sire, to make the journey, the One who had struck him with the rod of justice visited him in a vision during the night in the sweetness of grace.^a Because he was eager for glory, the Lord exalted and enticed him to its pinnacle. For it seemed to him that his whole house was filled with soldiers' arms: saddles, shields, spears and other equipment. Though delighting for the most part, he silently wondered to himself about its meaning. For he was not accustomed to see such things in his house, but rather stacks of cloth to be sold. He was greatly bewildered at the sudden turn of events and the response that all these arms were to be for him and his soldiers. With a happy spirit he awoke the next morning. Considering his vision a prediction of great success, he felt sure that his upcoming journey to Apulia would be successful. In fact he did not know what he was saying, ^{Mk 9:5} and as yet he did not at all understand the gift sent to him from heaven. He should have been able to see that his interpretation of it was mistaken. For, although the vision bore some semblance of great deeds, his spirit was not moved by these things in its usual way. In fact, he had to force himself to carry out his plans and undertake the journey he had desired.

It is a fine thing
that at the outset mention be made of arms,
and very fitting
that arms be handed over
to a soldier about to do battle
with one strong and fully armed. ^{Lk 11:21}
Thus,
like a second David
in the name of the Lord God of hosts ^{1 Sm 17:45}
from the long-standing abuse of its enemies,
he might liberate Israel. ^{1 Sm 17:26}

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5 ¹Nocte igitur quadam, cum ad haec consummanda tota se deliberatione dedisset et desiderio aestuans ad iter agendum maxime anhelaret, qui percusserat eum in virga iustitiae, per visionem nocturnam visitat eum in dulcedine gratiae; et quia gloriae cupiduserat, gloriae fastigio eum allicit et exaltat. ²Videbatur ei namque domum suam totam habere plenam militaribus armis, sellis scilicet, clipeis, lanceis et caeteris apparatibus; gaudensque plurimum, quid hoc esset, secum tacitus mirabatur.³Non enim consueverat talia in domo sua videre, sed potius pannorum cumulos ad vendendum .⁴Cumque ad subitum rerum eventum stuperet non modicum, responsum est ei, omnia haec arma sua fore milituinque suorum.⁵Expergefactus quoque animo gaudenti mane surrexit et praesagium magnae prosperitatis reputans visionem, prosperum futurum iter suum in Apuliam securatur.⁶Nesciebat enim quid diceret, et munus sibi de caelo datum adhuc minime cognoscebat.⁷In eo tamen perpendere poterat visionis huius suam interpretationem non esse veram, quia licet satis rerum gestarum utcumque similitudinem contineret, non tamen animus eius circa talia solito laetabatur .⁸Vim namque quamdam sibimet facere oportebat, ut cogitata perficeret et iter concupitum effectui manciparet. —

⁹Et quidem pulchre
satis primo de armis fit mentio, et opportune
multum arma traduntur
contra fortem armatum militi pugnaturo,
ut quasi alter David
in nomine Domini Dei exercituum
ab inveterato inimicorum opprobrio liberet Israelem.