Chapter 2.13

<Quāle cōnsilium īdem cum prīmātibus suīs dē percipiendā fide Chrīstī habuerit, et ut pontifex eius suās ārās prōfānāverit>

[1] Quibus audītis, rēx suscipere quidem sē fidem, quam docēbat, et velle et dēbēre respondēbat. [2] Vērum adhūc cum amīcīs prīncipibus et cōnsiliāriīs suīs sēsē dē hōc conlātūrum esse dīcēbat, ut, sī et illī eadem cum illō sentīre vellent, omnēs pariter in fonte vītae Christō cōnsecrārentur. [3] Et adnuente Paulīnō, fēcit, ut dīxerat. [4] Habitō enim cum sapientibus cōnsiliō, sciscitābātur singillātim ab omnibus, quālis sibi doctrīna haec eātenus inaudīta, et novus dīvīnitātis, quī praedicābātur, cultus vidērētur.

[5] Cui prīmus pontificum ipsīus Coifi continuō respondit: ‘Tū vidē, rēx, quāle sit hoc, quod nōbīs modo praedicātur; ego autem tibi vērissimē, quod certum didicī, profiteor, quia nihil omnīnō virtūtis habet, nihil ūtilitātis religiō illa, quam hucusque tenuimus. [6] Nūllus enim tuōrum studiōsius quam ego cultūrae deōrum nostrōrum sē subdidit; et nihilominus multī sunt, quī ampliōra ā tē beneficia quam ego et maiōrēs accipiunt dignitātēs, magisque prosperantur in omnibus, quae agenda vel adquīrenda dispōnunt. [7] Sī autem diī aliquid valērent, mē potius iuvāre vellent, quī illīs impēnsius servīre cūrāvī. [8] Unde restat ut, sī ea quae nunc nōbīs nova praedicantur, meliōra esse et fortiōra habitā exāminātiōne perspexeris, absque ūllō cūnctāmine suscipere illa festīnēmus.’

[9] Cuius suāsiōnī verbīsque prūdentibus alius optimātum rēgis tribuēns assēnsum continuō subdidit: ‘Tālis,’ inquiēns, ‘mihi vidētur, rēx, vīta hominum praesēns in terrīs, ad comparātiōnem eius quod nōbīs incertum est temporis, quāle cum tē residente ad caenam cum ducibus ac ministrīs tuīs tempore brūmālī, accēnsō quidem focō in mediō et calidō effectō cēnāculō, furentibus autem foris per omnia turbinibus hiemālium pluviārum vel nivium, adveniēns ūnus passerum domum citissimē pervolāverit. [10] Quī, cum per ūnum ōstium ingrediēns mox per aliud exierit, ipsō quidem tempore quō intus est hiemis tempestāte nōn tangitur, sed tamen parvissimō spatiō serēnitātis ad mōmentum excursō, mox dē hieme in hiemem regrediēns tuīs oculīs ēlābitur. [11] Ita haec vīta hominum ad modicum apparet; quid autem sequātur, quidve praecesserit, prōrsus ignōrāmus. [12] Vnde, sī haec nova doctrīna certius aliquid attulit, meritō esse sequenda vidētur.’ [13] Hīs similia et cēterī maiōrēs nātū ac rēgis cōnsiliāriī dīvīnitus admonitī prōsequēbantur.

