[1] Nec multō post, dum agrum Lupicīnī cuiusdam honōrātī secundum saeculum virī praeterīret, clāmōre et luctū turbae plangentis excipitur. [2] ad quam cum sollicitus adstitisset et quis esset hic flētus inquīreret, indicātur ūnum ex familiā servulum laqueō sibi vītam extorsisse. quō cognitō cellulam, in quā corpus iacēbat, ingreditur, exclusīsque omnibus turbīs superstrātus corporī aliquantisper ōrāvit. [3] mox vīvēscente vultū, marcēscentibus oculīs in ōra illius dēfunctus ērigitur: lentōque cōnāmine ēnīsus adsurgere, apprehēnsā beātī virī dexterā in pedēs cōnstitit: atque ita cum eō usque ad vestibulum domūs, turbā omnī īnspectante, prōcessit.

    A slave who had committed suicide by hanging is brought back to life.

    honōrātī secundum saeculum virī: "an honored man, according to the (standards of the) secular world."

    excipitur: 'was greeted by', 'encountered', historical present.

    [2]

    quis esset hic flētus: "what was (the reason for) this lamentation"; subjunctive in indirect question after inquīreret.

     laqueō sibi vītam extorsisse: extorqueo "had wrenched life away from himself by means of a noose," i.e., "had hanged himself."

    superstrātus: > supersternō + dat., "spread out on top of."

    [3]

    marcēscentibus oculīs: "his eyes being (still) weak," "his eyes still heavy" (White); ablative absolute.

    in ōra illius dēfunctus ērigitur: "the dead man was revived (and looked) into the face of that man," i.e., of Martin.

    ēnīsus: ēnītor, "having struggled," "struggling."

    honōrātus –a –um: honored, respected; distinguished

    lūctus –ūs, m.: grief, mourning

    plangō plangere planxī planctum: lament aloud

    sollicitus –a –um: agitated, disturbed2

    inquīrō –rere –sīvī –sītum: seek after, inquire into

    laqueus –ī, m.: noose

    extorqueō –torquēre –torsī –tortum: wrest away

    exclūdō –clūdere –clūsī –clūsum: shut out, exclude

    supersternō –ere: strew, spread over

    aliquantisper: (adv.) for some time

    vīvescō vīvescere vixi: become alive, get life3

    marcescō -ere: droop; become weak, become feeble

    dēfungor –fungī –fūnctus sum: complete; depart, die

    ērigō –rigere –rēxī –rēctum: raise up, rear

    lentus –a –um: slow, sluggish, pliant

    cōnāmen –inis, n.: an effort, exertion, struggle

    ēnītor –nītī –nīxus (–nīsus) sum: struggle forth, strive

    adsurgō –surgere –surrexī –surrectum: rise up, stand up

    apprehendō –hendere –hendī –hensum: lay hold upon, seize, take hold of

    pēs pedis, m.: foot

    vestibulum –ī, n.: fore-court, entrance-court

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    Suggested Citation

    Christopher Francese, Sulpicius Severus: Life of St. Martin. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-947822-03-0. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/el/sulpicius-severus/section-8