Gregory of Tours Reflections
Book 1 has three core elements that stand out, which includes the spectacle of
martyrdom, the punishment for those who reject Christ, and the teleological path of religion.
One of the major themes of the First Book that stands out is remembering and honouring those who died in the name of Christ, ie., martyrs. This is seen by the constant mentioning all those who died in the name of Christ, such as Liminius, Antolianus, Stephen, and Mark the Evangelist, who received the “glorious crown of martyrdom”. For Christians, martyrdom is one of the highest praises one can achieve, as a person is dying for the ultimate Good, as they are dying in the name of the Lord. By sacrificing themselves in the present, they are allowing themselves to live in Heaven for eternity with the Lord. At the beginning of the book, Gregory of Tours mentions that he has written the book to keep alive the memory and spirit of those who died, and by acknowledging those martyrs, he is preventing their memories from fading into oblivion.
A second theme in the book that jumps out is the fact that anybody who turns away from the Lord is met with oppression and punishment. This is seen in a number of instances. An example is with the Israelites who turned to idolatry and other sins. For turning away from the Lord, they met punishment as God sent Nebuchadnezzar to hold them captive at Babylon. Also, the evil ruler Nero, who had sexual intercourse with mother and sister alike, was seen as being the most evil of Christian persecutors. For subduing Christians for so long, a revolt stirred up against him, which forced him to take his own life.
A third theme found in Book 1 is that of teleology. Religion believes in the process from creation to the Book of Revelation, from the beginning of days to the end of days. The fact that the book starts off with the story of Creation, and continues in a linear process of events, shows the teleological nature of the book.
Book 2
The Second Book by Gregory of Tours is a continuation of the first book, but it is also a departure in another sense. Unlike the first book, the second one does not continue a linear path from Creation onwards, but rather tells a linear progression of Tours. It also sets to discuss the lives and works of saints, as well as tell about the hundreds of people who were butchered during this phase.
The second book, much like the first, highlights the importance and dedication of martyrs. Trasamund, an evil tyrant, began torturing and murdering Christians who would not renounce their faith. A young girl is depicted as having suffered cruel punishment by the rack and being pierced with pincers, before having her head cut off. Despite the torture, the girl refused to renounce her faith, suffering in the present so she could enjoy a peaceful eternity. King Huneric saw the importance of martyrdom for Christian followers, so instead of killing them, he believed it would be worse for the Christian follower to be sentenced into exile. By doing this, Huneric would be preventing the believer from following through in enjoying life eternal”. The importance of martyrdom is taken further by the construction of churches to those dying for the Christian cause. The importance of the construction of these churches is that they serve as public history, as a public reminder of those who gave their lives for the Lord. They had their status’ elevated above regular Christians, since they actually died for the cause, thus becoming deserving of public appraisal and memory.
Another comparison between the first two books is the fact that those who pronounce faith in the Lord will be rewarded, while those who denounce Him will be punished. Examples of people punished by turning away from the Lord are the two priests who turned their backs on Sidonious. They removed Sidonous, a devout follower of God, from all power and rank, and accosted him. Since they removed one of God’s own, and ruled through debauchery and sin, one of them died sitting on the toilet (Elvis?) and one later died at a table feast. An example of someone who was rewarded for his follower of God was Clovis, the ruler of Tours. Tours for a period of time was ruled by non Christians, as Clovis refused time and time again to accept God, despite the pleas of his wife. When engaged in a battle, on the verge of defeat, realizing his own gods had failed him, Clovis accepted Christianity. As a result, Clovis was able to defeat the enemy, before expanding the wealth and the size of his country at the hands of others who did not have God on their side. Clovis prevented his soldiers from pillaging people, and engaging in illicit activities, and brought back money to give to the church.
Medieval Chroniclers -- A blog for the use of participants in Nipissing University's HIST 5216
Gregory of Tours is depicted as being the Bishop of Tours, and as a man who came from a wealthy past. At the time he was alive, nobody wrote, as perhaps there was nobody literate enough to read or write it. A hint of this is given at the beginning of Book One, where Gregory apologized in advance for any poor grammar he may be guilty of. Gregory is argued to have seen himself as a historian, writing about historical events, and this is clearly seen throughout his first two narrations. The first book is a narrative from start to beginning about the marvels created by the Lord himself carried out by his saints, while the second book is about chronicling human activity in a remote area, such as the Franks. However, contemporary historians may have seen him naively as a Herodotus of the past, telling the world around him, telling the events he saw, but not necessarily with a “Capital T” Truth. But Goffart argues it is not the truth that is important insomuch it is about getting the reader to understand the Medieval Ages as he is presenting it. This includes the barbarous acts that were committed, the wonders committed by Frankish saints, and the heroism of the Frankish army in defeating its enemies. Gregory is argued to be a staple of medieval and Christian historiography, made all more impressive seeing that he never had any classical training or knowledge of other grand histories. He details himself as an observer, much like Thucydides, and he has the reader believing that he personally witnessed the events.
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