[1] Trānsāctīs autem fēstīvitātibus, acceptā annōnā et benedictiōne sānctōrum virōrum, beātus Brendānus cum suīs sequācibus tetendit vēla in ōceanum nāviculae suae quantōcius; [2] et ibi sīve per nāvigium sīve per vēla ferēbātur nāvis per dīversa loca usque in initium Quadrāgēsimae.
[3] Quādam autem diē vīdērunt īnsulam ē regiōne, nōn longē ab illīs. Cum frātrēs illam vīdissent, coepērunt ācriter nāvigāre, quia iam valdē vexātī erant famē et sitī: ante trīduānum enim dēfēcit vīctus et pōtus. [4] At vērō, cum sānctus pater benedīxisset portum, et omnēs exīssent forās dē nāvī, invēnērunt fontem lūcidissimum, et herbās dīversās, ac rādīcēs in circuitū fontis, dīversaque genera piscium discurrentēs per alveum rīvulī mānantis dē fonte in mare.
notes
The soporific well. Brendan and his monks set off and sail as the wind takes them. They are running out of food and water, but, at the beginning of Lent, they see another island, well supplied with plants and water and fish.
[1] tetendit vēla in ōceanum nāviculae suae: = tetendit vēla nāviculae suae in ōceanum; the word order is unusual.
[2] usque in initium Quadrāgēsimae: Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which can fall anywhere from the middle of February to early March.
[3] ē regiōne: “straight ahead” (see OLD regiō 2b).
coepērunt ācriter nāvigāre: here nāvigō clearly means “to row.”
ante trīduānum: "three days earlier" (we would say "two days earlier").
[4] dīversaque genera piscium discurrentēs: CL would be dīversaque genera piscium discurrentium.
vocabulary
| trānsigō trānsigere trānsēgī trānsāctum | to carry through, complete; to spend, pass 1 |
| festivitās –ātis f. | festivity, joy; feast day |
| annōna –ae f. | produce; allotment of free grain; allowance, serving of food |
| benedictiō –ōnis f. | a blessing |
| sequāx –ācis | following; (as substantive) follower |
| vēlum vēlī n. | sail; curtain; cloth |
| ōceanus –ī m. | the ocean |
| nāvicula –ae f. | boat (ML); (CL) small boat |
| quantōcius | as quickly as possible |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] 2 |
| nāvigium –iī n. | rowing (ML; CL ship; voyage) |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
| vēlum vēlī n. | sail; curtain; cloth |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
| Quādrāgēsima –ae f. | Lent (which lasts forty days; LL) 3 |
| regiō regiōnis f. | region; direction, line |
| ācriter acrius acerrimē | keenly, energetically |
| nāvigō nāvigāre nāvigāvī nāvigātus | to go by ship, sail; to row |
| quia | because; that |
| valdē | powerfully; intensely, exceedingly |
| vexō vexāre vexāvī vexātus | to afflict [OLD 4] |
| sitis –is f. | thirst |
| trīduānus –a –um | lasting three days |
| vīctus vīctūs m. | food |
| pōtus pōtūs m. | a drinking, a drink |
| benedīcō –dīcere –dīxī –dictum | to bless 4 |
| portus portūs m. | harbor |
| forās | outside, on the outside |
| lūcidus –a –um | bright, shining |
| herba herbae f. | grass; herb, edible plant |
| rādīx rādīcis f. | root |
| circuitus –ūs m. | circuit, circle; outer edge, perimeter [OLD 5] |
| piscis piscis m. | fish |
| discurrō –ere –cucurrī (–currī) –cursus |
to run apart; to ride in different directions |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
| alveus –ī m. | cavity; riverbed, channel |
| rīvulus –ī m. | a small stream, brook |
| mānō mānāre mānāvī mānātus | to flow; pour |