[25] Abbās quoque hortābātur cum magnā hilaritāte frātrēs, dīcēns: [26] “Ex hōc fonte quem hodiē fūrtim bibere voluistis, ex eō modo facite cāritātem, cum iocunditāte et timōre Dominī. [27] Ex aliō fonte turbidō quem vīdistis lavantur pedēs frātrum omnī diē, quia omnī tempore calidus est. [28] Pānēs vērō quōs vidētis, nōbīs ignōtum est ubi praeparantur aut quis portat ad nostrum cellārium. [29] Sed tamen nōtum nōbīs est quod ex Deī magnā elemosinā ministrantur servīs suīs per aliquam subiectam creātūram.
[30] Nōs sumus hīc vīgintī quattuor frātrēs; omnī diē habēmus duodecim pānēs ad nostram refectiōnem: inter duōs, singulōs pānēs. [31] In fēstīvitātibus et in Dominicīs diēbus integrōs pānēs singulīs frātribus addit Deus, ut coenam habeant ex fragmentīs; modo in adventū vestrō duplicem annōnam habēmus. [32] Et ita nūtrit nōs Chrīstus ā tempore sānctī Patriciī et sānctī Ailbēī patris nostrī, usque modo per octōgintā annōs.
notes
The host abbot is apparently allowed to speak to his guests. He invites Brendan's monks to drink from the spring with clear water, and explains that the one with muddy water is used for the washing of feet, because the water is warm. The bread, he says, is provided in some way they don't understand. There are 24 brothers on the island and there is a daily delivery of 12 loaves, though on feast days each monk gets a complete loaf. Extra loaves are delivered now that there are visitors. This has been going on since the days of Patrick and Ailbe, for 80 years.
[26] ex eō modo facite cāritātem: “from this, just perform an act of grace” i.e., “provide them with a meal from this.” Note that in ML cāritās can refer in particular to the Christian communal meal.
[29] ministrantur: the subject is pānēs (12.28).
per aliquam subiectam creātūram: “through a subject creation (of His).” It is unclear whether this would an animal, a special person, or an angel.
[30] vīgintī quattuor frātrēs: Revelation 4.4: “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats (Et in circuitu sedis sedilia viginti quattuor), and upon the seats four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold.”
duodecim pānēs ad nostram refectiōnem: for miraculous feeding see Exodus 16.4: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold: I will rain bread from heaven for you.' ” (Jerome, Life of Paul 10).
[31] ut coenam habeant ex fragmentīs: here coena must be an an additional meal, “supper.”
modo in adventū vestrō: "only, because of your arrival."
duplicem annōnam habēmus: double rations are provided miraculously to accommodate the visitors.
[32] sānctī Patriciī et sānctī Ailbēī: the famous Saint Patrick (middle or late fifth century) and Ailbe. This suggests that the abbot is not Ailbe himself.
usque modo: “until now” (see on 11.38).
per octōgintā annōs: Brendan’s traditional dates are 484 to 577 / 583 CE; if this episode took place in, say, 550, the abbot would have arrived at his island in 470.
vocabulary
abbās –ātis m. | abbot, the head of a monastery 25 |
hilaritās –ātis f. | good humor, merriment, fun |
furtim | stealthily 26 |
bibō bibere bibī | to drink |
modo | only, just; now, just now (at the present time); just now (in the immediate future) [OLD 5b] |
faciō facere fēcī factus | to do, make; to act, conduct oneself [OLD 28] |
cāritās cāritātis f. | love, affection [OLD 2] |
iūcunditās –ātis f. | pleasantness |
turbidus –a –um | muddy [OLD 2] 27 |
lavō lavāre (lavere) lāvī lōtus (lautus) | to wash |
quia | because; that |
calidus (caldus) –a –um | warm, hot |
pānis pānis m. | bread 28 |
īgnōtus –a –um | unknown |
praeparō –parāre –parāvī –parātus |
to prepare, make preparations |
cellārius –(i)ī m. | the cellarer of a monastery (ML; CL keeper of a store-room) |
elemosina –ae f. | act of charity, alms (ML; LL elēmosyn –ae f.) 29 |
ministrō ministrāre ministrāvī ministrātus | to tend, attend, serve |
per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
subiciō subicere subiēcī subiectus | to throw under, put up for auction |
creātūra –ae f. | a creature |
vīgintī; vīcēsimus –a –um | 20; 20th 30 |
duodecim; duodecimus –a –um | 12; 12th |
pānis pānis m. | bread |
refectiō –ōnis f. | meal (ML; CL restoration) |
pānis pānis m. | bread |
festivitās –ātis f. | festivity, joy; feast day 31 |
dominicus –a –um | of or belonging to a lord or master |
pānis pānis m. | bread |
cēna (coena) cēnae f. | dinner |
fragmentum –ī n. | remnant |
modo | only, just; now, just now (at the present time); just now (in the immediate future) [OLD 5b] |
adventus adventūs m. | arrival, advent |
duplex –icis | double |
annōna –ae f. | produce; allotment of free grain; allowance, serving of food |
nūtriō –īre –īvī (–iī) –ītus | to bring up, raise, nourish, feed + DAT. (CL with acc.) 32 |
Christus –ī m. | Christ |
Patricius –(i)ī m. | St. Patrick (mid or late 5th cent.) |
Patricius –(i)ī m. | St. Patrick (mid or late 5th cent.) |
Ailbeus –ī | Ailbe (a man's name) |
ūsque | until (often with ad or dum) |
modo | only, just; now, just now (at the present time); just now (in the immediate future) [OLD 5b] |
per | through; by means of [OLD 14] |
octōgintā; octōgēsimus –a –um | 80; 80th |