[14] Adiēcit autem Coifi, quia vellet ipsum Paulīnum dīligentius audīre dē Deō quem praedicābat verbum facientem. [15] Quod cum iubente rēge faceret, exclāmāvit audītīs eius sermōnibus dīcēns: ‘Iam ōlim intellēxeram nihil esse, quod colēbāmus; quia vidēlicet quantō studiōsius in eō cultū vēritātem quaerēbam, tantō minus inveniēbam. [16] Nunc autem aperte profiteor, quia in hāc praedicātiōne vēritās clāret illa, quae nōbīs vītae salūtis et beātitūdinis aeternae dōna valet tribuere. [17] Vnde suggerō, rēx, ut templa et altāria, quae sine frūctū ūtilitātis sacrāvimus, ōcius anathēmatī et ignī contrādāmus.’ [18] Quid plūra? [19] praebuit palam adsēnsum ēvangelīzantī beātō Paulīnō rēx, et abrenūntiātā idolatriā fidem sē Christī suscipere cōnfessus est. [20] Cumque ā praefātō pontifice sacrōrum suōrum quaereret, quis ārās et fāna īdōlōrum cum sēptīs quibus erant circumdata prīmus prōfānāre dēbēret, ille respondit: ‘Ego. Quis enim ea, quae per stultitiam coluī, nunc ad exemplum omnium aptius quam ipse per sapientiam mihi ā Deō vērō dōnātam dēstruam?’ [21] Statimque, abiectā superstitiōne vānitātis, rogāvit sibi rēgem arma dare et equum ēmissārium, quem ascendēns ad īdōla dēstruenda venīret. [22] Nōn enim licuerat pontificem sacrōrum vel arma ferre vel praeter in equā equitāre. [23] Accīnctus ergō gladiō accēpit lanceam in manū, et ascendēns ēmissārium rēgis pergēbat ad īdōla. [24] Quod aspiciēns vulgus aestimābat eum īnsānīre. [25] Nec distulit ille, mox ut adpropiābat ad fānum, prōfānāre illud, iniectā in eō lanceā quam tenēbat; multumque gāvīsus dē agnitiōne vērī Deī cultūs, iussit sociīs dēstruere ac succendere fānum cum omnibus sēptīs suīs. [26] Ostenditur autem locus ille quondam īdōlōrum nōn longē ab Eburācō ad orientem ultrā amnem Doruventiōnem, et vocātur hodiē Godmunddingaham, ubi pontifex ipse īnspīrante Deō vērō polluit ac dēstrūxit eās, quās ipse sacrāverat, ārās.

    EDWIN CALLS A COUNCIL TO DISCUSS ADOPTING THE NEW FAITH

    (1) rēx ... respondēbat: rearrange as rēx respondēbat sē quidem et velle et debēre suscipere fidem quam docēbat. The word order emphasizes the key point, conversion (suscipere). Notice the use of the imperfect tense: Edwin is taking his time making a decision.

    (2) Vērum adhūc: “but still”

    cum amīcīs ... dīcēbat: rearrange as dīcēbat sēsē conlātūrum esse cum amīcīs et cōnsiliāriīs suīs dē hōc.

    et illī: “they too”

    eadem cum illō sentīre: “to hold the same beliefs with (as) him”

    (4) sciscitābātur ... quālis ... vidērētur: indirect question

    quālis: “what sort,” goes with doctrīna and cultus.

    doctrīna haec eātenus inaudīta: “this previously unknown doctrine” (literally, “this docrtrine up to this point unheard”)

    COIFĪ, THE CHIEF PAGAN PRIEST, MAKES THE CASE FOR CHRISTIANITY

    Coifi, the pagan chief priest, makes a utilitarian argument: no one has honored the old gods as much as he has, and little benefit has he gained from it. The new religion should be followed if it is found to bring more benefits.

    (5) prīmus pontificum: partitive genitive: “first of his priests”

    Coifī: nominative

    modo: “now”

    quod certum didicī, profiteor, quia: “I confess that I have learned for a fact that…”

    hūcūsque: “up to now”

    (6) Nūllus: = nēmo

    tuōrum: “of your subjects”

    studiōsius: comparative adverb: “more studiously”

    sē subdidit: “has subjected (or, devoted) himself” (> subdo)

    quae agenda ... disponunt: “which they undertake either to do or to acquire”

    (7) inpēnsius: comparative adverb: “more unstintingly” (than others)

    (8) sī ea ... perspexeris: ea is the direct object of perspexeris, 2 sing. fut. pf. active indicative > perspicio. Future more vivid condition, (AG 516.c) with horatatory subjunctive in the apodosis (515.a) “if you perceive these things … let us make haste.”

    habitā exāminātiōne: ablative absolute: “once there’s been an inquiry”

    THE SIMILE OF THE SPARROW

    This section includes a famous simile, comparing human life to the flight of a sparrow through the king's hall. An Anglo-Saxon hall, believed to be that of King Edwin, was excavated at Yeavering, Northumbria, in the 1950s. A computer-generated reconstruction of the Great Hall (with a fly-through by a sparrow), created by Oxford Arch Digital for the website Past Perfect, can be seen in the media tab.

