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SELECTIONS FROM EIGHT BOOKS OF MIRACLES 255 that For tuna tus at the least were here to describe them. I have no skill for such a task and I should be blamed if I undertook it." But she said: "Don^t you know that now-a-days on account of the people's ignorance one who speaks as you can is more clearly understood? Therefore do not hesitate or delay, for you will be guilty if you pass this over in silence." So I wished to follow her advice and was doubly tortured with grief and fear; grief that miracles as great as were done under our predecessors should not be recorded ; fear of undertaking so noble a task, ignorant as I am. However, led on by the hope of divine mercy, I am going to attempt the task thus urged upon me. For, as I suppose, He who pro- duced water in the desert from a dry rock and cooled the thirsty people, is able to set these matters forth in my words ; and it will be surely proved that he has again opened the ass's mouth if he deigns to open my lips and make known these miracles through an untaught person like me. But why should I fear my ignorance when the Lord our God and Redeemer chose not orators, but j&shermen, not philosophers, but countrymen, to destroy the vanity of worldly wisdom. I have confidence, then, thanks to your prayers, that even if my rude speech cannot adorn the page, the great bishop will give it fame by his glorious miracles. Remarkable Exercise of "Virtue" by St. Martin (Ibid., Book I, Ch. 20) Since I have told two or three times how miracles were per- formed and dangers averted by the mere invocation of the glorious name, I shall now describe how the blessed bishop was called upon and brought help to one who was falling headlong to death ! ^ Ammonius, an officer of the holy church, arose from dinner some- what under the influence of wine, and, the enemy giving him a push, he fell headlong over a lofty cliff that bordered the road. There was there a drop of about two hundred feet. While he was whirling about as he fell headlong and was flying down without wings he kept crying for aid from St. Martin at every instant of 1 Gregory's interest in this miracle is one of technique. As a rule material " touch " of the source of "virtue" was regarded as a necessity, but "mere invocation" was sometimes effective. The cure that is related is an extreme form of the latter. See Introd. XX, xxi.