The Presbyters Project

X.14

Bishop Audoveus of Angers built a the solarium on city walls. On one occasion, he was descending the walls after the supper he enjoyed on the terrace. He supported himself by lying a hand on Theudulfus, deacon from Paris. Unfortunately for Audoveus, Theudulfus was completely drunk and decided, for unknown reasons, to hit the servant, lighting the way in front of them, on the neck. In effect, Theudulfus lost his balance and fell down from the walls, killing himself. Bishop Audoveus would also have fallen had it not been for an anonymous abba who seized hold of his feet at the last moment.

(ed. Krusch 1937: 500; summarised by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Judging by the place of this passus in Gregory's narrative, this event took place in 590.

Abba denotes here quite probably a presbyter responsible for a basilica, rather than a monastic superior. More on presbyters described as abba, see Pietri 1983.

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Angers

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The History of the Franks, Gregorii episcopi Turonensis historiarum libri X, Histories
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Gregory of Tours (Gaul) wrote his ten books of Histories (known commonly in English as the History of the Franks) during his episcopal reign in Tours between 573 and 594. The books vary in scope and length. The first book covers 5,596 years from the creation of the world to AD 397, that is the death of Saint Martin of Tours, Gregory`s predecessor in bishopric. The second book deals with the history of Gaul between 397 and 511, the latter being the year of death of King Clovis I. The third and fourth books cover the next 64 years till the death of Austrasian King Sigibert II in 575. Finally, the following six books describe exclusively the sixteen years from 575 to 591. Probably in 594, Gregory added the list of bishops of Tours in the end of the Histories, with brief accounts of their actions.

Edition:

B. Krusch ed., Gregorii Episcopi Turonensis Historiarum Libri X [in:] Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingiciarum 1.1, Hannover 1884 (repr. 1951): 1-537.

Translation:

Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, trans. L. Thorpe, London 1974.

Bibliography:

L. Pietri, Les abbés de basilique dans la Gaule du VIe siècle, "Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France" 69 (1983), pp. 5–28.

Categories:

Food/Clothes/Housing - Food and drink

Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter

PR877.

Described by a title - Abba

PR877.

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

PR877.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1938, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1938