The Life of Saint Severinus

Sources chrétiennes #374

by George Washington Robinson

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. This text refers to the Bibliobazaar edition.

Genres: History, Christianity

140 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 1914

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty singular historical source for life on the Roman frontier in the fifth century as the empire fell. I read it after seeing the analysis in Thompson's Romans and Barbarians, and it's great to hear Eugippius's voice come through in the actual text.

This edition is available free on Google books. The translation (1914) is a little old fashioned but Robinson's notes are thorough and very valuable. The cover image (Joan of Arc?) here on goodreads should be updated.

[John Cairns · Rating 3 out of 5]

It shows just how superstitious the elite had become with the onset of Xianity whether as cause or symptom. It's basically a parti pris biography as all Xian writing is, basically a lie from end to end eg Severinus is supposed to have recalled Silvinius from the dead who conveniently wanted to be left dead. Only the already converted would believe the raising in the first place and the sceptical, giving the report any credence at all, would supply a different explanation and even so doubt what Silvinius was supposed to have said, about being deprived of everlasting rest. The editor's comment is amusing, that the gratitude of the catechumen recalled to life by St Martin was greater in proportion as his reception in the other world had been different. The value of this book resides in such notes and in what it incidentally tells of the past.

When asked where he'd come from, Severinus suspectly evades giving a straight answer. That I can believe. Locusts were supposed to have been eradicated by prayers as directed by Severinus except for one faithless peasant who set about getting rid of them from his plot which - would you believe! - was the only one consumed. He was then bribed into belief. Is there any point trying to sift this chaff for grain? Likewise the dispensing of everflowing oil to the poor until someone remarks the pot of oil overflows like a fountain, whereupon it ceases to do so, and he's told off. The speech sounds authentic enough. A blind man wasn't cured but told to look in and after forty years died, blind.

My comment on Severinus' perceiving he was about to pass from this world was 'thank god!' but his 'passing' takes many pages and on disinterment his corpse is intact and has the smell of roses! fragrant anyway.