[17] Cum autem appropinquāssent ad locum ubi ascendere dēbuissent dē nāvī, ecce appāruit illīs cacabus quem alterō annō dīmīsērunt. [18] Tunc sānctus Brendānus, illō ascendente dē nāvī cum suīs frātribus, coepit cantāre ymnum trium puerōrum usque in fīnem. [19] Fīnītō praedictō ymnō, vir Deī ammonēbat suōs frātrēs, dīcēns: “Ō fīliolī, vigilāte, et ōrāte ut nōn intrētis in temptātiōnem. [20] Cōnsīderātē quōmodo Deus subiugat inmānissimam bēstiam subtus nōs sine ūllō impedīmentō.” [21] Frātrēs vērō vigilābant sparsim per illam silvam usque ad vigiliās mātūtīnās. Posteā omnēs sacerdōtēs singulās missās Deō offerēbant usque ad tertiam hōram. [22] Immō beātus Brendānus cum suīs frātribus ascendēns nāvim immolābat agnum immaculātum Deō, et dicēbat frātribus: [23] “In alterō annō hīc celebrāvī resurrēctīonem Dominī; ita volō et hōc annō.” Inde profectī sunt ad Īnsulam Avium.
notes
On returning to the whale they find the cooking pot they had abandoned the previous year. They stay there to celebrate Easter Eve and Easter morning.
[17] cacabus: for the cooking pot, see 10.7 and 10.9.
[18] illō ascendente: refers to the subject of the sentence; not a CL usage.
ymnum trium puerōrum: the “Song of the Three Holy Youths” was based on the story of the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3.23–30). Parts of it became part of the service of Matins / Morning Prayer and other services, e.g., the canticle Benedicite.
[19] vigilāte, et ōrāte ut nōn intrētis in temptātiōnem: spending the night on Iasconius would mean spending it in the presence of satanic power (see Orlandi and Guglielmetti 2014). On the warning, compare Matthew 26.41, where Jesus in the Garden of Gesthemane complains to Peter that the disciples fell asleep: “Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation (Vigilate, et orate ut non intretis in temptationem). The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
[21] per illam silvam: the bristles on Iasconius
ad vigiliās mātūtīnās: until Matins
omnēs sacerdōtēs: see on 10.5; the contrast between frātrēs and sacerdōtēs seems pointed, perhaps confirming that some of Brendan’s “monks” were also priests, who (unlike monks) could perform the Mass.
ad tertiam hōram: 9 a.m.
[22] Tunc beātus Brendanus ... immolavit agnum immaculatum Deo: see on 9.4; 15.11: probably he celebrated Mass, unless he performed an actual animal sacrifice.
[23] ita volō et hōc annō: Orlandi and Guglielmetti (2014) take this as meaning that he has not yet celebrated Easter, even though we’ve been told that he just did that; they suggest that he may mean the rest of the celebrations after Easter Sunday itself. I wonder if volō couldn’t simply mean “I have wanted.”
vocabulary
appropinquō appropinquāre appropinquavī | to approach, draw near 17 |
cācabus –ī m. | cooking pot |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing 18 |
(h)ymnus –ī m. | a song of praise, a hymn |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
fīniō fīnīre fīnīvī fīnītus | to finish 19 |
praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus | to say beforehand; mention |
(h)ymnus –ī m. | a song of praise, a hymn |
admoneō admonēre admonuī admonitus | to admonish, remind |
fīliolus –ī m. | little son, dear son |
vigilō vigilāre vigilāvī vigilātus | to be awake |
temptātiō –ōnis f. | an attack, trial |
cōnsīderō cōnsīderāre cōnsīderāvī cōnsīderātus | to consider 20 |
subigō subigere subēgī subāctum | to drive under |
inmānis (immanis) inmāne | huge, monstrous |
bestia –ae f. | beast, creature |
subtus (adv. and prep. + acc.) | below |
impedīmentum impedīmentī n. | obstacle |
vigilō vigilāre vigilāvī vigilātus | to be awake 21 |
sparsim | here and there, in a scattered manner; in shifts |
per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
vigilia vigiliae f. | a keeping of the watch; religious vigil [OLD 4] |
mātūtīnus –a –um | of or belonging to the morning, morning |
missa –ae f. | the Mass (religious service) (LL) |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
immō | and in fact 22 |
immolō immolāre immolāvī immolātus | to offer in sacrifice; to give as a symbolic offering to God |
agnus agnī m. | lamb (male) |
immaculātus –a –um | unstained |
resurrectiō –ōnis f. | resurrection, rising from the dead |