[1]     Quādam vērō diē, cum celebrāssent missās, appāruit illīs columna in marī; [2] et nōn longē ab illīs vidēbātur, sed nōn poterant ante trēs diēs appropinquāre. [3] Cum autem appropinquāsset vir Deī, aspiciēbat summitātem illīus; tamen minimē potuit prae altitūdine illīus: namque altior erat quam āēr. [4] Porrō cooperta fuit ex rārō conopeō: in tantum rārus erat ut nāvis posset trānsīre per forāmina illīus. [5] Ignōrābant dē quā creātūrā factus esset cōnōpēus: habēbat colōrem argentī, sed tamen dūrior illīs vidēbātur quam marmor; columna erat dē cristāllō clārissimō.

[6]     Dīxit sānctus Brendānus frātribus suīs: “Mittite rēmigēs intus in nāvim et arborem atque vēla, et aliī teneant ex vōbīs interim fībulās conopēī.” [7] Spatium namque magnum tenēbat praedictus sagus ā columnā, quasi ūnīus miliāriī, et ita extendēbātur in profundum. [8] Cum haec fēcissent, ait ad illōs vir Deī: “Mittite nāvim intus per aliquod forāmen, ut videāmus dīligenter magnālia creātōris nostrī.”

    The crystal pillar. Away in the distance they see tall pillar; it is so high that when they get to it they can't see the top.  It is covered by a net, with mesh so wide that a ship can pass through it.  The net is made a mysterious material, silver in color and harder than marble; the pillar is made of crystal.  Brendan says they should grab one of the meshes of the net; they see that the net is about a mile from the pillar, and that it goes down into the sea to about the same distance. Brendan tells them to push the ship through the opening.

    The story was presumably inspired by icebergs in the North Atlantic, but see also the mountain of Revelation 21.11: “and the light thereof was like to a precious stone, as to the jasper stone, even as crystal.”  Comare also the descriptions of the Tabernacle in Exodus (26.7-11; 36.14-18).

    [1] cum celebrāssent missās: either “really” pluperfect or = celebrārent; either this happened after mass or during it.

    [2] illīs vidēbātur: “it seemed to them.”

    [3] aspiciēbat: “he was looking at” or “he was trying to look at.”

    [4] ex rārō cōnōpeō: we learn in 22.11 that there were actually four nets, on each side of the pillar.

    [5] illīs vidēbātur: “it seemed to them.”

    [6] aliī ... ex vōbīs: CL would perhaps be aliquī vestrum or quīdam vestrum.  This use of alius has been identified as a reflection of Old Irish.

    [7] Spatium namque magnum tenēbat praedictus sagus ā columnā: “The aforementioned curtain [previously called cōnōpeus] covered a large space (extending) from the pillar.”

    et ita extendēbātur in profundum: it extended to the same extent (ita) down into the sea.

    missa –ae f.

    the Mass (religious service) (LL)1

    columna –ae f.

    column, pillar

    appropinquō appropinquāre appropinquavī

    to approach, draw near2

    appropinquō appropinquāre appropinquavī

    to approach, draw near3

    summitas –ātis f.

    top; surface (OLD 2)

    minimē

    No!, not at all

    prae (prep. + abl.)

    in front of, in the face of (ML); by means of, because of, in view of

    altitūdō altitudinis f.

    height

    namque

    for in fact

    porrō

    next4

    co–operiō –operīre –operuī –opertum

    to cover over

    cōnōpium –(i)ī n.

    net (ML; CL cōnōpēum –ī n.: mosquito net)

    per

    through; by means of (OLD 14)

    forāmen –inis n.

    aperture, hole, cavity

    īgnōrō īgnōrāre īgnōrāvī īgnōrātus

    to not know; ignore5

    creātūra –ae f.

    a creature

    faciō facere fēcī factus

    to do, make; to act, conduct oneself (OLD 28)

    cōnōpium –(i)ī n.

    net (ML; CL cōnōpēum –ī n.: mosquito net)

    marmor –oris n.

    marble

    columna –ae f.

    column, pillar

    cristallum –ī n.

    rock-crystal

    mittō mittere mīsī missus

    to send, let go; to thrust; to put (OLD 13)6

    rēmex –igis m.

    oar (ML; CL oarsman, rower)

    intus

    within, inside

    vēlum vēlī n.

    sail; curtain; cloth

    teneō tenēre tenuī tentus

    to hold, keep; to reach in journeying, make (OLD 5a)

    fībula –ae f.

    bolt, bar, pin; the meshes of the net

    cōnōpium –(i)ī n.

    net (ML; CL cōnōpēum –ī n.: mosquito net)

    spatium spati(ī) n.

    space; expanse (OLD 3)7

    namque

    for in fact

    teneō tenēre tenuī tentus

    to hold, keep; to reach in journeying, make (OLD 5a)

    praedīcō praedīcere praedīxī praedictus

    to say beforehand; mention

    sagum –ī n. or
    sagus –ī m.

    cloak; curtain (LL)

    columna –ae f.

    column, pillar

    mīliārium –(i)ī n. or
    mīliārius –(i)ī m.

    a thousand paces, a mile (OLD 1c)

    extendō –ere –tendī –tentus
    (–tēnsus)

    to stretch forth; stretch

    profundum –ī n.

    deep water; abyss, chasm; the depths of the sea (OLD 1c)

    faciō facere fēcī factus

    to do, make; to act, conduct oneself (OLD 28)8

    mittō mittere mīsī missus

    to send, let go; to thrust; to put (OLD 13)

    intus

    within, inside

    per

    through; by means of (OLD 14)

    forāmen –inis n.

    aperture, hole, cavity

    dīligenter

    carefully

    magnālia –ium n. pl.

    great works or deeds (LL)

    creātor –ōris m.

    a creator, founder

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