Primary source · Latin
The Life of St Martin
Sulpicius Severus · c. AD 396, published just before Martin's death
What this text is
The West's founding hagiography: the soldier who cut his cloak in two at Amiens and dreamed of Christ wearing the half he gave away — written by a lawyer who knew him.
Profile of Sulpicius Severus →
Interlinear passages
Word-for-word glosses of the original; the complete public-domain translation is linked below.
Chapter 3 — the dream at Amiens
MartinusMartinadhucstillcatechumenusa catechumenhacwith thismemevestegarmentcontexithas clothed
Public-domain translations
Alexander Roberts (NPNF, 1894)
In the following night… he saw Christ clothed in that part of his cloak with which he had covered the poor man, and heard Jesus saying with a clear voice to the angels: 'Martin, who is still but a catechumen, has clothed me with this robe.'
Manuscript witnesses
Book of Armagh (Dublin, TCD 52)
c. AD 807The Martin dossier copied whole into Ireland's great codex — the saint's cult gone international.
Verona, Chapter Library XXXVIII (36)
7th c.Among the oldest carriers of the Vita Martini.
Provenance
Primuliacum, Gaul, c. AD 396 — published while Martin still lived
Editions & scholarship
Critical editions and standard translations behind the text above.
- Sulpice Sévère: Vie de Saint Martin (SC 133–135)Jacques Fontaine, 1967–1969The great critical edition with commentary.
- St. Martin and His HagiographerClare Stancliffe, 1983The standard historical study.