[1] Quōdam vērō tempore, cum Sānctus Brendānus celebrāsset Sānctī Petrī Apostolī fēstīvitātem in suā nāvī, invēnērunt mare clārum ita ut possent vidēre quicquid subtus erat. [2] Cum autem aspexissent intus in profundum, vīdērunt dīversa genera bēstiārum, iacentēs super arēnam. [3] Vidēbātur quoque illīs quod potuissent manū tangere illās, prae nimiā clāritāte illīus maris. [4] Erant enim sīcut gregēs iacentēs in pāscuīs prae multitūdine; tālēs vidēbantur sīcut iūnctās in gīrum, applicantēs capita ad posteriōra, iacendō.
[5] Rogābant frātrēs venerābilem patrem ut celebrāsset cum silentiō suam missam, nē bēstiae audīssent ac elevāssent sē ad persequendōs servōs Chrīstī. [6] Sānctus pater subrīsit atque dīcēbat illīs: “Mīror valdē vestram stultitiam. [7] Cūr timētis istās bēstiās, et nōn timuistis omnium bēstiārum maris dēvorātōrem et magistrum, sedentēs vōs atque psallentēs multīs vicibus in dorsō eius? [8] Immō et silvam scindistis et ignem succendistis carnemque coquīstis. Ergō cūr timētis istās? [9] Nōnne deus omnium bēstiārum est Dominus noster Iēsus Chrīstus, quī potest humiliāre omnia animantia?”
notes
They come to waters so clear that they can see creatures lying on the bottom, curled up with heads touching their tails. Brendan celebrates Mass (apparently it is Sunday), but the monks ask him to do it in silence, for fear of rousing the creatures. Brendan says there is nothing to fear, since they have previously camped on the back of the biggest sea creature of them all, Iasconius the whale: Christ is master of all living things.
The story may have been inspired by schools of jellyfish, or sea lions.
[1] Sānctī Petrī Apostolī fēstīvitātem: June 29, the feast of Peter and Paul.
[2] dīversa genera bēstiārum, iacentēs: iacentēs agrees with genera bēstiārum, i.e. bēstiae.
[3] Vidēbātur: “it seemed”; impersonal.
illīs: “to them” (Brendan and his monks).
potuissent: (plupf. subj.) “that they would have been able.”
illās: = illās (bēstiās).
[4] Erant enim sīcut gregēs iacentēs: enim should introduce an explanation of what has just been said, but here the logic is a little fuzzy; the fact that there were so many sea creatures, like herds or flocks lying on the sea floor, underscores, but does not explain, how the creatures seemed so close.
tālēs vidēbantur sīcut iūnctās in gīrum: the creatures seemed to be curled up into a circle (in gīrum). CL would be (e.g.) vidēbantur tālēs ut (aliquās) iūnctās in gīrum, or would omit tālēs entirely.
iacendō: CL would usually be iacentēs.
[5] cum silentiō: without singing.
[7] et nōn timuistis ... magistrum: = et nōn timuistis dēvorātōrem et magistrum omnium bēstiārum maris. The reference is to Iasconius the whale (chapter 10).
sedentēs vōs atque psallentēs ... in dorsō eius: perhaps a “nominative absolute” (ML), though technically in agreement with the subject of timētis.
[8] silvam scindistis: for the sparse bristles of Iasconius, used as firewood, see 10.3 and 10.7.
vocabulary
| Petrus –ī m. | Peter1 |
| apostolus –ī m. | an apostle |
| festivitās –ātis f. | festivity, joy; feast day |
| subtus (adv. and prep. + acc.) | below |
| intus | within, inside2 |
| profundum –ī n. | deep water; abyss, chasm; the depths of the sea (OLD 1c) |
| bestia –ae f. | beast, creature |
| arēna (harēna) –ae f. | sand |
| prae (prep. + abl.) | in front of, in the face of (ML); by means of, because of, in view of3 |
| clāritās –tātis f. | brightness, brilliance, splendor |
| grex gregis m. | herd, flock4 |
| pāscuum –ī n. or pāscua –ae f. |
pasture |
| prae (prep. + abl.) | in front of, in the face of (ML); by means of, because of, in view of |
| gȳrus –ī m. | circle |
| applicō applicāre applicāvī applicātus | to apply to, place to/near |
| posterior posterius | later |
| venerābilis –e | venerable, deserving of respect5 |
| silentium (silentum) silenti(ī) n. | silence |
| missa –ae f. | the Mass (religious service) (LL) |
| bestia –ae f. | beast, creature |
| ēlevō –āre –āvī –ātum | to raise, lift up |
| persequor persequī persecūtus sum | to pursue |
| Christus –ī m. | Christ |
| subrīdeō subrīdere subrīsī subrīsum | to smile6 |
| valdē | powerfully; intensely, exceedingly |
| stultitia –ae f. | stupidity |
| bestia –ae f. | beast, creature7 |
| dēvorātor -ōris, m. | devourer |
| psallō psallere psallī — | to play the cithara; (LL) sing a Psalm |
| vicis (gen.) f. | a recurring occasion, a turn, a time |
| dorsum –ī n. | the back |
| immō | and in fact8 |
| scindō scindere scidī scissum | to split, cleave |
| succendō –ere –cendī –cēnsus | to set on fire from beneath |
| carō carnis f. | meat, flesh |
| coquō coquere coxī coctum | to cook |
| nōnne | introduces a direct question expecting the answer "yes"9 |
| bestia –ae f. | beast, creature |
| Iēsūs –ū m. | Jesus (Christ) |
| Christus –ī m. | Christ |
| humiliō –āre | to humble |
| animans –antis m./ f./ n. | living thing |