11.1–5

The Island (Paradise) of Birds. They sail past the Island of Sheep and come to another island very close to it. This island is lush with trees and grass and flowers, and they find a good landing place where a river flows into the sea. They pull the boat up river to its source. (It is still Easter Sunday).

[1] iuxtā illam īnsulam ubi erant per trīduum ante: they went past the “Island of Sheep” (chapter 9); they had stayed there from Maundy Thursday to Holy Saturday, three days counting inclusively. They were alongside the island, but still on the boat.

et vēnissent ad summitātem illīus contrā occidentem: i.e. they sailed to the western tip of the island.

[2] vīdērunt aliam īnsulam, prope sibi iūnctam, interveniente fretō nōn magnō: I assume this is "another island," the īnsula contrā occidentālem plāgam, quae vocātur Paradīsus Āvium of 9.20. prope sibi iūnctam: “almost joined to it (the first island).”

per circuitum: “by means of a circuit,” i.e., by circumnavigating the island.

[4] contrā alveum flūminis: “against the riverbed,” i.e. “upstream.”

quantum plūs potuissent: “as much as they could”; CL would probably omit plus (OLD quantum2 3a).

[5] tam lātum sīcut et lātitūdō illīus nāvis: “just as wide as in fact (was) the width of that ship.

Praedictus pater: Brendan.

et ita fēcērunt: Brendan’s followers kept on pulling (see 11.4).