Eugippius, The Life of St. Severinus (1914) pp.115-126. Appendix

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

I. A List of Editions and Translations of the Life 

(a) Editions

Laurentius Surius, in De Probatis Sanctorum Historiis, vol. i (Coloniae Agrippinae, 1570), pp. 153-161. Printed from a greatly abridged manuscript, now lost. Lacks the letters and the table of chapters; chapters 6, 13, 14, 16, 18-31, 39, 42; and parts of chapters 4, 9, 11, 12, 17, and 43.¹ Repeated in the editions of 1576 (ibid.), i, pp. 159-167, and 1581 (Venetiis), i, ff. 49-52. The third Cologne edition of Surius, published under the title Vitae Sanctorum (1617) repeats (i, pp. 111-121) Velserus's text of 1595, with the addition of the letter of Eugippius to Paschasius.

The latest edition of Surius (Augustae Taurinorum, 1875-80) reproduces the mutilated text of the earliest editions. Tom. i, pp. 137-150.

Caesar Baronius, Annales Ecclesiastici, tom. vi (Romae, 1595), first printed the letter of Paschasius to Eugippius (a. 496) and that part of the letter of Eugippius to Paschasius which relates to the native country of Severinus (a. 454); also chapters 18,19, and 42. Baronius |118 had the Life complete in manuscript, and printed nearly a third of it in the Annals under the years 454, 473, 475, 482, 488, 493, 496.² These portions are repeated in the subsequent editions of his work, of which there are ten or more.

Marcus Velserus. Historia ab Eugippio ante Annos circiter MC. scripta, qua Tempora, quae Attilae mortem consequuta sunt, occasione vitae S. Severini illustrantur. Ex Bibliotheca S. Emmerani Reginoburg. nunc primum edita, cum scholiis. Augustae Vindelicorum, 1595. Without the letter of Eugippius and the table of chapters. The first separate edition. Repeated in Velserus's Opera (ibid., 1682), pp. 629-676.

Henricus Canisius, Antiqua Lectio, tom. vi (Ingolstadii, 1604), first printed entire the letter of Eugippius to Paschasius. This is found in the second edition of Canisius, by Jacques Basnage (Thesaurus Monumentorum, etc., Amstelaedami, 1725), in vol. i, pp. 411 f.

Joannes Bolland, in Acta Sanctorum, Januarius, tom. i (Antverpiae, 1643), pp. 483-499; editio novissima, tom. i (Parisiis, etc., 1863), pp. 483-499. |119 

Hieronymus Pez, in Scriptores Rerum Austriacarum, tom. i (Lipsiae, 1721), coll. 64-93.

Berthold Rizel, in Sancta et Beata Austria (Augustae Vindelicorum, 1750), pp. 71-124. Repeated from Pez.

Joseph Resch, in Annales Ecclesiae Sabionensis nunc Brixinensis atque Conterminarum (Augustae Vindelicorum, 1760), tom. i, pp. 296-322. A number of chapters toward the end are abbreviated.

Johann Heinrich von Falckenstein, in Geschichten des grossen Herzogthums und ehemaligen Königreichs Bayern, part i (Munich, etc.,1763), pp. 79-120.

Anton Albert Muchar, in Das römische Norikum, vol. ii (Grätz, 1826), pp. 152-239. Repeated from Pez.

Jacques Paul Migne, in Patrologiae Cursus Completus, vol. lxii (Parisiis, 1848), coll. 1167-1200. Repeated from Acta Sanctorum. The letter of Paschasius is in the same volume, coll. 39 f.

Anton Kerschbaumer. Vita S. Severini, auctore Eugippio, secundum Codicem anliquissimum, qui Romae asservatur. Cum tabula specimen codicis Lateranensis continente. Scaphusiae, 1862. The first edition to contain the table of chapters.

Johann Friedrich, in Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands, vol. i (Bamberg, 1867), pp. 431-489.

Hermann Sauppe. Eugippii Vita Sancti Severini. Berolini, 1877. In Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctores Antiquissimi, tom. i, pars ii.

PiusKnoell. Eugippii Vita Sancti Severini. Vindobonae, 1886. In Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, vol. viii, pars ii.

Theodor Mommsen. Eugippii Vita Severini. Berolini, 1898. In Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum in usum Scholarum ex Monumentis Germaniae Hisioricis recusi. |120 

(b) German Translations

Johannes a Via. Das Leben des H. Severini Nortgowischen Apostels, durch Eugippium beschriben. In his Historien der Lieben Heiligen Gottes, aus dem Latein [of Surius] verteutschet (Munich, 1574-80), vol. i, ff. xciv-xcix.

Mathias Fuhrmann. Leben und Wunderthaten des Heiligen Nordgauer, oder Oesterreicher Apostels Severin. Vienna, 1746.

Johann Heinrich von Falckenstein, 1763, in columns parallel to his text.

Leben des heil. Severin, aus dem Latein. Passau, 1817.

P. Durach. Das Leben des h. Severin. Passau, 1847.

Carl Ritter. Das Leben des heiligen Mönches und Apostels der Noriker Severin, beschrieben von Eugippius. Linz, 1853.

