Preaching the First Crusade

[1.1.2]  Ait namque dominus apostolicus “Frātrēs, vōs oportet multa patī prō nōmine Chrīstī, vidēlicet miseriās, paupertātēs, nūditātēs, persecūtiōnēs, egestātēs, īnfirmitātēs, famēs, sitēs et alia huiusmodī, sīcuti Dominus ait suīs discipulīs: ‘Oportet vōs patī multa prō nōmine meō’, et: ‘Nōlīte ērubēscere loquī ante faciēs hominum; ego vērō dabō vōbīs ōs et ēloquium’, ac deinceps: ‘Persequētur vōs larga retribūtiō’.” Cumque iam hic sermō paulātim per ūniversās regiōnēs ac Galliārum patriās coepisset crēbrēscere, Francī audientēs tālia prōtinus in dextrā crucem suere scapulā, dīcentēs sēsē Chrīstī ūnanimiter sequī vestīgia, quibus dē manū erant redēmptī Tartareā. Iamiamque Galliae suīs remōtae sunt domibus.

    (1095–96) The idea of a crusade spreads through the lands of Gaul. To signal their commitment, crusaders sew red crosses on their right shoulders, and set off.

     

    Oportet…prō nomine meo: Acts 9:16 (loosely): Ego enim ostendam illi quanta oporteat eum pro nomine pati.

    dabō vōbīs ōs et ēloquium: 2 Timothy 1:8: Noli itaque erubescere testimonium Domini nostri, neque me vinctum eius: sed collabora Evangelio secundum virtutem Dei; Luke 21.15: ego enim dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere et contradicere omnes adversarii vestri.

    Persequētur vōs larga retribūtiō: Matthew 5:12: gaudete, et exsultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in caelis. Sic enim persecuti sunt prophetas, qui fuerunt ante vos.

    per ūniversās regiōnēs ac Galliārum patriās: regiōnēs and patriae rerfer to the various duchies and counties in the French lands that the author identifies with Gaul.

    Francī: "Franks," originally a Germanic tribe in what is now France, means by this time western Christians in general.

    suere: "they sewed"; either a historical infinitive or dependent on an understood coepissent.

    Iamiamque Galliae suīs remōtae sunt domibus: “So they set out at once from their homes in the lands of the Franks” (Hill). Literally “So at once the Gallic lands were removed from their homes.” Lees has Iam iamque Galli e suis remoti sunt domibus, which seems much easier.

    ait: he/she/it says, he/she/it said (from defective verb aiō)

    oportet oportēre oportuit: it is right, proper (+ acc. and inf.)

    patior patī passus: to suffer, endure

    vidēlicet: namely, that is to say

    sitis –is, f: thirst

    huiusmodī: of this kind (OLD modus 12d)

    nōllō nōlle nōluī: to not want (used to give a negative command)

    ērubēscō ērubēscere ērubuī: to blush for shame, be ashamed

    faciēs faciēī, f.: face

    vērō: but, however

    ōs ōris, n.: mouth; eloquence (OLD 4b)

    ēloquium –iī, n.: speech; eloquence

    deinceps: in turn; after that, next

    persequor persequī persequitur: to follow (persistently)

    retrībūtiō –ōnis, f.: reward, recompense (LL)

    iam: now

    paulātim: little by little, gradually

    prōtinus: forthwith, immediately (OLD 3)

    dexter dextra dextrum: right (vs. left)

    suō (3): to sew

    scapula –ae, f.: shoulder

    sēsē: = , the reflexive pronoun

    ūnanimiter: with one accord

    vestīgium –iī, n.: footprint

    iamiam: now especially (strengthened form of iam)

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