Section 21 | Dickinson College Commentaries

[1] Cōnstat autem etiam angelōs ab eō plērumque vīsōs, ita ut cōnsertō apud eum invicem sermōne loquerentur: diabolum vērō ita cōnspicābilem et subiectum oculīs habēbat, ut sīve sē in propriā substantiā continēret, sīve in dīversās figūrās spiritālis nēquitiae trānstulisset, quālibet ab eō sub imāgine viderētur. [2] quod cum diabolus scīret sē effugere nōn posse, conviciīs eum frequenter urguēbat, quia fallere nōn posset īnsidiīs. quōdam autem tempore cornū bovis cruentum in manū tenēns cum ingentī fremitū cellulam eius irrupit, cruentamque ostendēns dexteram et admissō recēns scelere gaudēns 'ubi est' inquit, 'Martīne, virtūs tua? ūnum dē tuīs modo interfēcī'. [3] tunc ille convocātīs frātribus refert quid diabolus indicāsset: sollicitōs īre praecipit per cellulās singulōrum, quisnam hōc cāsū affectus fuisset. nēminem quidem dēesse dē monachīs, sed unum rusticum mercēde conductum, ut vehiculō ligna dēferret, īsse ad silvam nuntiant. iubet igitur aliquōs īre eī obviam: [4] ita haud longē a monastēriō iam paene exanimis invenitur. extrēmum tamen spiritum trahēns indicat frātribus causam mortis et vulneris: iunctīs scīlicet būbus dum dissolūta artius lōra cōnstringit, bovem sibi excussō capite inter inguina cornū adēgisse. nec multō post vītam reddidit. vīderis, quō iūdiciō Dominī diabolō data fuerit haec potestās. 5. in Martīnō illud mīrabile erat, quod nōn sōlum hoc, quod suprā rettulimus, sed multa istīus modī, si quotiēns accīdissent, longē anteā praevidēbat aut sibi nuntiāta frātribus indicābat.

notes

cōnsertō . . . sermōne: "with conversation having been joined," i.e., "engaging in conversation."

cōnspicābilem et subiectum oculīs: "clear and visible to his eyes."

continēret . . . trānstulisset: "was keeping ... had transformed"; subjunctive by attraction into the surrounding result clause (ut . . . videretur).

spiritālis: > spiritalis –e, "spiritual" (late Latin).

quālibet . . . sub imāgine: "in any manifestation whatsoever."

[2]

cornū: neut. acc. sing.

admissō recēns scelere gaudēns: "rejoicing in the recently committed crime." Admissō scelere is ablative with gaudens. Recēns is adverbial.

modo: (adv.) "just now."

[3]

indicāsset: = indicāvisset > indicō (1), "had revealed."

sollicitōs īre praecipit: "he instructed them to go carefully."

affectus fuisset: = affectus esset, "had been afflicted with" (> afficiō –ere + abl).

nēminem: acc., in indirect statement, after nuntiant.

dēesse: > desum deesse, "was missing."

rusticum mercēde conductum ut: "peasant hired to."

mercēde: > mercēs –ēdis (f.), "reward"

conductum: > conducō –ere, hire

[4]

iunctīs scīlicet būbus: abl. absol., "evidently his oxen were yoked together."

dum dissolūta artius lōra constringit: "while he was tying more tightly the straps that had come undone." Dum = "while" can take the present indicative, whatever the tense of the main verb.

sibi excussō capite inter inguina cornū adēgisse: "having shaken his head, had driven a horn into his (the peasant's) groin." sibi is a dative of reference (AG 377). adēgisse > adigo –ere.

post: adverbial, "later."

vītam reddidit: "died" (reddidit > reddo –ere).

vīderis: fut. pf. indic., "it is for you to decide." (see OLD s.v. video 18b).

data fuerit: = data sit, "has been given"; perfect subjunctive in an indirect question.

[5]

rettulimus: 1st pl. > refero, "I have described." Polite plural for singular.

si quotiēns: = quotiens, "if ever, whenever" (a mannerism of Sulpicius, cp. Dial. 3.6).

sibi nuntiāta frātribus indicābat: "he used to inform the brothers that they had been announced to him." Supply esse with nuntiāta.

vocabulary

cōnserō –serere –seruī –sertum: join, fasten together

invicem: one another, each other

conspicābilis –e: visible; remarkable, notable

subiciō –icere –iēci –iectum: throw under; submit, subject

substantia –ae, f.: being, essence, substance

figūra –ae, f.: form, shape, figure

spīritālis –e: spiritual

nēquitia –ae, f.: bad moral quality; vileness, wickedness

trānsferō –ferre –tulī –lātum: carry over, transfer

quīlibet quaelibet quodlibet: any one without distinction, whom you will, no matter who

effugiō –fugere –fūgī –fugitum: flee away, escape2

convīcium –ī, n.: quarreling, altercation

urgueō urguēre ursi: press, ply, urge with

īnsidiae –ārum, f.: ambush, ambuscade; artifice, treachery

cruentus –a –um: bloody, gory

fremitus –ūs, m.: roaring, loud noise

admittō –mittere –mīsī –missum: let go, admit

scelus –eris, n.: wicked deed, crime, sin

convocō –vocāre: call together, summon3

sollicitus –a –um: agitated, disturbed

mercēs –ēdis, f.: pay, wages

condūcō –dūcere –dūxi –ductum: bring together, collect; hire

vehiculum –ī, n.: wagon, cart

līgnum –ī, n.: wood

nuntiō –āre: give news, announce, report

dissolūtus –a –um: unloosed, loose, disconnected4

lōra –um, n.: (pl.) reins

cōnstringō –stringere –strinxī –strictum: bind tight, hold in check

excutiō –cutere –cussī –cussum: shake out, shake off, force away

inguen inguinis, n.: groin

adigō –igere –ēgī –āctum: drive to

mīrābilis –e: wonderful, marvellous, extraordinary5

antea: (adv.) before that, previously, hitherto

praevideō –vidēre –vīdī –vīsum: see first or beforehand, foresee

media

Text Read Aloud

Suggested Citation