IV.6

 

When they had buried Saint Gall, the bishops who had come to his funeral said to the presbyter Cato, "We observe that you are beloved by the majority of the people. Come, then, join us in agreement (consenti), and we will give you our blessing and consecrate you as bishop. For the king is only a child, and if anyone criticizes you, we will protect you and deal with the nobles (proceribus et primis) from the realm of King Theudebald, so that no injustice will befall you. You may trust implicitly in us, for we give you our support in all this, and if you suffer loss of any sort we will make it up to you from our own resources". To this, filled with proud and vain glory, Cato said, "You are well aware that from the very beginning of my life I have lived piously, being hungry because of fasting, taking pleasure in almsgiving, repeatedly enduring long vigils and the yoke of chanting psalms upright all night. The Lord my God will not now permit me to be deprived of this ordination, for I have shown him such obedience. For I have been promoted through all the clerical ranks according to canonical precept. I was a lector for ten years; for five years I performed the duties of subdeacon; for fifteen years I served as deacon; and I have held the dignity of the presbyterate for the last twenty years. What is left for me to do but to accept episcopacy as the reward for my faithful service? As for you, you should go back to your cities, and if there is something [you can do] to your advantage, do it. For I wish to be ordained to this honour in the canonical way". When they heard this the bishops went on their way, cursing the pride of this man Cato.

 

(trans. Thorpe 1974: 200–201, altered by J. Szafranowski)