A.D. 540. A GREAT MORTALITY AT BYZANTIUM. 261 his wife to Mordred, hie nephew. Then sailing across the sea, with a prosperous voyage, he, without difficulty, subdued Estrusia, which is now called Normandy ; then advancing onwards, he ravaged all the provinces of Gaul, and at last slew Frollo, the governor, in battle, and compelled the city of Paris to capitulate and acknowledge him for its master. Then marching towards the west, he reduced Anjou, Poictiers, Gascony, and all Aquitaine to submission. A.D. 537. A miracle happened of universal notoriety, affecting Theophilus the apostate, and the blessed Mary, the mother of the Saviour. The same year also, Arthur, king of the Britons, having subdued the countries of Gaul, marched to Anteus, where he defeated Lucius, the consul of the city of Borne (who had come to assist the Gauls with all the power of Rome), near Lengriœ, in the valley which is now called Seisias, and slew him. A.D . 538. King Totila persecuted Benedict the younger, on account of his faith in Christ ; and as, though he wished to burn him and his cell, he was not able to do so, he threw him into a heated furnace in Campania, in Italy, and the next day he came out unhurt, with bis garments uninjured. A.D. 539. The sun was obscured from the morning till the third hour. The same year, king Arthur, having subdued the provinces around the Alps, prepared to march onwards to subdue the Roman people. His name was very much magnified over the whole earth. On which account princes and nobles rame from distant countries to Uve under him and to be instructed by him, and to enjoy the delights of his presence and politeness. Of his magnificence and virtue, Merlin, the prophet of the Britons, prophesied, saying, " At length oppressed Britain shall prevail, and shall withstand the fierceness of the foreigners. For the boar of Cornwall shall bring help, and shall trample the necks of his enemies under his feet. The ialee of the ocean shall be subjected to his power, and he ahall he lord of the Galhc priests ; the house of Romulus shall tremble at his fierceness, and his end shall be doubtful. He shall be celebrated in the mouth of the people, and his exploits ahall be food to the relatera of them.0 A-D . 540. A great mortahty of mankind took place at Byzantium. On which account, by command of the emperor Juatinian, the solemnity of the Holy Mother of God began to