    (9) Cuius: i.e., of Coifī

    suāsiōnī: with tribuēns assēnsum: “assenting to the persuasive speech…”

    alius optimātum rēgis: “another of the king’s best men”

    Tālis ... quāle: introducing a simile. The main structure of the sentence is: Tālis vīta vidētur mihi quāle cum ūnus passerum pervolāverit domum: “this life seems to me like when a sparrow flies through the house” (see articulated text).

    ad comparātiōnem ... temporis: ad comparātiōnem + genitive: “in comparison with”: eius temporis refers to the afterlife, which is
    “uncertain.”

    tē residente: ablative absolute

    ad caenam: ad cenam; ad, here, means “at”

    tempore brūmālī: ablative of time when

    accēnsō quidem focō … calidō effectō caenaculō, furentibus … turbinibus: ablatives absolute

    ūnus passerum: “a lone sparrow” (Garforth)

    (10) Quī cum ... ingrediēns: “who, while entering…”

    parvissimō spatiō serēnitātis ad mōmentum excursō: parvissimō spatiō excursō is an ablative absolute (“when the briefest space has run out”); serēnitātis either goes with spatiō (“space of peace”) or with ad mōmentum (“after a moment of peace”). In translation, it’s probably best to simplify: “after the briefest moment of peace has run out” (literally, “when the briefest space of peace has run out after a moment”)

    (11) ad modicum: “for a brief time”

    quid autem sequātur … praecesserit … ignōrāmus: indirect question

    autem: adversative (“but”)

    (13) maiōrēs nātū: “older,” “more senior”

    dīvīnitus admonitī: “divinely inspired”

    prōsequēbantur: “proceeded to say” (Garforth)

    COIFĪ DESTROYS THE PAGAN ALTARS

    (14) quia: “that,” introducing indirect discourse in the subjunctive.

    verbum facientem: agrees with ipsum Paulīnum, and fills out the meaning of audīre: “to hear Paulinus speaking.”

    (15) iubente rēge: ablative absolute: “at the king’s command”

    exclāmāvit: the subject is Coifī

    colēbāmus: colere, here, means “worship”

    quia vidēlicet: “no doubt because”

    quantō ... tantō minus: correlatives: “the more ... the less …”

    (16) profiteor, quia: quia, here, means “that,” introducing indirect discourse

    quae ... tribuere: the antecedent of quae is vēritās; rearrange as: [illa vēritās] quae valet tribuere nōbīs dōna vītae, salūtis, et beātūdinis aeternae.

    (17) suggerō ... ut: “I suggest that ….”

    ōcius: “without delay” (> ōcior)

    anathēmatī: “curse, excommunication” (DMLBS, anathema c).

    contradāmus: “deliver, consign” (DMLBS, contradere)

    (19) ēvangelīzantī beātō Paulīnō: literally, “to the evangelizing blessed Paulinus.” Colgrave-Mynors translates praebuit ... adsēnsum ēvangelīzantī beātō Paulīnō as “accepted the gospel which Paulinus preached.”

    (20) praefātō pontifice: i.e., Coifī

    quaereret: the subject is Edwin

    quis … dēbēret: indirect question, introduced by quaereret

    sēptīs: = saeptīs; saepta are “enclosures”

    quis … aptius quam ipse: “who more fittingly than I myself?”

    dēstruam: the subjunctive is deliberative (AG 444); for dēstruam (which is first person through atrraction to coluī) read dēstruat: “who could destroy…”

    ad exemplum omnium: “as an example for everyone”: the genitive is objective (AG 348).

    (21) superstitiōne vānitātis: “superstition of vanity” can be translated as “vain superstition” (see the introductory notes on Bede’s Latin §A.1.2).

    equum ēmissārium: “stallion” (DMLBS, ēmissārius 2)

    (22) praeter in equā: “except on a mare.” Evidently it wasn’t permitted for a pagan priest to carry arms or ride a horse other than a mare.

    (23) ēmissārium: stallion

    (25) mox ut: “as soon as”

    multumque gāvīsus: “and rejoicing much (greatly)”

    iussit sociīs: iubēre + dative object: “he ordered his companions”

    (26) Ostenditur: “can be seen”

    locus ille quondam: “that former place”

    Eburācō: Eburācum is York

    ad orientem: “to the east”

    amnem Doruventiōnem: the River Derwent

    Godmunddingaham: Goodmanham

    eās, quās ipse sacrāverat, ārās: echoes Vergil, Aeneid 2.501–502: vīdī Hecubam centumque nurūs Priamumque per ārās / sanguine foedāntem quōs ipse sacrāverat ignēs.

