[26]     Tunc sānctus Brendānus interrogābat illum dē suō adventū aut unde esset aut quantō tempore sustinuisset ibi tālem vītam. [27] Cui ille respondit: “Fuī nūtrītus in monastēriō sānctī Patriciī per quīnquāgintā annōs, et cūstōdiēbam cimitērium frātrum. [28] Quādam vērō diē, cum locum sepultūrae dēsignāsset mihi meus decānus cuidam dēfūnctō, ut sepelīssem, appāruit mihi quīdam senex ignōtus, quī dīxit mihi: [29] ‘Nōlī, frāter, fossam ibi facere, quia sepulchrum alterīus est.’ Cui dīxī: ‘Pater, quis es tū?’ [30] Quī ait: ‘Cūr mē nōn cognōscis? Nōnne tuus abbās sum?’ Cui dīxī: ‘Sānctus Patricius meus abbās.’ At ille respondit: ‘Ego sum. [31] Heri enim migrāvī dē saeculō; ipse est enim locus meae sepultūrae. Hīc faciēs sepulchrum frātris nostrī; et nūllī dicās quid ego dīxī tibi. [32] Crās autem proficīscere ad lītus maris, et inveniēs nāvim ibi, in quam intrābis, quae tē dūcet ad locum ubi expectābis diem mortis tuae.’

    Brendan asks Paul for his story, and is told that lived in the monastery of St. Patrick for fifty years, and was in charge of the cemetery.  One day, when preparing a grave for one of the monks, an old man told him that the spot was reserved for another. Paul asked the old man who he was and was told that he was Patrick himself, who had just died.  Paul should bury the other monk in a different spot, but keep it secret.  Then he should go to the sea shore, where he would find a boat.  He should get in the boat, which would take him to the place of his death.

    [26] aut ... aut: CL would be et ... et.

    [27] in monastēriō sānctī Patriciī: apparently Patrick’s monasatery at Armagh, prominent from the seventh century on.

    [29] quia sepulchrum alterīus est: to be explained shortly.

    [31] migrāvī dē saeculō: "I departed from this world, I died."

    ipse est enim locus meae sepultūrae: “This here is the place of my grave.” Irish hagiographical texts regularly tell of an angel revealing to an abbot the exact spot where he and his monks will wait for the final judgement and their bodily resurrection.

    Hīc faciēs sepulchrum frātris nostrī: he points to a different spot (hīc). faciēs is from faciō.

    [32] Crās autem proficīscere ad lītus maris, etc.: The ghost of Patrick tells Paul to go on a nautical pilgrimage, so that he can become an island hermit.  We are not told how this order connects to his job of grave-digger, but presumably it is a spiritual honor rather than a punishment.

    adventus adventūs m. arrival, advent26
    nūtriō –īre –īvī (–iī) –ītus to bring up, raise, nourish, feed (+ dat. CL with acc.)27
    monastērium –ī n. a monastery
    per through; by means of (OLD 14)
    quīnquāgintā; quīnquāgēsimus –a
    –um
    50; 50th
    custōdiō custōdīre custōdīvī custōdītus to guard
    comēterium –(i)ī n. cemetary
    sepultūra –ae f. a burial, interment28
    dēsīgnō dēsīgnāre dēsīgnāvī dēsīgnātus to mark out, arrange
    decānus –ī m. deacon, chief
    dēfunctus –ī m. dead man
    sepeliō sepelīre sepeliī / sepelīvī sepultum to dispose of a corpse properly; bury
    īgnōtus –a –um unknown
    fossa –ae f. ditch29
    faciō facere fēcī factus to do, make; to act, conduct oneself (OLD 28)
    quia because; that
    nōnne introduces a direct question expecting the answer "yes"30
    abbās –ātis m. abbot, the head of a monastery
    Patricius –(i)ī m. St. Patrick (mid or late 5th cent.)
    abbās –ātis m. abbot, the head of a monastery
    herī yesterday31
    migrō migrāre migrāvī migrātus to go, depart
    sepultūra –ae f. a burial, interment
    faciō facere fēcī factus to do, make; to act, conduct oneself (OLD 28)
    crās tomorrow32
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