[14] “Revertere itaque ad terram nātīvitātis tuae, portāns tēcum dē frūctibus istīus et dē gemmīs, quantum potest tua nāvicula capere. [15] Appropinquant enim diēs peregrīnātiōnis tuae, ut dormiās cum patribus tuīs. [16] Post multa vērō curricula temporum dēclārābitur ista terra successōribus vestrīs, quandō Chrīstiānōrum supervēnerit persecūtiō. [17] Istud flūmen quod vidētis dīvidit istam īnsulam. Sīcut modo appāret vōbīs mātūra frūctibus, ita omnī tempore permanet sine ūllā umbrā noctis: lūx enim illīus est Chrīstus.”
[18] Acceptīs dē frūctibus terrae et omnibus generibus gemmārum, dīmissōque benedictō prōcūrātōre et iuvene, sānctus Brendānus cum suīs frātribus ascendit nāviculam et coepit nāvigāre per medium cālīginis. [19] Cum autem pertrānsīssent, vēnērunt ad Īnsulam quae vocātur Dēliciārum, ibique trium diērum hospitium perēgērunt. [20] Acceptā benedictiōne, sānctus Brendānus rēctō itinere ad locum suum reversus est.
notes
The young man tells them to return home, taking fruit and precious stones from the island. Knowledge of this land will come to their successors, who will need it in a time of Christian persecution. Brendan and his monks sail to the Island of Delights, presumably the Delightful Island of 1.7. They spend three days there as guests (presumably of Mernoc) and then return home.
[14] Revertere itaque ad terram nātīvitātis tuae: Just as Moses saw the land of Israel but was not allowed to enter (Deuteronomy 34.4) Brendan could visit but not remain in his Promised Land.
dē frūctibus istīus et dē gemmīs: = (aliquid) dē frūctibus istīus (terrae or īnsulae) et dē gemmīs.
[15] diēs peregrīnātiōnis tuae: i.e., the days when their pilgrimage will be completed.
[16] quandō Chrīstiānōrum supervēnerit persecūtiō: The “persecution” has been identified as Viking raids; they began in 795 CE and peaked in 830–840 CE.
[17] Sīcut modo appāret: = sīcut (haec īnsula) nunc apparet.
[18] dīmissōque benedictō prōcūrātōre et iuvene: = benedictō dīmissōque prōcūrātōre et iuvene. They blessed and they said farewell to the procurator and to the young man of 28.10.
[19] ad Īnsulam quae vocātur Dēliciārum: see 1.7.
[20] ad locum suum: to his monastery at Clonfert (see on 1.2), rather than his birthplace on Dingle Penninsula, called regio sua at 4.1). Some manuscripts add a short account of the death of Brendan.
vocabulary
| nātīvitās –ātis f. | birth, nativity14 |
| gemma –ae f. | jewel, gem |
| nāvicula –ae f. | boat (ML); (CL) small boat |
| appropinquō appropinquāre appropinquavī | to approach, draw near15 |
| peregrīnātiō –ōnis f. | journey abroad, foreign travel |
| curriculum –ī n. | career16 |
| dēclārō dēclārāre dēclārāvī dēclārātus | to make clear, reveal |
| successor –ōris m. | a follower, successor |
| Chrīstiānus –a –um | Christian |
| superveniō –īre –vēnī –ventu | to arrive (OLD 2b) |
| persecūtiō –ōnis f. | a chase, pursuit, persecution |
| modo | only, just; now, just now (at the present time); just now (in the immediate future) (OLD 5b)17 |
| mātūrus –a –um | ripe |
| permaneō permanēre permānsī permānsum | to remain |
| Christus –ī m. | Christ |
| gemma –ae f. | jewel, gem18 |
| benedīcō –dīcere –dīxī –dictum | to bless |
| prōcūrātor –ōris m. | administrator, steward |
| iuvenis iuvenis m. | youth |
| nāvicula –ae f. | boat (ML); (CL) small boat |
| nāvigō nāvigāre nāvigāvī nāvigātus | to go by ship, sail; to row |
| per | through; by means of (OLD 14) |
| medium –iī n. | middle |
| cālīgō –inis f. | darkness, mist19 |
| pertrānseō pertrānsīre –iī –itum | to go or pass through |
| dēlicia dēliciae f. (often plural) or delici(ōl)um –ī m. |
charm, delight |
| hospitium hospiti(ī) n. | hospitality |
| peragō peragere perēgī perāctum | to finish |
| benedictiō –ōnis f. | a blessing20 |