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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. 158-159.

The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina

Volume I.


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[158]

ADEODATUS  I.

A.D. 672-676.

ADEODATUS, a Roman, son of Jovinian, was a monk created Pope, at the time when Lupus, Duke of Friuli, endeavoured to possess himself of the kingdom of Italy. For Grimoaldus, being (as we have said) called by his son Rhomoaldus, Duke of Beneventum, to aid him against Constantius the emperor, at his departure commended his people to the care of Lupus, and so, according to the proverb, left the sheep to the keeping of the wolf.1 For Lupus, taking the advantage of Grimoaldus’s absence, involves all Tuscany, Romandiola, and a great part of Lombardy in tumult and confusions. Hereupon Grimoaldus, by gifts and promises, prevails with Coganus to advance with his Avares against Lupus; which he did, and in the first engagement had the worse of it. But the next day, renewing the fight, he overcame and slew Lupus, and then sacked and laid waste all Friuli. Grimoaldus, upon Constantius’s leaving Italy, returns into Lombardy, and in his way, on the Saturday before Easter, takes Forlimpopoli, puts all the inhabitants of it to the sword, plunders it, and then levels it to the ground, upon the score of an injury which he had received there from the people of Ravenna, in his 159 passage to the aid of his son. Now, Arnesites, the son of Lupus, being assisted by the Dalmatians, endeavoured to recover his father’s dukedom; but near the river Natisone, he was vanquished and slain by the Lombards. The inhabitants of Uderzo had a share in his misfortune, being forced to quit their country for having countenanced him in his pretensions. At this time Sicily also was in a bad condition; for soldiers were sent thither out of all the provinces of Italy to make head against Mecezius, by whose treachery Constantius had been murdered — who, being overcome and slain, and the soldiers again dispersed, the Saracens, arriving with a great fleet, surprise Syracuse and possess themselves of the whole island. After some time they return to Alexandria loaded with spoil, and carry away with them those ornaments of the city of Rome which Constantius had brought to Syracuse with a design to transmit them to Constantinople. These miseries and calamities had been portended by a comet which appeared three months together, by great rains and frequent thunders, such as had not been at any time known before. But such is the blindness of mankind, that though they be warned of future evils, yet they do not as they ought provide against them. It is reported that all the standing corn which had been lodged by the continued rains, grew yet up again, and came to maturity, especially in Lombardy. In the meantime, Adeodatus, being a person of great piety and humanity, merciful towards offenders, bountiful to the poor, hospitable towards strangers, and compassionate towards all in calamity, repaired and dedicated the church of St Peter in the Via Portuensis. He also added to the building and revenues of the monastery of St Erasmus on Mons Cœlius, wherein himself had been a monk. Moreover, he appointed frequent litanies upon the account of those prodigies which we have said appeared at that time. At length, having been in the chair four years, two months, five days, he died, and was, with general lamentation, buried in St Peter’s, June the 26th. The see was then vacant four months, twenty days.

FOOTNOTE

 1  The author’s play upon the name of the tyrant, Lupus being the Latin word for a wolf.

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Previous Pope:  78. Vitalianus I. 79. Adeodatus I. Next Pope: 80. Donus I.

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