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Dialogues
St Gregory the Dialogist, tr. P. W., 1608
Book 3, 3. Of St. Agapitus, the Pope
1 Not long after, about business concerning the Goths, the most blessed man Agapitus, Bishop of this holy church of Rome (in which by God’s providence I do now serve), went to the Emperor Justinian. And, as he was travelling through Greece, a dumb and lame man was brought unto him for help. The holy man carefully demanded of his kinsfolk, that brought him thither and stood there weeping, whether they did believe that it was in his power to cure him: who answered, that they did firmly hope that he might help him in the virtue of God by the authority of St. Peter: upon which words forthwith the venerable man fell to his prayers, and beginning solemn mass, he offered sacrifice in the sight of almighty God: which being ended, he came from the altar, took the lame man by the hand, and straightways, in the presence and sight of all the people, he restored him to the use of his legs: and after he had put our Lord’s body into his mouth, that tongue, which long time before had not spoken, was loosed. At which miracle all did wonder, and began to weep for joy: and forthwith both fear and reverence possessed their minds, beholding what Agapitus could do in the power of our Lord, by the help of St. Peter.
Notes
- Chapter III. p. 109. Agapitus I., a Roman noble, was elected Pope in 535, when Justinian, the nephew and successor of Justin, was preparing to reconquer Italy from the Goths. He went to Constantinople, at once to make peace (in which he was unsuccessful) and to procure the deposition of the patriarch Anthimus, who adhered to the Monophysite heresy and was supported by the Empress Theodora. There the Pope suddenly died in April 536. Dante (Par. vi. 10-21) makes Justinian represent himself as converted from the Monophysites by the words of Agapitus:
“ Cesare fui, e son Giustiniano,
Che, per voler del primo amor ch’io sento,
D’entro le leggi trassi il troppo e il vano.
E prima ch’io all’opra fossi attento,
Una natura in Cristo esser, non piue,
Credeva, e di tal fede era contento;
Ma il benedetto Agapito, che fue
Sommo pastore, alia fede sincera
Mi dirizzò con le parole sue.
Io gli credetti, e ciò che in fede sua era
Veggio ora chiaro, si come tu vedi
Ogni contraddizion e falsa e vera.”