Jakob Leitner, in Leben und Wirken des Hl. Severin und der heiligen Bischöfe Maximilian und Valentin (3d edition, Passau, 1868), pp. 112-174.

Karl Rodenberg. Leben des heiligen Severin, von Eugippius. Leipsic, 1878; 2d edition, 1884. In Geschicht-Schreiber der deutschen Vorzeit.

Sebastian Brunner. Das Leben des Noriker-Apostels St. Severin, von seinem Schüler Eugippius. Die wichtigste Urkunde aus der Zeit der Völkerwanderung. Aus dem Lateinischen. Mit Einleitung, Erklärungen, möglichst vollständiger Literatur und einem Bericht über die Grabestätten St. Severins bis auf die neueste Zeit. Mit einer Abbildung der neuen St. Severinuskirche in Wien. Vienna, 1879. |121 

(c) French Translation ³

In Jean Baptiste Carnandet's Les Actes des Saints, Janvier, iii (Lyons, 1867), pp. 481-509.

II. A Latin Hymn in Praise of Saint Severinus ⁴

Canticum laudis domino canentes 
Hunc diem festum celebremus omnes, 
Quo Severinus penetravit almus
Celsa polorum.
Quis stilo dives modulansque plectro 
Cuncta signorum replicare possit, 
Quae potens Christus studiis opimis
Contulit ejus? |122 
Inclitus vates nimiumque felix,
Saepius cui deus intimabat                             (11,39,
Tunc ad oppressi populi salutem                           40)
Multa futura,
Voce praesaga laqueos latronum                          (10)
Atque praedonum machinas retexens                 (4, 5)
Valde tutabat monitis supernis                 (11, 25, 30)
Oppida fessa.
Dulce solamen miseris ministrans Horridam pestem famis amputavit,                 (3, 18)
Barbara plures feritate victos                  (8, 9, 10, 19)
Solvit ab hoste.
Magne confessor, humilis magister,                      (36)
Tu quidem normam monachis dedisti,          (4, 9, 39)
Calle demonstrans sobrio sequaces
Scandere celum.  |123
In tuis sacris manibus refulsit                              (13)
Celitus lumen, refluensque crevit
Ad tuos haustus olei liquamen                             (28)
Fontis ad instar.
Condolens cunctos inopes fovebat,                       (17)
Languidos sanans relevabat aegros:                  (6, 14,
Omnis accedens salubrem medelam            33, 34, 38,
Sumpsit ab illo.                                          39)
Tuque Sylvinum loculo jacentem,                        (16)
Fratribus coram precibus peractis, 
Morte devicta redire fecisti ad
Gaudia vitae.
Cereos flamma fidei cremante                              (11)
Arguit sanctus pater infideles: 
Nosque flammescunt deitatis igne
Algida corda.
Cujus ad funus veniens sacratum 
Mutus accepit modulos loquelae,                         (45)
Caecus exultat procul ambulantes                        (46)
Cernere notos.
Neapolis, gaude redimita festa, 
Plaude caelestem retinens patronum, 
Quem tibi summus decus et juvamen
Praestitit auctor. Hujus o clemens meritis creator 
Gloriam nobis veniamque confer, 
Quo tui cultus super astra semper
Luce fruamur.
Gloriam patri resonemus omnes, 
Gloriam Christo supplices canamus, 
Cum quibus sanctus simul et creator
Spiritus regnat. |124 

Translation

Singing a song of praise unto the Lord, let us all celebrate this festal day, on which kind Severinus entered the heights of heaven.

What eloquent pen, what tuneful lyre can repeat all the miracles which mighty Christ bestowed upon his excellent zeal?

Seer of renown and exceeding good omen, to whom, for the salvation of the people then prostrate, God often made known many things that were to come.

With prophetic word he unravelled the snares of robbers and the tricks of plunderers, and by supernal warnings strongly defended the exhausted towns.

Giving sweet relief to the unfortunate, he banished the horrid curse of famine, and set free from the foe many who had been conquered by the fierce barbarians.

Great confessor, meek master, thou didst indeed give a pattern to the monks, showing them how to mount to heaven, following in the narrow path of temperance.

In thy sacred hands glittered the light from heaven; and the oil at thy drawing overflowed and increased like a fountain.

He sympathized with all the destitute, and cherished them; he healed the sick, he relieved the suffering: every one who approached received healing remedy.

And in the presence of the brethren thou didst pray over Silvinus as he lay in the coffin, and, conquering death, bring him back to the joys of life.

By the flame that burned the waxen tapers of the faithful the holy father convicted the unbelievers; and our cold hearts flame with the fire of God. |125 

Coming to his sacred burial, the dumb received speech, the blind exulteth to recognize those that walk afar.

Naples, rejoice in thy festal crown! Clap thy hands, keeping the heavenly patron whom the sovereign Author hath bestowed upon thee as thy honor and help.

For his merits, O merciful Creator, grant us glory and pardon, that above the stars we may ever enjoy the light of thy worship.

