[17] Cum autem fēcissent secundum praeceptum virī Deī, ac mīsissent omnia ūtēnsilia in tentōrium, dīxit sānctus Brendānus frātribus suīs: [18] “Accipite stīpendia vestra dē illā bēluā, ut sufficiat vōbīs per trēs mēnsēs: hāc enim nocte erit illud cadāver dēvorātum ā bēstiīs.” [19] Ita usque ad vesperās asportābant carnēs, quantum eīs opus erat, secundum mandātum sānctī patris.
[20] At vērō frātrēs, cum haec omnia perfēcissent, dīxērunt: “Abbā, quōmodo possumus hīc vīvere sine aquā?” [21] Quibus ipse ait: “Numquid difficilius est Deō vōbīs tribuere aquam quam vīctum? [22] Īte igitur contrā merīdiānam plāgam īnsulae istīus, et inveniētis fontem lūcidissimum et herbās multās ac rādīcēs, [23] et inde mihi dispendia sūmite secundum mēnsūram.” Et invēnērunt omnia sīcut vir Deī praedēstināvit. [24] Mānsit ergō ibi sānctus Brendānus trēs mēnsēs, quia erat tempestās in marī et ventus fortissimus et inaequālitās āeris, dē pluviā et grandine.
notes
After making camp Brendan tells the monks to get food for three months from the section of the dead monster, since it will eaten that night by animals. After doing that they ask about water, and Brendan tells them they will find a nice spring on the south of the island. They stay on the island for three months, because of bad weather.
[17] fēcissent: "when they had acted"; faciō can be intransitive (CL). The subject is “Brendan’s followers,” supplied from illīs in 16.16, or from the context more generally.
[19] quantum eīs opus erat: “as much as they needed.”
[22] inveniētis fontem lūcidissimum, etc.: compare Luke 22.13.
[23] mihi dispendia sūmite: “take up supplies (for me)”; mihi is either a dative of advantage (“on my behalf”) or an ethical dative, and thus almost better left untranslated (see AG § 380).
secundum mēnsūram: “in the proper amount.”
[24] dē pluviā et grandine: “with rain and hail”; an explanation of inaequālitās āeris.
vocabulary
| faciō facere fēcī factus | to do, make; to act, conduct oneself [OLD 28] 17 |
| secundum | after, behind, according to (+ acc.) |
| mittō mittere mīsī missus | to send, let go; to thrust; to put [OLD 13] |
| ūtēnsilia –ium n. | things for use, materials, supplies, provisions |
| tentōrium –iī n. | tent |
| stīpendium stīpendi(ī) n. | supplies (ML; CL stīpendium –(i)ī n.: pay, wages) 18 |
| bēlua –ae f. | beast |
| sufficiō sufficere suffēcī suffectum | to suffuse |
| per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
| mēnsis mēnsis m. | month |
| cadāver –eris n. | dead body |
| dēvorō dēvorāre dēvorāvī dēvorātus | to swallow, devour |
| bestia –ae f. | beast, creature |
| ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) 19 |
| vesperae –ārum f.pl. | pers, Evensong (ML) |
| asportō –āre | to carry away, remove |
| carō carnis f. | meat, flesh |
| secundum | after, behind, according to (+ acc.) |
| mandātum –ī n. | instruction, order |
| perficiō perficere perfēcī perfectus | to complete, accomplish 20 |
| abbās –ātis m. | abbot, the head of a monastery |
| numquid | is there really anything? (expecting an answer in the negative) 21 |
| tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus | to share out, distribute |
| vīctus vīctūs m. | food |
| contrā | against; towards, in the direction of [OLD 14a] 22 |
| merīdiānus –a –um | southern [OLD 2] |
| plaga –ae f. | open expanse, tract; region |
| lūcidus –a –um | bright, shining |
| herba herbae f. | grass; herb, edible plant |
| rādīx rādīcis f. | root |
| dispendium –ī n. | provisions, food supplies (ML; CL dispendium –(i)ī n.: expenditure) 23 |
| secundum | after, behind, according to (+ acc.) |
| mēnsūra –ae f. | (proper) amount; the full extent or amount [OLD 4b] |
| praedestinō –āre –āvī –ātum | determine beforehand |
| mēnsis mēnsis m. | month 24 |
| quia | because; that |
| inaequālitas –ātis f. | changeableness [OLD 4] |
| pluvia –ae (sc. aqua) f. | rain |
| grandō –inis f. | hail |