Western Christianity in the Sixth Century

Wlken's ch. 27 is on Latin Christianity in the sixth and early-seventh centuries. He discusses a series of major characters. 

Ulfilas (c. 311–383, wikipedia), a Goth and an Arian Christian, who developed the gothic alphabet and is traditionally credited with the translation of the Gothic Bible (wikipedia). The "apostle to the Goths" ensured that the Germanic tribes were Arians until the time of Clovis. 

Clovis I (c. 466–511, wikipedia), the first king to unite the Franks, and the first Frankish king to reject Arianism and embrace Nicene Christianity. His father was Childeric I (wikipedia), whose father was Merovech (wikipedia), after whom the dynasty is named Merovingian (wikipedia). 

Gregory of Tours (c. 538–594, wikipedia), the "father of French history," wrote the History of the Franks in ten books. (The wikipedia entry is very well-done, with a great bibliography.) The history is available in Latin at the Latin Library. A partial English translation is at the Internet Medieval Sourcebook. There is a complete translation by Lewis Thorpe, published by Penguin, but Wikipedia thinks that "contemporary historians" do not like Thorpe's introduction and notes. 

By the way, Gregory's Lives of the Fathers is available in English with facing Latin in a book by Giselle de Nie (reviewed at BMCR), together with his works on the miracles of the martyr Julian and of Saint Martin. His works The Gory of the Confessors and The Glory of the Martyrs are available in English translation by Raymond Van Dam. 

In the History, Gregory tells the story of Clovis' baptism into Catholic Christianity, retold by Wilken (pp. 259–60). It took place on Christmas Day, 508. 

Clovis, king of the Franks, stands at the beginning of a new epoch in the history of Christianity in the West. His conversion set in motion forces that would advance the establishment of Catholic Christianity among the Germanic peoples living north of the Alps. Other Germanic peoples would soon follow: the Burgundians in southern Germany abandoned Arianism in 516, the Visigoths in Spain in 589. A new direction was being set. On his death Clovis left behind a Christian kingdom whose bishops were in fellowship with Rome, and in the next century the alliance between Christian kings and the papacy would set the course of medieval history for centuries. (Wilken p. 260)

Benedict of Nursia (480–547, wikipedia; Wilken pp. 260–63). The Rule of Saint Benedict (wikipedia) at the Latin Library, and here is a translation. About 530, he founded his monastery on Monte Cassino. 

The pimary "work" of the community was to pray. The monastery was not established to engage in any other activity, as for example teaching the young or caring for the sick or needy. In Benedict's words, "Nothing is to take precedence over the work of God," by which he meant the regular hours of prayer. "On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office," writes Benedict, "the monk will immediately set aside what he has in hand and go with utmost speed." At the same time the monks had to support themselves, so work became an integral part of their life, tending the garden, cooking and baking, practicing useful crafts such as shoemaking, caring for the buildings, and the like. Manual labor was held in high regard. Though later some monastic communities became centers of learning, Benedict was more interested in the increase of virtue than growth in learning. (Wilken p. 263)

Boethius (480–524, wikipedia, Wilken pp. 263–65), born in Rome, studied at Athens, the son of a consul to Theodoric, he also became consul to Theodoric in 510, though he was a Catholic and Theodoric was Arian. "What brought about his downfall, however, was an ill-considered attempt to defend a senatorial colleague [= Caecina Albinus, wikipedia] who had been charged with disloyalty to the king. Boethius was implicated in a widespread conspiracy and summarily tried, condemned to death, and imprisoned at Pavia, a town in northern Italy not too far from Milan. While awaiting death he wrote a treatise entitled the Consolation of Philosophy [wikipedia], one of the most beloved, influential, and widely read books of medieval times" (Wilken p. 264). There is a Loeb edition of Boethius. 

Cassiodorus (c. 485– c. 585, wikipedia, Wilken pp. 265). When he retired from public life, he established a monastery called Vivarium (wikipedia). Apparently there is a 2019 film with the same name (wikipedia), but it has nothing to do with Cassiodorus (I think). Wilken describes the great work of Cassiodorus, the Institutes of Divine and Human Letters, available in a 2004 translation, which is also online. 

Isidore of Seville (c. 560–636, wikipedia, Wilken pp. 266). "The work that best represents his genius is known as Etymologies, a vast encyclopedia that attempted a summary of all branches of knowledge by drawing on the deep reservoir of classical writers" (Wilken p. 266). This work has a wikipedia page. The Latin text is available at the Latin Library. A 2006 translation is available online (pdf). 

Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530–609, wikipedia, Wilken pp. 266–), a poet who wrote two hymns still sung: Pange lingua (wikipedia) and Vexilla regis prodeunt (wikipedia; and a fuller version). Born in Italy, he died as bishop of Poitiers. Both hymns reflect on the crucifixion and specifically on the cross, even its wood. The Vexilla regis prodeunt was composed for the procession of the True Cross

"Something new is at work here that will shape Western piety for centuries. Reading Fortunatus's hymns, one understands why the crucifix became the most prominent object of devotion in Western Christianity and the ritual of kissing a wooden cross part of the Church's liturgy on Good Friday" (Wilken p. 268).