to give place for a time. Then the Saint, using fatherly solicitude, said to them: Now the Lord, walking again among men, says: He that will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For we ought to consider the martyrs; this is the foundation of the faith, this the safeguard of salvation, this the bond of liberty and honour. And although there are other things through which they can scarcely attain, yet one arrives at the nearness of the promised reward better when punishments and tribulations are our patrons. And since there are among you some brethren set in youth, and perhaps they fear to approach the crisis of this contest that is to come, as being less fit, we admonish that, having taken up the furniture of the monastery, they set out for Teano to stay there for a time. O true and unfeigned charity! O blessed Man, with what praises I should extol you I know not, or to whom I should compare you I am ignorant!
[43] The Saracens rushing in again slay the holy Abbot When, therefore, by the just judgment of God Italy was being devastated by the Ishmaelites, and the aforesaid Man of the Lord alone g fought most fiercely against their savagery for the defence of the Christians through the turnings of seventeen years, the Saracens, having taken counsel, secretly embarked on ships, and coming to the monastery of the Lord Saviour, which is situated at the foot of Mount Cassino, they enter the church, and there find Bertharius, the future martyr of Christ. And when they had come to him, they said: Are you Bertharius, who until now have defended the Christians, and for their deliverance and liberty have twice [h] gone beyond the mountains to the emperor against us? It is just, therefore, that
you should undergo death for them and for the faith of your God, which you have so stubbornly defended. Making a din with clamorous voices with these and more things, they surrounded him. And when the precious Confessor of Christ answered nothing to these things, but was devoutly performing the solemnities of the Mass, which he had begun, upon the altar of blessed Martin, as he was accustomed, fearless and confident as a lion, with hands and eyes raised to heaven he said: Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. Without delay the Saracens thus beheaded the Saint upon the altar; and while he offers a victim to Christ, he himself also was made a victim of Christ; and rushing with great violence upon laymen and monks, a few barely escaping, all the rest were slain in the faith of Christ i.
[44] and they burn the monastery, except the church. After this the Saracens, devastating the whole monastery and trying to burn it, to prove the splendid merits and the notable martyrdom of the glorious martyr Bertharius, were by no means able to burn his (corpse), lest the body of the glorious Martyr, not yet buried, should lie open to outrage. O wonderful piety of God, ever overflowing toward His Saints! The timbers, which are wont to be the fuel of fire, turned into the hardness of rocks, shunned the fire-vomiting balls as if they were water, and so, applying fire through the space of a day by various devices, by the help and protection of God and the merits of the saints, they could not accomplish (the burning). And so it alone (the church), to prove so great a miracle, was rescued from the flames out of the whole monastery of Monte Cassino k.
[45] The companions and burial of the holy Abbot; And they, laden with the spoils of the monastery, rejoicing and triumphing, returned to the Garigliano. But the number of those who were slain both in the said monastery of Monte Cassino, where the body of blessed Benedict rests, and in the monastery of the Lord Saviour, He alone knows who created and crowned them. For almost all the monks from the possessions of the monastery of Monte Cassino throughout all Italy, fleeing for fear of the Saracens together with other faithful, men and women, had come to Monte Cassino, led by the fame of the virtues of the blessed man Bertharius, and he, bestowing on all of them the support of life with generous hand, sustained their need; all of whom were slain for the faith of Christ, a few barely escaping. And the holy martyr of Christ Bertharius suffered with almost the whole flock committed to him, and was buried on the eleventh of the Kalends of November in the year of the Lord eight hundred and eighty-four l, in the second indiction. And his most sacred body was buried next to the church of St. Benedict in the chapter-house of Monte Cassino.
[46] his writings And he wrote m not contemptible little works; but the chief are those which he published when already established as abbot; he wrote a sermon on St. Luke the evangelist, a homily on blessed Scholastica; he also accomplished a book of difficult sentences both of the old and of the new Testament, and called it Antimenon (sic). And on the life, death and miracles of blessed Benedict, and to the empress Algerbesca and others his friends, he made wonderful verses.
[47] The vengeance of God on the slayers of the holy Martyr. But the heavenly vengeance did not long fail the wicked, the divine sentence casting them all together. For King ab Raymo n, surnamed Castalla, gathering an innumerable army both of those parties which had desolated Italy and unjustly slain the holy Martyrs of Christ, and of other parties, entered Sicily, and, taking it away from the monks of Monte Cassino after the death of the holy man Bertharius, (beheaded for the faith of Christ) as many monks as he came upon or found there. And coming in another year, the city of Taormina o, namely, which alone remained of the possessions of the monastery of Monte Cassino, was taken by the Saracens; but by the judgment of God and the merits of blessed Benedict and of the glorious martyr Bertharius, the same king, in the same year in which he had despoiled the monastery of Monte Cassino of its property, perished by a bitter death near Cosenza [p], a city of Calabria. But divine vengeance also pursued those who had raised their hands against the body of the blessed man Bertharius. For a short time after, Basil [q], emperor of the eastern Romans, directed an army with a naval expedition to ruin and destroy them. And [r] first they separated the Christian princes of Naples and Gaeta from their alliance, and so advanced against them. And on the other side Pope John the tenth [s], coming with Alberic, the patrician and dictator of the Tusculans, his brother, and the archimandrite of Monte Cassino and a strong band of fighters, besieged them so on every side that they left them nothing for food. And when they were suffering exceedingly from hunger, and hoped by no device, by no means ever, to escape the hands of the said patrician, and saw death itself before their eyes, they burn all their houses, and so, making an attack with one accord, fleeing through the mountains, valleys and nearby forests, they are scattered; and Alberic, with Greeks and Latins, pursuing them more urgently, slew almost all, scarcely a very few of so great a multitude remaining. In the year of the Lord nine hundred and one [t]. But Thou.
ANNOTATIONS.
h. See above.
p. Cosentia, now Cosenza, to the Romans Consentia; of which in the Description of Hither Calabria In Graevius, vol. IX, vol. I, col. 70.: This city lies among seven small hills by which it is surrounded; but toward the North it is touched by a huge plain, having a length of twenty miles, etc. It is fifteen kilometres distant from the Adriatic, and has 9000 inhabitants. A metropolitan see Guibert..
q. Fazello narrates Graevius, vol. X, vol. IV, col. 474. that the Saracens, in the reign of Basil, having taken possession of all Sicily except Taormina, defiled with fires whatever cities, towns and places they found in Sicily; but chose Palermo for their royal seat; and making sallies thence, plundered Calabria and Apulia as far as the Peloponnese. Further, Basil sent against them a great band of soldiers chosen from Macedonia and Thrace…. Fazello then adds that the Saracens, routed several times, were compelled to live in Sicily as if banished, and could not go beyond its borders without peril. Basil reigned from the year 867 to the year 886 Art de vérifier les dates, page 373..
r. What follows to the end is taken from the Ostian, book I, chapter 52 Muratori, vol. IV, page 325 and 326. Pertz, vol. VII, page 616 and 617., where he narrates the expulsion of the Saracens from the Garigliano. But the chronology not easily
is reconciled with what was said in the preceding Annotation. Unless someone should say that the Saracens under the emperor Basil were cast out of all Italy except the Garigliano.
s. Leo of Ostia: Together with Alberic the marquis. He is silent about the Dictator and the Archimandrite.
t. In the year of the Lord's incarnation nine hundred and fifteen, in the third Indiction, in the month of August. The Ostian Ubi supra, page 326..