11.20–27

The bird adds that normally they wander the earth like other spirits, but that on Sundays and holy days they return to their tree and praise God.  She also says that Brendan and his monks have now completed one year of a total of seven; after that they will find the Land Promised to the Saints.  She then rejoins the other birds, and all the birds sing a line from the Psalms, for an hour.

[20] aliī spīritūs quī mittuntur: “the other (good) spirits [angels], sent (to earth)”; quī mittuntur reflects the fact that in Greek angelos originally meant “messenger.”

[21] in sānctīs diēbus atque Dominicīs: the neutral angels get to be birds on holy days, as a respite from their sad everyday lives; so too the damned get special vacation days (25.9ff.)

[22] habēs ūnum annum in tuō itinere: Brendan and his followers are in the first year of their voyage, and the bird knows this.

[23] omnī annō: “every year.”

[24] levāvit sē dē prōrā illa avis: = illa avis levāvit sē dē prōrā, or possibly avis levāvit sē dē prōrā illā.

ad aliās: = ad aliās (avēs).

[25] vespertīna hōra: the time for the office of Vespers (early evening). omnēs quae in arbore erant: sc. avēs.

percutientēs latera sua: either in lamentation or a rhythmic accompaniment.

[26] Te decet ymnus ... Hierusalem: They sing, for an hour, Psalm 64.2 (65.1): “A hymn, O God, becometh thee in Zion (Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion), and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem; and to you shall vows be performed.” The birds are apparently able to sing a single verse, not an entire psalm. They sing verse 5 of Psalm 64 (65) at 11.55, and the entire psalm is sung on the Island of Three Choirs (17.14).

[27] quasi carmen plānctūs, prō suāvitāte: there was the sweetness one associates with song, in this case a funeral song. prō (+ abl.) often means “because of” in ML.