Letter 11*
2. [...] She [Severa, a renown heretic] told me among other things that a certain presbyter, Severus, renowned for his wealth and power as well as for his writings, the leader of this teaching, had in vain cast upon his deceased mother the odium of his treachery. For, when in the previous year the same Severus, thinking that the barbarians had withdrawn, tried after his mother's death to reach the village in which he lived, our Lord Jesus Christ, who sees all secrets and governs all events, willed that his baggage be seized by the barbarians in order that such a great crime might be revealed. [...]
Afterwards, the barbarians realised that the codices were heretical and left them with the bishop of Lerida.
3.Bishop Titian handed over the book he received to Syagrius, the bishop of Huesca, because in his church Severus had assumed the title of presbyter by a lie, and Titian advised him to examine the faith of his presbyter by a careful investigation. But Bishop Syagrius, a man equally holy and Catholic but too credulous and unwisely kind, believed Severus, who covered up his sacrilege by arguments, lies, and perjury so that he also convinced the others that Severus, judging harmless those books that he had inherited from his mother, had wanted to take them with him to his own village in order that, when his mind was unoccupied, he might read them there or even test their character. Since these claims, then, were believed by all, that little woman, Severa, who disclosed all the secrets of her crimes to me as if I were a heretic, also betrayed the presbyter Severus, saying that for a price he had received from Bishop Sagittius the books that he had pretended belonged to his mother, though they had been fraudulently mutilated.
Fronto later brought a formal accusation against Severus to the Church authorities in Tarragona.
4. [...] Afterward, however, when in opposition to me Severus relied on the power of an illustrious and prominent man, his relative, Count Asterius, he brought it about that the woman I mentioned had recourse to the help of a very powerful woman, his niece, the daughter of Count Asterius, and, after being received into his headquarters, which were surrounded by numerous soldiers, she denied all her confessions, while using perjury for her defense.
Many people of Tarragona demonstrate violently in his defence, and he asks for the help of Asterius, his relative:
7. [...] But at the same time, having composed a list of false charges, Severus sent a letter to his relative, the illustrious man Count Asterius, and to all his other friends and relatives, very powerful men. [...]
Fronto is violently opposed by bishops, and only Asterius himself comes to his defence:
11. [...] The count himself, however, asked with wisdom and moderation why I was attacking his house and his relative, a priest, with
such hatred. I said to him, 'Do you, O noble and illustrious man, think that it is hatred because I want to purify your house, because I want those whom the snake Severus has injected with a deadly venom to be set free from the dangers of eternal death by the infusion of an antidote of most merciful strictness?' [...]
The count answers:
[...] But with regard to the faith of Severus and the others, although they are linked to me by some blood relationship...
The atmosphere continues to be unfavourable to Fronto, who is threatened with stoning.
17. [...] On the same day in the afternoon Bishop Syagrius arrived, and because I knew that he was the principal supporter of his priest, Severus...
Severus and his friends are later absolved, Fronto appeals to bishop Patroclus of Arles, who convokes a council in Béziers. We do not know the outcome.
(trans. R.Teske, slightly altered)
