[29] Cum autem resēdissent ad mēnsam, ecce praedicta avis resēdit in prōrā nāviculae, extēnsīs ālīs strepidantibusque sīcut sonitum organī magnī. [30] Tunc vir Deī agnōvit quia illa voluit sibi indicāre aliquid. Ait namque eadem avis: [31] “Deus prōposuit vōbīs quātuor loca per quātuor tempora usque dum fīniantur septem annī peregrinatiōnis vestrae, idest: [32] in Coenā Dominī cum vestrō prōcūrātōre, quī praesēns est omnī annō; in dorsō bēluae Paschā celebrābitis; nōbīscum fēsta Paschālia usque in octāvās Pentēcostēn; apud familiam Ailbēī Nātīvitātem Dominī celebrābitis. [33] Post septem annōs, antecēdentēs magnae ac dīversae perīclitātiōnēs, vōbīs inveniētis Terram Reprōmissiōnis Sānctōrum quam quaeritis, et ibi habitābitis quadrāgintā diēbus; et posteā redūcet vōs Deus ad terram nātīvitātis vestrae.” [34] Sānctus pater, ut audīvit, prōstrāvit sē ad terram cum frātribus suīs, referēns grātiās et laudēs suō creātōrī. [35] Cum haec perfīnīsset venerābilis senex, avis reversa est in locum suum.
notes
The talking bird whom Brendan met last year (11.13 etc.) flies down and lays out the future: there are the three islands for celebrating the Easter holidays (one is actually Iasconius the whale), and the one island for Christmas (the Island of the Community of Ailbe). After a total of seven years, counting from the start of the voyage, they will visit the the Land Promissed to the Saints, and then return home. Brendan and the monks give thanks to God.
[29] resēdissent ... resēdit: perhaps an intentional play on words
[30] quia: introduces an indirect statement; see on 1.33.
[31] Deus proposuit, etc.: the bird lays out the key elements of Brendan’s cycle of religious celebrations on particular islands: the three closely linked “islands” (including the whale) connected with the Easter holidays, and St. Ailbe’s island for Christmas.
[32] in Coenā Dominī: on Maundy Thursday / Holy Saturday
Paschā: actually part of Holy Saturday and Easter morning
fēsta Paschālia: "the Easter celebrations," probably the rest of Easter Sunday and the following week (the Octave of Easter).
[33] antecēdentēs magnae ac dīversae perīclitātiōnēs: a “nominative absolute” (not CL)
vōbīs inveniētis: “you will find (for yourselves),” dative of advantage.
[34] ut: as soon as, when (+ perf. ind.; OLD 26a).
[35] venerābilis senex: Brendan, here called senex for the first time.
vocabulary
| resideō residēre resēdī ressus | to be seated, remain seated; to stand back, stand still 29 |
| praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus | to say beforehand; mention |
| resideō residēre resēdī ressus | to be seated, remain seated; to stand back, stand still |
| prōra –ae f. | the extreme forward part of a ship; the prow |
| nāvicula –ae f. | boat (ML); (CL) small boat |
| extendō –ere –tendī –tentus (–tēnsus) |
to stretch forth; stretch |
| āla ālae f. | wing |
| strepidō strepidāre | to make a loud noise |
| sonitus –ūs m. | sounding; noise |
| organum –ī n. | organ, powered with bellows (ML; CL water-organ) |
| āgnōscō āgnōscere āgnōvī agnitus | to recognize, acknowledge 30 |
| quia | because; that |
| namque | for in fact |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] 31 |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
| fīniō fīnīre fīnīvī fīnītus | to finish |
| septem; septimus –a –um | 7; 7th |
| peregrīnātiō –ōnis f. | journey abroad, foreign travel |
| cēna (coena) cēnae f. | dinner 32 |
| prōcūrātor –ōris m. | administrator, steward |
| dorsum –ī n. | the back |
| bēlua –ae f. | beast |
| pascha –ae f. | Easter (LL) |
| fēstum fēstī n. | festival, holiday |
| paschālis –e | of or relating to Easter, paschal |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
| octāvus –a –um | eighth |
| Pentēcostē –ēs f. | Pentecost |
| Ailbeus –ī | Ailbe (a man's name) |
| septem; septimus –a –um | 7; 7th 33 |
| antecēdō –cēdere –cessī –cessum | to go before |
| perīclitātiō –ōnis, f. | test, trial |
| reprōmissiō –ōnis f. | formal promise |
| habitō habitāre habitāvī habitātus | to inhabit |
| quādrāginta; quādrāgesimus –a –um | 40; 40th |
| redūcō redūcere redūxī reductus | to bring back |
| nātīvitās –ātis f. | birth, nativity |
| prostrō, prostrāre, prostrāvī, prostrātum | to fall to one’s knees; fall flat on one’s face (ML; CL prosternō prosternere) 34 |
| creātor –ōris m. | a creator, founder |
| perfiniō perfinīre perfinīvī or perfiniī perfinītus | complete thoroughly 35 |
| venerābilis –e | venerable, deserving of respect |