[48]     Cum autem sānctus Brendānus haec omnia intrā sē cōnsīderāsset, dīxit eī abbās: “Pater, iam tempus est ut revertāmur ad refectōrium, ut omnia fīant cum lūce.” [49] Et ita fēcērunt ad hunc modum sīcut ad refectiōnem. Fīnītīs omnibus secundum ōrdinem cursūs diēī, omnēs cum magnā alacritāte festīnābant ad complētōrium.

[50]     At vērō abbās, cum incohāsset praedictum versiculum, idest “Deus, in adiūtōrium meum intende,” et dedissent simul honōrem Trīnitātī, incipiēbant istum versiculum cantāre, dīcentēs: [51] “Iniūstē ēgimus, inīquitātem fēcimus. Tū, quī pius es pater, parce nōbīs, Domine.” [52] “In pāce in idipsum dormiam et requiēscam, quoniam tū, Domine, singulāriter in spē cōnstituistī mē.” [53] Post haec, cantābant officium quod pertinet ad hanc hōram. [54] Iam cōnsummātō ōrdine psallendī, omnēs ēgrediēbantur forās frātrēs ad illōrum singulās cellulās, accipientēs hospitēs sēcum.

    Eventually the abbot says they should go back to the refectory (and eat) while there is still daylight. At the end of the day they go to compline (the evening service) and then to bed. Each host monk takes one of Brendan's monks to his cell.

    [48] ut omnia fīant cum lūce: so that they could eat while it was still daytime; this was the practice prescribed by the Rule of St. Benedict 41.9.

    [49] Et ita fēcērunt ... sicut ad refectiōnem: “And they acted in the way that they did at dinner.” ita sets up sīcut and is best omitted in translation.

    Fīnītīs omnibus: neuter

    secundum ōrdinem cursūs diēī: following the prescribed sequence of religious observances

    ad complētōrium: Compline (bedtime)

    [50] praedictum versiculum: here apparently “the well-known verse” or “the usual verse (in this situation),” since the verse hasn’t been quoted yet.

    Deus in adiūtōrium intende: Psalm 69.2 (70.1): “O God, come to my assistance (Deus, in adiutorium meum intende); O Lord, make haste to help me!”

    dedissent simul honōrem Trīnitātī: i.e., they sang the Gloria Patri. See 12.45.

    [51] Iniūstē ēgimus, etc.: Judith 7.19-20: “We have sinned; with our fathers we have done unjustly; we have committed iniquity.  (20) Have thou mercy on us because thou art good” (Peccavimus;  cum patribus nostris iniuste egimus; iniquitatem fecimus. (20) Tu quia pius es miserere nostri).  See also Psalm 105 (106).6: “Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly” (pecavimus cum patribus nostris; inique fecimus, impie egimus). The medieval Irish church had a tradition of penitential prayers, based on selected Bible passages.

    [52] In pāce in idipsum dormiam, etc.: Psalm 4.9 (4.8): “In peace, in the self same, I will sleep, and I will rest. (In pace in id ipsum, dormiam, et requiescam. quoniam tu Domine singulariter in spe constituisti me). In id ipsum is the Vulgate’s awkward translation of the Septuagint’s ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, which in turn translated a Hebrew word meaning “altogether, at the same time.

    [53] quod pertinet ad hanc hōram: “which pertains to this hour”; the “monastic hour” in question was Compline, though the choice of psalms was not standard.

    cōnsīderō cōnsīderāre cōnsīderāvī cōnsīderātus to consider 48
    abbās –ātis m. abbot, the head of a monastery
    refectōrium –(i)ī n. monastic refectory, dining hall
    faciō facere fēcī factus to do, make; to act, conduct oneself [OLD 28]
    refectiō –ōnis f. meal (ML; CL restoration) 49
    fīniō fīnīre fīnīvī fīnītus to finish
    secundum after, behind, according to (+ acc.)
    alacritās –ātis f. enthusiasm, quickness
    festīnō festīnāre festīnāvī festīnātus to hurry
    complētōrium –iī n. the service of Compline (prayers at the end of the day, LL)
    abbās –ātis m. abbot, the head of a monastery 50
    incohō –āre –āvī –ātum to start work on, begin
    praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus to say beforehand; mention
    versiculus versiculī m. little verse, short line
    adiūtōrium –ī n. help, aid
    trīnitās –ātis f. the number three, a triad
    versiculus versiculī m. little verse, short line
    cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus to sing
    iniūstē unjustly 51
    inīquitās –ātis f. injustice, mischief
    faciō facere fēcī factus to do, make; to act, conduct oneself [OLD 28]
    requiēscō requiēscere requiēvī requiētum to rest 52
    singulāriter one by one, singly
    cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus to sing 53
    cōnsummō –āre to consume (ML; CL to add up; complete; accomplish) 54
    psallō psallere psallī — to play the cithara; (LL) sing a Psalm
    forās outside, on the outside
    cellula –ae f. a small room, cell
    article Nav
    Previous
    Next