[70] Sānctus Brendānus ait: “Quōmodo potest in corporālī creātūrā lūmen incorporāle corporāliter ārdēre?” [71] Respondit senex: “Nōnne lēgistī rubum ārdentem in monte Synāī? Et tamen remānsit ipse rubus inlaesus ab igne.” [72] Ēvigilantibus tōtam noctem usque ad māne, sānctus Brendānus petīvit licentiam proficīscendī in suum iter. [73] Cui ait senex: “Nōn, pater: tū dēbēs nōbīscum celebrāre nātīvitātem Dominī usque ad octāvās Epiphaniae.” [74] Mānsit igitur sānctus pater cum suā familiā praedictum tempus, cum vīgintī quātuor patribus, in īnsulā quae vocātur Īnsula Familiae Ailbēī.
notes
Brendan asks how there can be spiritual light in a non-spiritual entity, and the abbot reminds him of the miracle of the burning bush. Then Brendan asks if he can leave the island, but is told that he must celebrate the Christmas season with them, until "the octave of Epiphany."
[71] rubum ārdentem in monte Synāī?: Exodus 3.2: “And the Lord appeared to him [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt.”
[73] usque ad octāvās Epiphaniae: January 6–13.
[74] quātuor = quattuor (CL).
vocabulary
| corporālis –e | corporeal, pertaining to the body 70 |
| creātūra –ae f. | a creature |
| incorporālis –e | bodiless, incorporeal |
| corporāliter | carnally, in a bodily way |
| senex senis | old, aged 71 |
| nōnne | introduces a direct question expecting the answer "yes" |
| rubus –ī m. | a prickly shrub, bush |
| Synāī (indecl.) | Sinai |
| remaneō remanēre remānsī remānsus | to stay behind |
| rubus –ī m. | a prickly shrub, bush |
| illaesus –a –um | unhurt, unharmed, uninjured, unimpaired |
| ēvigilō ēvigilāre | to watch through the night, stay awake [OLD 2] 72 |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
| māne (indecl.) | the morning; in the morning; early next day |
| licentia licentiae f. | permission |
| senex senis | old, aged 73 |
| nātīvitās –ātis f. | birth, nativity |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
| octāvus –a –um | eighth |
| Epiphania –ōrum n. pl. | The Feast of Epiphany (LL); celebrated in the western church on January 6, twelve days after Christmas, to commemorate the presentation or “manifestation” of Jesus to the Three Magi / Wise Men, and thus to Gentiles more generally. |
| praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus | to say beforehand; mention 74 |
| vīgintī; vīcēsimus –a –um | 20; 20th |
| Ailbeus –ī | Ailbe (a man's name) |