[15] Quārtō autem diē invēnērunt calicem dē genere cōnōpēī et patēnam dē colōre columnae, iacentēs in quādam fenestrā in latere columnae contrā austrum. [16] Quae statim vāscula sānctus Brendānus apprehendit, dīcēns: “Dominus noster Iēsus Chrīstus ostendit nōbīs hoc mīrāculum, et, ut ostendātur multīs ad crēdendum, mihi dēdit ista bīna mūnera.” [17] Statim praecēpit vir Deī frātribus dīvīnum officium peragere et posteā corpora reficere, quia nūllum taedium habēbant dē cibō sūmere aut pōtū postquam vidērent illam columnam.
[18] Trānsāctā vērō illā nocte, coepērunt frātrēs nāvigāre contrā septentriōnem. [19] Cum autem trānsiērunt quoddam forāmen, posuērunt arborem et vēla in altum, et aliī tenēbant ex frātribus fībulās cōnōpēī quōusque omnia praeparāssent in nāvī. [20] Extēnsīs vēlīs, coepit prōsper ventus post illōs flāre, ita ut nihil illīs opus fuisset nāvigāre nisi tantum tenēre fūniculōs et gubernam. [21] Sīc ferēbātur per octo diēs nāvicula contrā aquilōnem.
notes
On the fourth day, in a kind of window on the fourth side, they find a chalice, made from the same material as the net (silver but harder than marble), and a paten, made from the same material as the pillar (crystal). Brendan says that this is a miracle, sent by Christ to confirm their faith. They conduct Mass, have a meal, and then sail out through the net. A favorable wind drives them north.
[15] invēnērunt calicem dē genere cōnōpēī et patēnam: the pillar is now like an altar, prepared for Mass (Holy Communion) with a silver chalice and paten (dish) for the wine and bread.
[16] Quae statim vāscula sānctus Brendānus apprehendit = Quae vāscula sānctus Brendānus statim apprehendit.
ut ostendātur multīs: perhaps a reference to relics kept at Clonfert.
[17] dīvīnum officium: presumably the Mass.
nūllum taedium habēbant dē cibō sūmere aut pōtū: either" they had no weariness (requiring them) to take (something) of food or drink” or “they had no time to take food or drink.”
[18] coepērunt frātrēs nāvigāre: they started by rowing, as we infer from the next sentence.
[19] trānsiērunt: we might have expected trānsiēbant; as we will see, crossing the opening took some time.
in altum: “on high.”
aliī tenēbant ex frātribus: = aliī ex frātribus tenēbant. CL would be quīdam fratrum; see 22.6.
quōusque omnia praeparāssent in nāvī: while there were getting ready to sail; CL would be praeparārent.
[20] ut nihil illīs opus fuisset nāvigāre: here nāvigō is clearly “row.”
