[11] Erat enim habitātiō eōrum sparsa; tamen ūnanimiter illōrum conversātiō in spē et fide et cāritāte, ūna refectiō, et ad opus Deī ūna ecclēsia perficiendum. [12] Nihil aliud cibī ministrātur nisi pōma et nucēs atque rādīcēs et cētera genera herbārum. Frātrēs post complētōrium in suās singulās cellulās usque ad gallōrum cantūs seu pulsum campanae permānsērunt.

[13] “Pernoctantibus nōbīs et perambulantibus tōtam īnsulam, meus fīliolus dūxit mē ad lītus maris contrā occidentem, ubi erat nāvicula, et dīxit mihi: [14] ‘Pater, ascende in nāvim et nāvigēmus contrā occidentālem plagam, ad īnsulam quae dīcitur Terra Reprōmissiōnis Sānctōrum, quam Deus datūrus est successōribus nostrīs in novissimō tempore.’

    Barrind describes Mernoc's monastic community, and says that, after he spent the night on the island, Mernoc took him to a boat on the west coast, and suggested that they sail west to the Land Promised to the Saints.

    [11] conversātiō: "communal life." See Philippians 3:20, where the word is often translated "citizenship" or "commonwealth": "But our citizenship is in heaven, (Nostra autem conversatio in caelis est), and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

    in spē et fide et cāritāte: the famous three virtues of First Corinthians 13.13: “And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three (Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria haec); but the greatest of these is charity.”

    refectiō: “meal” (ML)

    ad opus Deī ūna ecclēsia perficiendum: = ūna ecclēsia ad opus Deī perficiendum. Opus Deī, “the divine office,” is still the technical Latin term for the liturgy of the hours (see Time, Ritual, and Monastic Piety).

    [12] pōma ... herbārum: vegetarian diet is a regular feature in the lives of the desert saints.

    usque ad gallōrum cantūs: i.e., “until cockcrow.”

    [13] Pernoctantibus nōbīs et perambulantibus: ablative absolute (AG 419), "As we were spending the night and walking around"

    nāvicula: “boat.” Words that in CL are dimunitives can lose that force in ML.

    [14] navim: = navem (CL, but rare and poetic).

    contrā occidentālem plagam: “toward the western region.” Contra + acc. with a verb of motion can mean “toward” (OLD 14b), used regularly in this text to indicate a particular direction. CL would normally be versus.

    Terra Reprōmissiōnis Sānctōrum: “The Land of Promise of the Saints.” Reprōmissiōnis is a defining genitive. The Biblical Promised Land is, originally, the land of Israel; see especially Hebrews 11.9, concerning Abraham: “By faith he abode in the land (in terra repromisionis), dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.” In the Navigatio the promised land is not Israel but a future earthly paradise, available as a future refuge (see 28.16), and not to be confused with the paradise of heaven.

    datūrus est: First periphrastic conjugation (see AG 194).

    in novissimō tempore: "at the end of time." For the sense of impending doom prompted by Viking attacks on Ireland see 28.16.

    habitātiō –ōnis f. a dwelling 11
    sparsus –a –um thinly distributed
    ūnanimiter harmoniously, in total agreement
    conversātiō –ōnis f habitual association; (ML) communal life, community
    cāritās cāritātis f. love, affection [OLD 2]
    refectiō –ōnis f. meal (ML; CL restoration)
    ecclēsia –ae f. congregation, church (LL)
    perficiō perficere perfēcī perfectus to complete, accomplish
    ministrō ministrāre ministrāvī ministrātus to tend, attend, serve 12
    pōmum –ī n. fruit (esp. orchard-fruit)
    nux nucis f. nut
    rādīx rādīcis f. root
    herba herbae f. grass; herb, edible plant
    complētōrium –iī n. the service of Compline (prayers at the end of the day, LL)
    cellula –ae f. a small room, cell
    ūsque until (often with ad or dum)
    gallus –ī m. a rooster, cock
    cantus –ūs m. song
    pulsus –ūs m. striking or beating; tramp
    campāna –ae f. a bell
    pernoctō pernoctāre pernoctāvī pernoctātum to spend the night 13
    perambulō perambulāre perambulāvī perambulātus to go through
    fīliolus –ī m. little son, dear son
    contrā against; towards, in the direction of [OLD 14a]
    occidēns –entis the west (the land of the setting sun)
    nāvicula –ae f. boat (ML); (CL) small boat
    nāvigō nāvigāre nāvigāvī nāvigātus to go by ship, sail; to row 14
    contrā against; towards, in the direction of [OLD 14a]
    occidentālis –e of the west, westerly
    plaga –ae f. open expanse, tract; region
    reprōmissiō –ōnis f.  
    successor –ōris m. a follower, successor
    novissimus –a –um final, last; youngest
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