[11] Erat hōra quārta quandō tenuērunt portum īnsulae. Cum autem sexta vēnerat, coepērunt cantāre turmae simul, dīcentēs: [12] “Deus misereātur nostrī” usque in fīnem, et “Deus, in adiūtōrium meum intende”; similiter et tertium psalmum “Crēdidī propter,” et ōrātiōnem suprā; [13] similiter ad hōram nōnam aliōs trēs psalmōs: “Dē profundīs,” et “Ecce, quam bonum,” “Laudā Hierusalem”; [14] cantābant ad vesperās: “Tē decet ymnus, Deus, in Syon,” “Benedic, anima mea, Dominō,” “Domine, Deus meus,” et tertium psalmum: “Laudāte, puerī, Dominum,” et Quīndecim Gradūs cantābant sedendō.
[15] Cum autem perfīnīssent illum cantum, statim obumbrāvit illam īnsulam nūbēs mīrae clāritātis, sed nōn poterant vidēre quae anteā vīderant, prae spissitūdine nūbis. [16] Attamen audiēbant vōcēs canentium praedictum carmen sine intermissiōne usque ad vigiliās mātūtīnās. [17] Coepērunt turmae cantāre, dīcentēs: “Laudāte Dominum dē caelīs”; deinde: “Cantātē Dominō”; tertium: “Laudāte Dominum in sānctīs eius.” [18] Post haec cantābant duodecim psalmōs per ōrdinem psaltēriī.
notes
There is singing on the island for much of the day. A cloud comes down and the singers can't be seen, but they can be heard.
[11] hōra quārta: ten o’clock in the morning.
sexta: = sexta hora. The religious office known in English as Sext (at noon).
[12] Deus misereātur nostrī: Psalm 66.2 (67.1): “May God have mercy on us and bless us (Deus misereatur nostri et benedicat nobis); may he cause the light of his countenance to shine upon us, and may he have mercy on us.”
Deus, in adiutōrium meum: Psalm 69.2 (70.1): “O God, come to my assistance (Deus, in adiutorium meum intende); O Lord, make haste to help me!” Sung also at 12.50.
Crēdidī propter: Psalm 115.1 (116.1): “I have believed; therefore I have spoken, but I have been humbled exceedingly” (Credidi; propter quod locutus sum, ego autem humiliatus sum nimis).
ōrātiōnem suprā: apparently “a prayer in addition (to the psalm).”
[13] ad hōram nōnam: “at None” (rhymes with “phone”), at 3 PM.
Dē profundīs: Psalm 129.1 (130.1): “Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord.” (De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine).
Ecce, quam bonum: Psalm 132.1 (133.1): “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum habitare fratres in unum). Sung also at 11.36.
Laudā Hierusalem, Dominum: Psalm 147.1: “Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise thy God, O Zion!” (Lauda, Hierusalem, Dominum! Lauda Deum tuum, Sion!).
[14] ad vesperās: i.e., at Vespers (early evening).
Tē decet ymnus, Deus, in Syon: Psalm 64.2 (65.1): “A hymn, O God, becometh thee in Zion (Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion), and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem; and to you shall vows be performed.” Also sung at 11.26.
Benedic, anima mea, Domino: Psalm 102.1 (103.2): “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me praise his holy name!” (Benedic, anima mea, Domino, et omnia quae intra me sunt nomini sancto eius!).
Domine, Deus meus: Psalm 7.2 (7.1): “O Lord, my God, in thee have I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me” (Domine, Deus meus, in te speravi; salvum me fac ex omnibus persequentibus me.).
Laudāte, puerī, Dominum: Psalm 112.1 (113.1): “Praise the Lord, ye children! Praise ye the name of the Lord.” (Laudate, pueri, Dominum! Laudate nomen Domini).
et Quīndecim Gradūs: acc. pl. These are the fifteen “Gradual Psalms” (Psalms 119-133 in the Vulgate), associated fifteen steps in the Temple at Jerusalem. Note that fifteen is the original number of Brendan’s contingent (himself and his fourteen original followers).
sedendō: = CL would be sedentēs.
[15] nūbēs mīrae clāritātis: Matthew 17.5: “And as he was yet speaking, behold: a bright cloud (nubes lucida) overshadowed them.”
sed nōn poterant vidēre: the clouds were bright, but nevertheless they could not see.
[16] vigiliās mātūtīnās: Matins / Mattins / the night office.
[17] Laudātē Dominum dē caelīs: Psalm 148:1: “Praise ye the Lord from the heavens! Praise ye him in the high places!” (Laudate Dominum de caelis! Laudate eum in excelsis!).
Cantātē Dominō: Psalm 97 (98).1: “Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle because he hath done wonderful things! (Cantate Domino canticum novum quoniam mirabilia fecit!). His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy."
Laudāte Dominum in sanctīs eius: Psalm 150.1: “Praise ye the Lord in his holy places! Praise ye him in the firmament of his power!” (Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius! Laudate eum in firmamento virtutis eius!)."
[18] duodecim psalmōs per ōrdinem psaltēriī: apparently the four groups of three psalms just specified (chapter 17.12–14 and 17), but sung now in the order of the psalter, the canonical Book of Psalms.
vocabulary
teneō tenēre tenuī tentus | to hold, keep; to reach in journeying, make (OLD 5a)11 |
portus portūs m. | harbor |
sex; sextus –a –um | 6; 6th |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing |
turma turmae f. | troop (of cavalry); company, choir |
misereor –ērī miseritus sum | to pity12 |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
adiūtōrium –ī n. | help, aid |
similiter | similarly13 |
psalmus –ī m. | psalm |
similiter | similarly |
novem; nōnus –a –um | 9, 9th |
psalmus –ī m. | psalm |
profundum –ī n. | deep water; abyss, chasm; the depths of the sea (OLD 1c) |
Hierusalem (Jerūsalem) n. | Jerusalem |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing14 |
vesperae –ārum f.pl. | pers, Evensong (ML) |
(h)ymnus –ī m. | a song of praise, a hymn |
Sīon m. or f. or n. | Zion |
benedīcō –dīcere –dīxī –dictum | to bless |
psalmus –ī m. | psalm |
quīndecim; quintus –a –um decimus –a –um |
15; 15th |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing |
perfīniō, perfīnīre, perfīnīvī or perfīniī, perfīnītum | complete thoroughly15 |
cantus –ūs m. | song |
obumbrō obumbrāre obumbrāvī obumbrātus | to overshadow; darken |
nūbēs nūbis f. | cloud |
mīrus –a –um | marvelous, wonderful |
clāritās –tātis f. | brightness, brilliance, splendor |
anteā | before, formerly |
prae (prep. + abl.) | in front of, in the face of (ML); by means of, because of, in view of |
spissitūdō –inis f. | degree of density |
nūbēs nūbis f. | cloud |
attamen | nevertheless, however (at + tamen)16 |
caneō canēre canuī | to be white |
praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus | to say beforehand; mention |
intermissiō –ōnis f. | interruption, intermission |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
vigilia vigiliae f. | a keeping of the watch; religious vigil (see OLD 4) |
mātūtīnus –a –um | of or belonging to the morning, morning |
turma turmae f. | troop (of cavalry); company, choir17 |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing |
cantō cantāre cantāvī cantātus | to sing18 |
duodecim; duodecimus –a –um | 12; 12th |
psalmus –ī m. | psalm |
per | through; by means of (OLD 14) |
psaltērium –ī n. | psalter, book of psalms (LL) |