    NOTE: Lemmatization of Anglo-Saxon Names
    —: declined forms unattested
    [ ]: nominative forms unattested (back-formed for purposes of lemmatization)
    *: form unattested but hypothesized based on existing patterns


    amīcus amīcī m.: male friend

    cōnsiliārius –ī m.: counsellor, advisor

    pariter: alike

    Christus –ī m.: Christ

    cōnsecrō cōnsecrāre cōnsecrāvī cōnsecrātus: to consecrate

    adnuō –ere –nuī (ūtus –rare): to nod to; with dat.

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    habitus habitūs m.: garment, attire; way of life

    scīscitor –scīscitārī : to examine, interrogate

    singillātim or singulātim: one by one, individually

    doctrīna –ae f.: teaching, doctrine

    eātenus: so far

    inaudītus –a –um: unheard, unheard of

    dīvīnitās –tātis f.: divinity

    praedicō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preach

    cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship

    pontifex pontificis m.: priest

    Coifi — m.: Coifi, Pagan priest at the court of Edwin 2 of Northumbria

    continuō: immediately

    praedicō praedicāre praedicāvī praedicātus: to proclaim

    profiteor profitērī professus sum: to confess

    omnīnō: entirely

    ūtilitās ūtilitātis f.: usefulness

    religiō religiōnis f.: religion

    hūcūsque: up to this point, thus far

    studiōsus –a –um: eager

    cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship

    subdō –ere –didī –ditus: to put under; place or fasten under

    nihilōminus: nevertheless

    maior māius: bigger

    prosperō –āre: prosper, cause to succeed, make happy

    adquīrō –ere –quīsīvī –quīsītus: to seek in addition

    dispōnō dispōnere dispōsuī dispōsitus: to place, arrange, distribute

    potius: rather, more

    impēnsus –a –um: ample

    restō restāre restitī: to resist

    praedicō praedicāre praedicāvī praedicātus: to proclaim

    melior melius: better

    exāminātiō –iōnis f.: weighing, testing, trial, examination

    perspiciō perspicere perspexī perspectus: to see through

    cūnctāmen –inis n.: delay, hesitation

    festīnō festīnāre festīnāvī festīnātus: to hurry

    suāsiō –iōnis f.: suggestion, recommendation, advice

    prūdēns: prudent

    optimās –ātis: of the best or noblest

    tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus: to assign

    adsēnsus –ūs m.: an assenting; answering sound

    continuō: immediately

    subdō –ere –didī –ditus: to put under; place or fasten under

    comparātiō comparātiōnis f.: comparison

    incertus –a –um: uncertain

    resideō residēre resēdī ressus: to remain

    cēna cēnae f.: dinner

    minister ministrī m.: attendant, servant

    brūmālis –e: wintry

    accendō accendere accendī accēnsus: to kindle, set on fire

    focus –ī m.: fireplace

    calidus –a –um: warm, hot

    effectus –ūs m.: action; effect

    cēnāculum –ī n. : upper room

    furō furere: to rage, be mad

    forīs: out of doors outside

    turbō turbinis f.: whirlwind

    hiemālis –e: of or belonging to winter, wintry

    pluvius –a –um: rainy, bringing rain

    nix nivis f.: snow

    passer passeris m.: sparrow

    cieō –ēre –cīvī –citus: to cause

    pervolō pervolāre pervolāvī pervolātus: to fly through or over

    ōstium ōsti(ī) n.: door

    intus: within, inside

    serēnitās –ātis f.: clearness, serenity, fair weather

    mōmentum –ī n.: weight, importance

    excurrō –currere –(cu)currī –cursum: to run out, hasten forwards

    regredior regredī regressus sum: to go back, return

    ēlābor elabī elapsus: to slip away

    modicus modica modicum: moderate, modest, temperate

    quid: what; why

    quid: what; why

    praecēdō –ere –cessī –cessus: to go before

    prōrsus: forwards; straightway

    īgnōrō īgnōrāre īgnōrāvī īgnōrātus: to not know; ignore

    doctrīna –ae f.: teaching, doctrine

    meritō: deservedly

    videor vidērī vīsus sum: to seem; be seen

    maior māius: bigger

    nātus –ūs m.: birth, age (used only in the abl.)

