[11] At venerābilis pater invēnit sex fontēs irriguissimōs, herbīs virentibus ac dīversīs rādīcibus. [12] Post haec reversus ad frātrēs suōs, portāns sēcum dē prīmitiīs īnsulae, dīcēns illīs: “Ascendite dē nāvī et fīgite tentōrium et cōnfortāminī dē optimīs frūctibus terrae istīus quam Dominus ostendit nōbīs.” [13] Ita, per quadrāgintā diēs, reficiēbant dē ūvīs et herbīs ac rādīcibus fontium. [14] Post vērō praedictum tempus, ascendērunt nāvim, portantēs sēcum dē frūctibus quantum poterat nāvis eōrum portāre.
notes
Brendan finds six freshwater springs surrounded with edible plants and roots. He returns to the ship bringing some of the island's bounty. They live off this bounty for forty days and then load the ship with as much of it as it can carry.
[12] cōnfortāminī: “strengthen yourselves with,” i.e., “refresh yourselves with.”
[13] dē ... rādīcibus fontium: They ate root vegetables growing around the wells (springs).
vocabulary
| venerābilis –e | venerable, deserving of respect11 |
| sex; sextus –a –um | 6; 6th |
| irriguus –a –um | watered |
| herba herbae f. | grass; herb, edible plant |
| vireō virēre viruī | to be green |
| rādīx rādīcis f. | root |
| prīmitiae –ārum f. | the first fruits; first offerings12 |
| tentōrium –iī n. | tent |
| cōnfortō confortāre | to strengthen much; comfort (LL) |
| per | through; by means of (OLD 14)13 |
| quādrāginta; quādrāgesimus –a –um | 40; 40th |
| reficiō reficere refēcī refectus | to restore, revive (transitive) (ML) to take food, eat (intransitive) |
| ūva –ae f. | grape |
| herba herbae f. | grass; herb, edible plant |
| rādīx rādīcis f. | root |
| praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus | to say beforehand; mention14 |