From The Lives of the Popes from the Time of our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII. Written Originally in Latin by B. Platina, Native of Cremona, and translated into English (from an anonymous translation, first printed in 1685 by Sir Paul Rycaut), Edited by William Benham, Volume I, London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, [1888, undated in text]; pp. 242.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
LEO IV.
A.D. 903.
LEO the Fifth, whose native country historians mention not, succeeded him, but was soon taken and thrown into prison by one Christopher, a chaplain of his own, who aspired to the Popedom, which was not done without great tumults and the loss of many men’s lives. How lightly the Papal authority was now esteemed (by fault of former Popes) may be seen in this, that a private person should in a moment be able to seize so great a dignity. But that saying is certainly true, that great places receive more honour than they confer upon the persons that supply them, as appears in the Roman censorship, which at first was slighted as a mean office, but when several of the nobility had once condescended to execute it, the office became so honourable, that the nobleman who had not once in his life been censor was looked upon as very unfortunate. Leo had sat but forty days when Christopher got into the chair, which indignity he laid so to heart, that in a little while after he died for grief, deeply resenting it that he should be robbed of his dignity by one that had eat of his bread; according to that of Theocritus, “Nurse up a wolf and he will devour you.”
Previous Pope: 120. Benedict IV. 121. Leo V. Next Pope: 122. Christopher.