PAULINUS ATTEMPTS TO CONVERT EDWIN

(1) haec ... litterīs agēbat: in chapters 10 and 11, Bede reproduces letters from Pope Boniface V (in office 619–625) to Edwin, encouraging him to convert to Christianity (2.10) and to Æthelburh, exhorting her to support her husband’s conversion (2.11).

(2) Bede introduces a story about an omen from Edwin’s youth that had an impact on his later conversion. The structure is: ōrāculum caeleste … nōn minimum (“to no small extent”) … sēnsum iūvit illīus.

illī quondam exulantī: “… to him once while he was in exile….” For the first thirty years or so of his life, during the reign of King Æthelfrith of Northumbria, Edwin lived in exile.

Redvaldum rēgem Anglōrum: Rædwald, King of East Anglia, ruled from ca. 599 to ca. 624. Edwin lived in exile at Rædwald’s court, and it was Rædwald’s victory over Æthelfrith of Northumbria in 616 that established Edwin as king of Northumbria.

divīna pietās: the personification of "Divine Goodness," or God.

ad suscipienda vel intellegenda ... monita: ad + gerundive to express purpose (AG 506)

doctrīnae ... salūtāris: “of the doctrine of salvation”

monita: “precepts” > monita -ōrum, n. pl.

sēnsum: “disposition, frame of mind,” LS sēnsus II.

illīus: Edwin

(3) The leadup to the decisive conversation between Paulinus and Edwin about the omen, from Paulinus’ point of view. The structure is: cum vidēret Paulīnus … ac … ageret, tandem … didicit. See articulated text. The structure places emphasis on the difficulty of Paulinus’ task (difficulter … tandem) and the divine nature of the omen (caelitus ostēnsum).

Cum ergō vidēret ... ac ... ageret: cum is temporal, best translated “while.”

vidēret ... posse sublīmitātem ... inclīnārī: vidēret introduces the accusative-infinitive construction of indirect discourse; inclīnārī is the complementary infinitive with posse (“… Paulinus saw that the elevation of the king’s mind was able to be bent with difficulty …,” i.e., that it was difficult to bend the king's proud mind); rearrange as: cum Paulinus vidēret sublīmitātem animī rēgālis difficulter posse inclīnārī ad humilitātem viae salūtāris et ad suscipiendum mystērium vīvificae crucis.... Note the contrast of sublīmitātem and humilitātem.

suscipiendum mystērium: gerundive expressing purpose (AG 500.4); understand ad (carried over from ad humilitātem).

divīnam pietātem: see note above.

ageret: intransitive, “acted”

in spīritū: with reference to this passage, DMLBS understands in spīritū to indicate a “trance, vision, or state of ecstacy, especially associated with prophecy, or to perception of purely intellectual nature” (spīritus 3b).

quod vel qualē esset ōrāculum: indirect question, introduced by didicit (“he learned ... what or of what sort the oracle was …”).

(4) Paulinus seizes on the old omen, urging the king to fulfil a promise made many years before.

distulit, quīn ... ammonēret: “hold off from admonishing,” subjunctive with quīn after verbs of hindering, resisting, delaying, and the like (AG 558).

in ōrāculō sibi exhibitō: in + ablative can mean “at (a given time)”: “at the time the oracle was shown to him.”

sē factūrum prōmīserat: indirect discourse; understand factūrum esse.

temporis illīus: the time of Edwin’s exile

erumīs exemtus: = aerumnīs exemptus; eximere, “to free from” takes a dative or ablative: “freed from the distress.”

pervenīret: subjunctive in a future conditional in indirect discourse, AG 589.

FLASHBACK: ÆTHELFRITH'S PLOT AGAINST EDWIN

(5) Bede finally describes the omen itself. Cum ... vagārētur: the subject is Edwin.

persequente illum Ædilfrīdō: ablative absolute. Æthelfrith was the king of Bernicia (the northern half of Northumbria) and later also of Deira (the southern half). Edwin was the son of the former king of Deira, Ælla, and was driven into exile after Æthelfrith came to power in Deira.

ā tantī persecūtōris īnsidiīs: Bede frequently nests a defining genitive (tantī persecūtōris) between a preposition (ā) and its ablative (īnsidiīs).

tūtandō: gerund, ablative of means

servāret: indirect command, AG 563.

quī: Rædwald

(6) postquam Ædilfrid ... eum ... appāruisse ... cognōvit: indirect discourse; eum refers to Edwin.

quī ... offerrent: relative clause of purpose (AG 531.2): “he sent messengers to offer….”

prō nece eius: eius refers to Edwin.

neque aliquid prōfēcit: “but it had no effect” (Colgrave and Mynors)

(7) secundō ... tertiō: understand tempore (“for a second and a third time”).

et … indīcēns: “and then declaring,” (LS, et II.C)

(8) Quī: refers to Rædwald

cessit dēprecantī: cedere (“to yield to”) takes a dative.

occīdere … trādere: prōmittō, “promise to,” normally takes a future infinitive, as in section 5 above, but the present infinitive is also classical (LS, promitto II.B).

