Life and Miracles of St. Benedict (Book Two of the Dialogues).

There was a man of venerable life blessed by grace and blessed in name for he was called Benedictus or Benedict: who from his younger years carried always the mind of an old man; for his age was inferior to his virtue: all vain pleasure he contemned and though he were in the world and might freely have enjoyed such commodities as it yieldeth yet did he nothing esteem it nor the vanities thereof. He was born in the province of Nursia of honourable parentage and brought up at Rome in the study of humanity. But for as much as he saw many by reason of such learning to fall to dissolute and lewd life he drew back his foot which he had as it were now set forth into the world lest entering too far in acquaintance therewith he likewise might have fallen into that dangerous and godless gulf: wherefore giving over his book and forsaking his fathers house and wealth with a resolute mind only to serve God he sought for some place where he might attain to the desire of his holy purpose: and in this sort he departed instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with unlearned wisdom. All the notable things and acts of his life I could not learn; but those few which I mind now to report I had by the relation of four of his disciples: to wit of Constantinus a most rare and reverent man who was next Abbot after him; of Valentinianus who many years had the charge of the Lateran Abbey; of Simplicius who was the third General of his order; and lastly of Honoratus who is now Abbot of that monastery in which he first began his holy life.