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I20 HISTORY OF THE FRANKS what else could I do but repay you with equal value?" The king returned to his lodging, and we being gathered together sat in the consistory of the church of the blessed Peter. And while we were talking together ^Etius, archdeacon of the church of Paris, came suddenly and greeting us said : Hear me, bishops of God who are gathered together ; at this time you shall either exalt your name and shine with the grace of good report or else no one will treat you hereafter as bishops of God if you do not wisely assert your- selves or if you allow your brother to perish." When he said this no one of the bishops made him any answer. For they feared the fury of the queen at whose instance this was be^ng done. As they continued thoughtful with finger on lip, I said : Most holy bish- ops, give your attention, I beg, to my words, and especially you who seem to be on friendly terms with the king ; give him holy and priestly counsel not to burst out in fury at God's servant and perish by his anger and lose kingdom and fame." When I said this all were silent. And in this silence I added : "Remember, my lord bishops, the word of the prophet when he says : ' If the watch- man sees the iniquity of a man and does not declare it, he shall be guilty for a lost soul.' Therefore do not be silent but speak and place the king's sins before his eyes, lest perchance some evil may befall him and you be guilty for his soul. Do you not know what happened lately? How Chlodomer seized Sigismund and thrust him into prison, and Avitus, God's priest, said to him: 'Do not lay violent hands on him and when you go to Burgundy you shall win the victory.' But he disregarded what was said to him by the priest and went and killed him with his wife and sons. And then he marched to Burgundy and was there defeated by the army and slain. What of the emperor Maximus? When he forced the blessed Martin to give communion to a certain bishop who was a homicide and Martin yielded to the wicked king in order the more easily to free the condemned from death, the judgment of the eternal King pursued him and Maximus was driven from the imperial throne and condemned to the worst death." When I said this no one made any answer but all stared in amazement. Still two flat- terers from among them — it is painful to say it of bishops — car- ried the report to the king, saying that he had no greater foe to his purposes than I. At onCe one of the attendants at court was sent