(9) ubi: “when”

dispōnēbat: the subject is Edwin

et ēvocātum forās: understand eum (i.e., Edwin); perhaps easiest to translate with a finite verb (“… and called him outside, and explained to him….”).

valeant: “can,” relative clause of characteristic (AG 534) with ubi

(10) ut pactum ... irritum faciam: ut ... faciam is best taken as a substantive clause of result (AG 568) introduced by facere: “I am not able to do this thing which you suggest, [namely], that I ....” Irritum is a predicate accusative with facere (“I make the agreement void”).

cum ille mihi nīl malī fēcerit, nil ... intulerit: causal (“since he has done nothing”). malī and inimīcitiārum are partitive genitives with nil (AG 346). This is an example of asyndeton (AG 601.c.).

nīl adhūc inimīcitiārum intulerit: “has not shown any enmity towards me so far” (Colgrave-Mynors).

(11) ille mē ... tradat: the subjunctive, tradat, is jussive; the subject of tradat is ille magis quam ignōbilior quisquam (“let him, rather than someone less noble…”). ille is emphatic.

(12) Quō ... fugiam: deliberative subjunctive (AG 443–4). quō = “to what place? where?”

quī: “I who”

tot annōrum temporumque curriculīs: the ablative is used for extent of time: “for the course of so many years and seasons”

(13) Eduīnī: nominative

mestus: = maestus

aestibus: “doubts, uncertainties, anxieties,” LS, aestus II.B; ablative of means after afficī.

quid ageret … verteret: indirect questions, introduced by nescius (“not knowing what…”).

EDWIN'S VISION

(14) caecō carperētur ignī: an echo of Vergil, Aeneid 4.2, caecō carpitur ignī.

vultūs habitūsque incognitī: genitive of specification (AG 349.d): “of unfamiliar face and dress”

ut: “since he was…”

nōn parum: “to no small extent,” “not a little”

(15) ille: the mysterious man

eum: Edwin

quiēscentibus ... pressīs: ablative absolute with cēterīs.

(16) ille: Edwin

eum: the unknown man

ipse: Edwin

utrum ... noctem trānsigeret: “whether he passed the night.” Indirect question introduced by sciscitābātur (which is deponent).

(17) Quī: the mysterious man

Nē mē aestimēs: a negative command constructed with nē + present subjunctive (AG 450 note 3). Order: nē aestimēs mē nescīre causam.

sciō ... quī es: indirect question with the dependent verb in the indicative, rather than the usual subjunctive (AG 575.c). The use of the indicative might emphasize the certainty (sciō enim certissimē) of the speaker’s knowledge.

mērēs: maerēs, “you grieve”

in proximō: “close at hand”

(18) mercēdis: partitive genitive with quid (AG 346); translate “what payment?”

sīquī sit: “if there should be anyone”

quī ... absolvat, et ... suadeat: relative clauses of characteristic, with a potential force (AG 534-5): “who would….”

Redvaldō suādeat, ut nec ... faciat: suādēre takes a dative object (AG 367); ut introduces an indirect command (AG 563): “who would persuade Rædwald not to do….”

malī: partitive genitive with aliquid (AG 346): “something bad”

perimendum trādat: the gerundive, after the verb trādere, expresses purpose (AG 500.4): “hand over to be killed”

(19) Quī: Edwin

sē ... respondēret: indirect statement. Rearrange as: cum [Edwin] respondēret sē datūrum esse omnia, quae posset, huic tālī (“to such a person) prō mercēde beneficiī (“in payment for [such a] service”).

adiēcit ille: ille is the stranger.

Quod sī: “what if…”

etiam: “even”

rēgem ... prōmittat: indirect statement. Rearrange as: prōmittat tē futūrum [esse] rēgem in veritāte (“in actuality”), exstīnctīs hostibus…. Exstīnctīs hostibus: ablative absolute.

ita ut: introducting a result clause

omnēs tuōs prōgenitōrēs: object of trānscendās

potestāte: ablative of specification (AG 418)

(20) nōn dubitāvit prōmittere, quīn: “he did not hesitate to promise that ….”

eī ... respondēret: the subject of respondēret is Edwin, and eī is the indirect object: “he would respond to him.” repondēre implies appropriate recompense.

dignīs ... grātiārum āctiōnibus: “with actions worthy of the kindnesses”: i.e., Edwin will repay his benefactor appropriately.

(21) tertiō: “a third time”

Sī ... potuerit, ... cōnsentīs?: a mixed condition, with the future perfect in the protasis and present in the apodosis: “If he is able [literally, will have been able], do you consent?”

cōnsilium tibi: the direct and indirect objects of ostendere potuerit.

num: here, num indicates that an affirmative answer is expected; i.e., = nonne (DMLBS, num 2, citing this passage).

eī obtemperāre: obtemperāre takes a dative object.

(22) sē ... ēreptum: sē, here, is an indirect relative, referring to the subject of the main clause, Edwin (AG 300.2).

