IV. Poetry. 1. The Vision of Wettin.^1291 This is the oldest of his poems, dating according tohis own assertion from his eighteenth year^1292 (i.e., c. 826). It is not original, but a versification,
with additions, of the prose work of Heito. The ultimate source is Wettin himself, who relates what
he saw (October 824) on his journey, under angelic guidance, to Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. The
fact that Wettin was very sick at the time explains the occasion of the vision and his reading its
contents, but the poem is interesting not only in itself, but as a precursor of Dante’s Divine
Comedy.^1293 2. The Life and Death of St. Mammes,^1294 an ascetic from childhood, who preached
to the wild sheep gathered by a strange impulse in a little chapel. This extraordinary performance
attracted adverse notice from the authorities. Mammes was accused of witchcraft and, on refusing
to sacrifice to the gods, also of atheism. His enemies vainly attempted to kill him by fire, by wild
beasts, and by stoning. Finally he was peacefully called from life by the voice of God. 3. The Life
and Death of St. Blaithmaic, abbot of Hy and martyr.^1295 It relates how an Irish crown prince
embraced an ascetic life in childhood and attained a martyr’s crown on the island of Hy. 4.
Garden-culture,^1296 a curious poem upon the plants in the convent garden. 5. On the Image of
Tetricus^1297 (Dietrich), an ingenious poem in laudation of Louis the Pious and his family.^1298 6.
Miscellaneous Poems,^1299 including epistles, epigrams, inscriptions and hymns.
§ 170. Florus Magister, of Lyons.
I. Florus, diaconus Lugdunensis: Opera omnia, in Migne, Tom. CXIX. ol. 9–424. His poems are
given by Dümmler: Poet. Lat. aev. Carolini, II. (Berlin, 1884), pp. 507–566.
II. Bach: Dogmengeschichte des Mittelalters, Wien, 1873–1875, 2 Abth. I. 240. Hist. Lit. de la
France, V. 213–240. Ceillier, XII. 478–493. Bähr, 108, 109; 447–453. Ebert, II. 268–272.
Florus was probably born in the closing year of the eighth century and lived in Lyons during
the reigns of Louis the Pious, Charles the Bald and Louis II. He was head of the cathedral school,
on which account he is commonly called Florus Magister. He was also a deacon or sub-deacon.
He enjoyed a wide reputation for learning, virtue and ability. He stood in confidential relations
with his bishop, Agobard, and with some of the most distinguished men of his time. His library
was a subject of remark and wonder for its large size.^1300
Like every other scholar under Charles the Bald, he made his contribution to the Eucharistic
and Predestination controversies. In the former he took the side of Rabanus Maurus and Ratramnus
against the transubstantiation theory of Paschasius Radbertus; in the latter he opposed Johannes
(^1291) De visione Wettini, Migne, CXIV. col. 1063-1082. Heito’s work la in Tom. CV. col. 771-780. Both are given by
Dümmler, l. c pp. 267-275; 301-333.
(^1292) Migne, CXIV. col. 1064, "qui pene octavum decimum jam annum transegi."
(^1293) Ebert, l.c. 149. Cf. Bernold’s Vision in section on Hincmar.
(^1294) Vita S. Mammae, Migne, CXIV. col. 1047-1062. Dümmler, l.c. pp. 275-296.
(^1295) Vita S. Blaitmaici, Dümmler, l.c. pp. 297-301. Migne, col. 1043-1046.
(^1296) Hortulus, Dümmler, pp. 335-350. Migne, col. 1121-1130.
(^1297) De imagine Tetrici, Dümmler, pp. 370-378. Migne, col. 1089-1092.
(^1298) See Ebert, pp. 154-158.
(^1299) Dümmler, pp. 350-428. Migne, CXIV, col. 1083-1120.
(^1300) Cf. Wandalbert, in Migne, CXXI. col. 577.