Let us all resound glory to the Father, let us in suppliance sing glory unto Christ; with whom reigneth the Holy Spirit and Creator.

III. Chronological Table

(Numerals in parentheses refer to chapters of the Life.)

453. Death of Attila. At about this time Severinus comes "from the parts of the East to the marches of Riverside Noricum and the Pannonias" (i).

455,9 Sept. Sabaria is destroyed by an earthquake (2?).

476, 23 Aug. Odoacer is proclaimed ruler of Italy.

28 Aug. The patrician Orestes is "unjustly slain." (Letter to Paschasius).

Autumn or winter? Primenius takes refuge with Severinus (ibid.).

c. 482, 8 Jan. Death of Severinus at his monastery near Favianis (43).

487. Odoacer wages war on the Rugii. Fredericus flees. Feletheus and Giso are removed to Italy (44).

488? Fredericus returns. He is again put to flight, this time by an army which Odoacer sends under his brother Onoülfus. Onoülfus and Count Pierius |126 order the Roman provincials of Riverside Noricum to withdraw to Italy. The body of Severinus is disinterred, and is accompanied by the monks to Mount Feleter, in Italy. The provincials are assigned abodes "through the different districts of Italy" (44).

Fredericus goes to Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, at Novae in Moesia (44).

489. Theodoric, with the authorization of the Emperor Zeno, invades Italy, and defeats Odoacer at the Isonzo (28 Aug.) and at Verona (30 Sept.). Fulfillment of the prophecy of Severinus (32).

492-96. Gelasius is pope. Sometime during his pontificate, the body of Severinus is removed to the Lucullan castle, near Naples, and there placed by Saint Victor, bishop of Naples, in a mausoleum built for it by Barbaria (46).

493, 27 Feb. Peace between Theodoric and Odoacer. 15 Mar. Odoacer is assassinated by Theodoric, who becomes sole ruler of Italy.

511. Eugippius, second abbot of the monastery of Saint Severinus at the Lucullan castle, sends the Life of Severinus to Deacon Paschasius.

526, 30 Aug. Death of Theodoric.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ There is a very curious bias displayed in some of the omissions. These include the descriptions of the habits and daily life of Severinus (4, 39); the rehabilitation of the repentant husbandman (12); and the exhortation to the monks to lead lives of practical godliness (4,3).

2. ¹ A table of the chapters of the Life printed by Baronius may be of service. The first column gives the year of the Annals; the second, the sections, which are found in several of the editions; the third, page references to tom. viii (1751) of the best edition, that of Lucca; the fourth, the chapters of the Life.

3. ¹  Tillemont, whose accuracy is commonly unimpeachable, says of the Life (Mémoires pour servir a l'Histoire Ecclesiastique des six Premiers Siècles, Paris, 1701-12, xvi, p. 180) " Elle est traduite en françois dans les Saints illustres de Mr. d'Andilli." A careful search, however, has so far failed to reveal such a translation. The reference to it in Remy Ceillier's Histoire Générale, des Auteurs Sacrés et Ecclésiastiques (Paris, 1729-63), xvi, p. 158, may be borrowed from Tillemont.

4. ²  A remarkable Neapolitan hymnary, apparently that of the monastery of Saint Severinus, is preserved in two closely related manuscripts of about the end of the tenth century, Codex Vaticanus 7172 and MS. 1092 of the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris. Guido Maria Dreves has printed it from these, under the title of Hymnarius Severi-nianus, as volume xiv a of Analecta Hymnica Medii Aevi (Leipsic, 1893). In it are two hymns (34 and 35, in Dreves's edition) in praise of Saint Severinus. The second dates from the tenth century, as is shown by its reference to the signs and wonders that accompanied the translation of the relics of the saint from the Lucullan castle to Naples. It contains nothing of biographical interest. The other was first published by Antoine Frédéric Ozanam, in his Documents Inédits pour servir a l'Histoire Littéraire de l'Italie (Paris, 1850), pp. 241 ff., from the Vatican manuscript. It is Ozanam's opinion that it was composed shortly after the preparation of the Life. The classical purity of form and the unblurred outline of the story strongly support this view. After Ozanam, Migne, Sauppe, Knoell, and Mommsen, in their editions of the Life, and Dreves (as above) have printed the hymn. Dreves alone has used the Paris manuscript. He has also supplied, from another hymn with a similar ending, the last three lines of the final stanza, the Doxology, which is incomplete in the manuscripts. His text is, however, carelessly printed. André Baudrillart gives a French translation as an appendix to his Saint Séverin (1908). Sebastian Brunner in his translation of the Life (1879), pp. 181 f., gives in German a very free metrical paraphrase, "so arranged," he says, "that it might be sung as a church hymn on the festival of the saint." Its suitability for this purpose is lessened by the fact that Brunner has inadvertently substituted 'Silenus' for 'Silvinus' in his rendering of the ninth stanza.

The text which is here presented follows that of Mommsen, with some correction of punctuation, and with the completing verses of the Doxology from Dreves. The marginal numerals in parentheses refer to chapters of the Life.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, Ipswich, UK, 2004.  All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from here.