HEROES AND HEROINES

New Zealand Tablet, 12 September 1912, Page 45

HEROES AND HEROINES

I. GENEVIEVE OF NANTERRE After their conquest by the Romans, the Gauls adopted, as far as it was possible, the customs of their masters, thus being transformed from a rude, wild nation into one most highly civilised. Consequently, when news reached them of the advent of the barbarous Huns, led by the formidable Attila himself, they were overcome with consternation, and fled with whatsoever they deemed the most valuable of their possessions ■ towards the one bridge that stretched across the Seine. • e 4- Some two miles from Lutetia, the wonderful Paris of to-day, then but a prosperous city, lay the village now called Nanterre. In this village lived the child of a well-to-do peasant, a girl whom they had christened by the old Gallic name of Gwenfrewi, modernised to

Genevieve. When journeying to Britain with his friend, Bishop Lupus of Troyes, Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, rested in this little village of Nanterre, and the piety of Genevieve was so fervent atid so obvious as to attract the admiration of St. Germanus. He gave to her a copper medal upon which was engraven a cross, and, henceforth, the holy maiden believed herself to be consecrated to God’s service.

Judge, then, of the amazement of the citizens, of Lutetia when, on arriving at the bridge, they found the way barred by this simple child! Horatius had two well-tried supporters, but Genevieve stood alone, and v the frenzied multitude she faced, was scarcely less terrible than that which the Roman warrior withstood. Doubtless the people would have slain her, had not a a priest from Auxerre, bearing a present from St. Germanus, arrived most opportunely. Then they realised that she who was thus honored by so great a personage, must herself be great, and they obeyed her exhortation to return to their homes and place themselves under God’s protection. Great were the rejoicings when, a few days, later, they heard tiding of Attila’s defeat by Aetius, the Roman general, a defeat that to their city meant security.

Later, Paris was beseiged by the warlike Franks, and once more, Genevieve’s courage saved her countrymen. Within the city, the food supply was failing, but not even the warriors would go forth to forage, so great was the risk entailed. Yet, this brave girl went alone down the broad river in her boat, and implored assistance in various Gallic cities.

Again, this time during the absence of Genevieve, Paris was beseiged, and captured by Childeric, leader of the Franks, but so terribly afraid was he of this strange maiden that he ordered the city gates to be guarded most carefully lest she should enter. Nevertheless, disguised as a poor Gaulish village maiden, she gained access not only to the city but eventually, as Charlotte Yonge. tells us, actually to the presence of Childeric himself !

Imagine the scene! A Roman hall, its tessellated pavement stained with wine and strewn with fragments of that riotous feast ; at one end of the huge table, Childeric, long-haired and wildly dressed on either side, Franks, their hair tied up in knots upon their heads, their faces shaven, their bodies clad in tight, leather garments. Some were sleeping; others feasting; many shouting out their war-songs, while their licentious chief augmented their boisterous revelry. Think of a simple village maiden entering such a -hall, addressing such a company! Yet this she did; nay, more, she made Childeric tremble at her words, and he granted her requestthe safety of his prisoners and mercy to the inhabitants. Great as was this triumph, perhaps to her the greatest came years afterwards when she beheld Clovis, son of the pagan Childeric, become a Christian. Can we wonder that the French thus trust her, honor her, pray to her, the protectress of Lutetia, the patron saint of Paris ? Angela Hastings.