    cōnsiliārius –ī m.: counsellor, advisor

    dīvīnitus: by a god, by inspiration

    admoneō admonēre admonuī admonitus: to admonish, remind

    prōsequor prōsequī prōsecūtus sum: to follow

    adiciō adicere adiēcī adiectus: to throw to

    Coifi — m.: Coifi, Pagan priest at the court of Edwin 2 of Northumbria

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    dīligēns: careful

    praedicō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preach

    quod: the fact that

    exclāmō exclāmāre exclāmāvī exclāmātus: to exclaim

    quod: the fact that

    vidēlicet: clearly

    studiōsus –a –um: eager

    cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship

    vēritās vēritātis f.: truth

    tantō: by so much

    apertē: frankly, openly

    profiteor profitērī professus sum: to confess

    praedicātiō –ōnis f.: teaching; sermon

    vēritās vēritātis f.: truth

    clāreō clārēre — —: to be bright, shine

    beātitūdō –inis f.: felicity, blissfulness

    tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus: to assign

    suggerō –ere –gessī –gestus: to bring or put under or up to; supply

    altāria –ium n.: the upper part of an altar; a high altar

    ūtilitās ūtilitātis f.: usefulness

    sacrō sacrāre sacrāvī sacrātus: to consecrate

    ōcior –ius: swifter

    anathema –tis n.: offering; excommunication

    contrādō –dere –didi –ditum: to deliver together or wholly

    palam: openly

    adsēnsus –ūs m.: an assenting; answering sound

    ēvangelizō –āre –āvī –ātum: to evangelize, preach the Gospel

    Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644

    abrenūntiō –āre –āvī –ātum: to renounce

    īdō(lo)latria –ae f.: idolatry, idol-worship, paganism

    Christus –ī m.: Christ

    cumque: whenever, always

    praefor –fātus sum: to say beforehand; praefātus: aforementioned

    pontifex pontificis m.: priest

    sacrum sacrī n.: a holy thing, (religious) rite

    fānum –ī n.: temple

    īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost

    saeptum –ī n : enclosure, boundary; defined geographical area, precinct

    circumdō circumdare circumdedī circumdatus: to surround

    profānō –āre –āvī –ātum : to profane

    stultitia –ae f.: stupidity

    dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy

    abiciō abicere abiēcī abiectum: to throw down/away

    superstitiō –ōnis f.: religious awe; superstition

    vānitās –ātis f.: absence of purpose

    ēmissārius –iī: emissary

    īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost

    dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy

    pontifex pontificis m.: priest

    sacrum sacrī n.: a holy thing, (religious) rite

    equa equae f.: mare

    equitō equitāre equitāvī equitātus: to be a horseman; to ride

    accingō –ere –cīnxī –cīnctus: to gird on

    lancea –ae f.: lance

    ēmissārius –iī: emissary

    īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost

    quod: the fact that

    aestimō aestimāre aestimāvī aestimātus: to appraise

    īnsāniō īnsānīre īnsānīvī īnsānītum: to be mad, insane

    apprōpriō –āre: to make one's own, to appropriate

    fānum –ī n.: temple

    profānō –āre –āvī –ātum : to profane

    iniectus –a –um: thrown

    lancea –ae f.: lance

    multum: much, a lot

    āgnitiō –ōnis f.: recognition

    cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship

    socius –iī m.: ally, comrade

    dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy

    succendō –ere –cendī –cēnsus: to set on fire from beneath; (fig.)

    fānum –ī n.: temple

    saeptum –ī n : enclosure, boundary; defined geographical area, precinct

    īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost

    Eburācum or Eborācum –ī n.: York

    Oriēns –entis m.: rising; east

    Doruventiō –ōnis f.: the river Derwent

    Godmunddingaham: Goodmanham, Yorkshire

    pontifex pontificis m.: priest

    īnspīrō īnspīrāre īnspīrāvī īnspīrātus: to breathe into; inspire

    polluō –ere –uī –ūtus: to soil

    dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy

    sacrō sacrāre sacrāvī sacrātus: to consecrate

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    Suggested Citation

    Rob Hardy. Bede: Historia Ecclesiastica Selections. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2017. ISBN: 978-1-947822-20-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/bede-historia-ecclesiastica/book-2/chapter-2-13