(23) advēnerit: “comes” (fut. pf)

mementō: takes a genitve object (“be mindful of,” “remember”).

loquellae nostrae: “our little chat”

nē differās: prohibition with present subjunctive, AG 450 note 3. This phrase is echoed a little later by mementō … nē differās (section 32).

(24) ut intellegeret: ut introduces a substantive clause of result (AG 568); the subject of dispāruit is the stranger, the subject of intellegeret is Edwin.

THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER IDLE (616 CE)

(25) intrā: “enter” (imperative)

sōpitīs ... ānxietātibus: ablative absolute

quiētī ... compōne: “calm” (literally, “compose for quiet”: quiētī is dative of quiēs).

potius: rather, instead

cōgitātiōnem suam ... rēgīnae: cōgitātiōnem is the the direct objectof revēlāvit, and rēgīnae is the indirect object; the subject of revēlāvit is Rædwald.

ammōnēns quia: “warning that…”

conveniat tantō rēgī: convenit (impersonal) + dative: “it is fitting for…”

immō: “much less”

fidem: “trustworthiness”

(27) eum ... adiūvit: rearrange as adviūvit eum ut in rēgnum pervenīret. The ut clause is a substantative clause of purpose (AG 563): “he helped him to …”

(28) mox redeuntibus domum nūntiīs: ablative absolute; translate: “as soon as the messengers had returned home.”

sibi occurrentem: occurrere takes a dative object: “coming to attack him.” eum refers to Æthelfrith, sibi refers to Rædwald.

multum: adverbial: “very”

spatium, quō ... adūnāret: relative clause of purpose (AG 531.2): “room to assemble ... ”

ad orientālem plāgam amnis, quī vocātur Idlae: on the east bank of the River Idle.

(29) nōn tantum ... vērum etiam: not only… but also…

rēgis sibi īnfēstī īnsidiās: sibi refers to Edwin, rēgis īnfēstī refers to Æthelfrith: “the plots of a king hostile to him.”

eīdem peremtō ... successit: succedere (“become successor to”) takes a dative: “he succeeded that same man [Æthelfrith] when he was dead….”

PAULINUS FULFILS EDWIN'S VISION

(30) cum ... credere differet, et ... sedēret, ... scrūtārī cōnsuēsset: this long, compound cum-clause is most easily translated by adding an extra “and”: “while he put off believing, and while he sat and was in the habit of examining….”

hōrīs conpetentibus: either “for hours at a time” (Colgrave-Mynors) or “at such times as he was able” (Garforth). See DMLBS, competere 2.b.

consuēsset: = consuēvisset, “was accustomed”: syncopated third singular pluperfect subjunctive from consuēscō.

vir Deī: Paulinus

dexteram: right hand

an: = utrum, “whether” (introducing an indirect question).

(31) Quī: Edwin (“and when, trembling, he…”)

levāvit eum: the subject of levāvit is Paulinus; eum is Edwin.

familiārī vōce: familiāris can mean “belonging to a family member, or a member of a household,” or simply “friendly, intimate.”

Dominō dōnante: “with God’s help”

ipsō largiente: “by His [God’s] gift”

(32) In a long, carefully balanced period Paulinus makes the argument that, just as the God of the Christians saved Edwin from his worldy troubles and made him king, so he will save him from damnation and make him part of an eternal kingdom after death. See articulated text.

tertium: “the third thing”: first, Edwin escaped death at the hands of Æthelfrith; second, he received his kingdom; thirdly, he must remember his promise to convert if the first two conditions were met.

Mementō … sublīmāvit: re-order: Mementō ut nē differās facere tertium quod prōmīsistī, suscipiendō fidem et servandō praecepta eius quī, ēripiēns tē et ā temporālibus adversīs, sublīmāvit (tē) honōre temporālis rēgnī. The word order as written emphasizes the need for Edwin to act (facere), and the responsibility of the Christian God for Edwin’s unexpected elevation to the kingship (sublimāvit). mementō acts a verb of caution with ut nē (AG 563.e note 2), rather than the expected infinitive (LS, memini I.7). Edwin is repeating the words of the mysterious stranger (section 23, above), mementō … nē differās.

et … sublīmāvit, et … faciet: “both … and on top of that” (LS, et II.A). See articulated text.

temporālibus ... temporālis: “earthly”

deinceps: “from now on”

voluntātī eius, quam per mē tibi praedicat: eius refers to God; the antecedent of quam is voluntātī; the subject of praedicat is God: “His will, which He preaches to you through me.”

obsecundāre: “to comply with,” “to follow,” + dative (voluntātī).

aeternī ... participem: rearrange as faciet [tē] esse participem aeternī regnī sēcum in caelīs. Participem, “participant” is a predicate accusative, and takes the genitive to mean “participant in”: “He [God] will make you a participant in….” This word, emphasized by being placed last, and strengthened by sēcum, might be taken by Edwin to imply partnership (DMLBS, particeps 2.a).

sēcum: with him (i.e., with God). Edwin will not only have a temporal kingdom, he will be part of an eternal kingdom with God.