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. 258-259.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
BENEDICT VII.
A.D. 975-983.
BENEDICT the Seventh, a Roman, as soon as he was made Pope, called a Council, in which he restored Arnulphus, Bishop of Rheims, who had been expelled in a sedition. At this time Otho II., having conquered Henry, Duke of Bavaria, who had endeavoured some alterations in the State, marched against Lotharius, who had possessed himself of Lorraine, a province of the Empire, and laid waste the territory of Aachen: and gaining a victory over him, he overran 259 the country of Soissons and set fire to the suburbs of Paris; but upon his retreat with his forces he received some damage near the river Aisne. After this, raising a greater army, he brought it into Italy against Basilius and Constantine, the Greek Emperors, who had seized Calabria and that part of Italy that lies toward Sicily, but receiving a defeat at Basanello, he was forced to make his escape by sea, where he was by chance taken by pirates, and carried into Sicily. The Sicilians paid his ransom, and sent him to Rome, and soon after caught the pirates and put them to death. Otho now gets his army together again, and designed to chastise severely the Romans and Beneventans, because they occasioned the loss of the battle at Basanello, by flying first: but it was not thought safe to begin with the Romans, and therefore he turns against Beneventum, which he takes and consumes with fire, translating from thence the body of St Bartholomew, and placing it at Rome, in an island of the Tiber, formerly called Ostia Jovis Lycaonia, which was of the shape of the poop of a galley. Nay, even to this day, as you view it from Tivertino, the island resembles a galley, so made, I suppose, to represent that which brought Æsculapius to Rome; there is also to be seen engraven in stone the serpent (in the form whereof that god is said to have arrived) and the ribs of the galley: so studious were the excellent men of those times to bring nature to art as well as art to nature. But to return to Otho, he soon, after the aforesaid translation of the body of St Bartholomew, died at Rome, and was honourably buried in a porphyry tomb, still to be seen on the left hand as you go in, in the portico of St Peter’s Church (called Paradise). Whilst consultations were held about choosing a new Emperor, some insisting upon Otho III., son of Otho II., others standing up for Henry, Duke of Bavaria, Otho’s nephew by his brother, the Italians being earnest for Crescentius of Lamentana, an eminent man; the Germans on the sudden, of whom there were many then at Rome, chose Otho III..; the Pope, good man, all the while urging them, that in their election they would have a regard to the Church of Christ, which needed a governor of great ability and diligence; but at last, to prevent tumults, he approved of what the Germans had done. He died after he had been Pope eight years and six months, upon which the see was vacant five days. In his time Valdericus, Bishop of Hamburg, was famous for his learning and sanctity.
Previous Pope: 140. Domnus II. 141. Benedict VII. Next Pope: 142. John XIV.