[1] Porrō post trēs diēs et noctēs, cessāvit ventus, et coepit mare esse quasi coāgulātum, prae nimiā tranquillitāte. [2] Sānctus pater dīxit: “Mittite rēmigēs in nāvim, et laxātē vēla, iuxtā: ubicumque vult Deus enim gubernāre illam, faciet.” [3] Ferēbātur itaque nāvis circiter, per vīgintī diēs. Post haec, iterum ventum Deus illīs suscitāvit prōsperum, ab occidente contrā orientem. [4] Coepērunt simul tendere vēla in altum et nāvigāre. Reficiēbant semper post trīduānum.

 

    The coagulated sea. After sailing for three days they are becalmed and the sea is "practically coagulated." They entrust the ship to God, who eventually sends winds to drive them to the east.

    Classical authors speak of a slowing or congealed sea in the far north, apparently not because they didn't understand ice but because of an absence of wind. Some associate Brendan’s congealed sea with the Sargasso Sea.

    [2] laxātē vēla, iuxtā: he tells them to lower the sails (laxātē) and stow them next (iuxtā) to the oars.

    [3] ventum Deus illīs suscitāvit prōsperum: = Deus suscitāvit illīs ventum prosperum.

    [4] post trīduānum: “every third day.”

    porrō next 1
    cessō cessāre cessāvī cessātus to cease, desist
    coāgulō –āre –āvī –ātus to curdle; collect
    prae in front of, in the face of (ML); by means of, because of, in view of (prep. + abl.)
    tranquillitās –tātis f. calmness
    mittō mittere mīsī missus to send, let go; to thrust; to put [OLD 13] 2
    rēmex –igis m. oar (ML; CL oarsman, rower)
    laxō laxāre laxāvī laxātus to spread out
    vēlum vēlī n. sail; curtain; cloth
    iūxtā next to (prep. + acc.)
    ubīcumque wherever, whenever
    gubernō gubernāre –āvī –ātus to steer
    faciō facere fēcī factus to do, make; to act, conduct oneself [OLD 28]
    circiter around 3
    per through; by means of [OLD 14]
    vīgintī; vīcēsimus –a –um 20; 20th
    suscitō suscitāre suscitāvī suscitātus to rouse; rouse from sleep [OLD 3]
    prōsper or more frequently prōsperus –a –um (of winds) favorable
    occidēns –entis the west (the land of the setting sun)
    contrā against; towards, in the direction of [OLD 14a]
    oriēns –entis m. the east; the rising sun
    vēlum vēlī n. sail; curtain; cloth 4
    nāvigō nāvigāre nāvigāvī nāvigātus to go by ship, sail; to row
    reficiō reficere refēcī refectus to restore, revive (transitive) (ML) to take food, eat (intransitive)
    trīduānus –a –um lasting three days
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