Library › St Gregory of Tours › History of the Franks
History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 9, 5. Of Portents
Many prodigies were now seen. In the houses of various persons vessels were found inscribed with unknown characters which could in no wise be either scraped or rubbed away. This wonder began in the territory of Chartres, and passing by way of Orleans, reached that of Bordeaux, leaving out no single intermediate city. In the eighth month1 we saw in the vineyards, after the vintage was over, fresh shoots with misformed grapes; on other kinds of trees new leaves and new fruits appeared. Rays were observed in the northern sky. Certain persons declared that they had seen snakes fall from the clouds; others affirmed that by a sudden destruction a whole village had vanished from sight, houses, inmates and all. Many other signs appeared, such as usually herald a king’s death or the ruin of much country. The vintage in this year was poor, the waters in excess; there were very heavy rains, and the rivers were greatly swollen.
Notes
- October.