[1] Igitur sānctus Brendānus, dē omnī congregātiōne suā ēlēctīs bīnīs frātribus septem, conclūsit sē in ūnō ōrātōriō cum illīs, et locūtus est ad illōs, dīcēns: [2] “Conbellātōrēs meī amantissimī, cōnsilium atque adiūtōrium ā vōbīs praestōlor, quia cor meum et omnēs cōgitātiōnēs meae conglūtinātae sunt in ūnam voluntātem, tantum sī voluntās Deī est. [3] Terram—dē quā locūtus est pater Barrindus—Reprōmissiōnis Sānctōrum, in corde meō prōposuī illam quaerere. Quōmodo vōbīs vidētur, aut quod cōnsilium mihi vultis dare?”
[4] Agnitā vērō—illī—voluntāte sānctī patris—quasi ūnō ōre dīcunt omnēs: “Abbā, voluntās tua ipsa est et nostra. [5] Nōnne parentēs nostrōs dīmīsimus? Nōnne hērēditātem nostram dēspeximus, et corpora nostra trādidimus in manūs tuās? [6] Itaque parātī sumus sīve ad mortem sīve ad vītam tēcum īre. Ūnam tantum quaerāmus Deī voluntātem.”
notes
Brendan selects fourteen of his monks and meets with them in an oratory about looking for the Promised Land of the Saints.
[1] dē omnī congregātiōne: CL would probably be ex omnī congregātiōne.
bīnīs ... septem: “twice seven.” The formula, in contrast to quatordecim (3.3; 12.63), reminds us of the seven days of the Creation in Genesis and the seven virtues. Fourteen monks plus their leader is the more obviously significant number 15; see on 1.19.
in ūnō ōrātōriō: in ML ūnus, a, um functions like the indefinite article of Romance languages.
locūtus est ad illōs, etc.: the Rule of St. Benedict (ch. 3) requires that an abbot consult with his monks about important decisions.
[2] tantum sī: "only if," "as long as"
[3] Terram ... prōposuī illam quaerere: illam is postponed for dramatic effect.
[4] Agnitā ... omnēs: illī omnēs is the subject, agnitā voluntāte an ablative absolute. Order: vērō omnēs illī, agnitā voluntāte sānctī patris, dīcunt quasi ūnō ōre. The word order is either unintentionally awkward or intentionally dramatic.
[5] Nōnne parentēs nostrōs dīmīsimus?: the tension between family obligations and commitment to the monastic life surfaces regularly in saints’ lives; see also 4.2.
[6] sīve ad mortem sīve ad vītam tēcum īre: compare Peter’s famous promise to Jesus, Luke 22.33: “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” (tecum paratus sum et in carcerem et in mortem ire).
Ūnam tantum: “one (thing) only ... (namely).” ūnus can mean “only, alone” (OLD 7).
vocabulary
| congregātiō –ōnis f. | society, association 1 |
| bīnī –ae –a | 2 by 2 |
| septem; septimus –a –um | 7; 7th |
| conclūdō –ere –clūsī –clūsus | to shut completely; shut around |
| ōrātōrium –ī n. | place of prayer, oratory (LL) |
| conbellātor –ōris m. | fellow warrior 2 |
| amāns –antis | loving, fond; (superl. in passive sense) beloved |
| adiūtōrium –ī n. | help, aid |
| praestōlo (1) | to wait for; expect (CL); offer |
| quia | because; that |
| cōgitātiō cōgitātiōnis f. | thinking |
| con-glūtinō –āre | to make cohere, stick together |
| Barrindus –ī m. | Barrind 3 |
| reprōmissiō –ōnis f. | formal promise |
| āgnōscō āgnōscere āgnōvī agnitus | to recognize, acknowledge 4 |
| abba (indecl.) | father |
| nōnne | introduces a direct question expecting the answer "yes" 5 |
| hērēditās hērēditātis f. | inheritance |
| dēspiciō –ere –spēxī –spectum | to express contempt for [OLD 2b] |
