1. Sed iam fīnem liber postulat, sermō claudendus est, nōn quod omnia, quae dē Martīnō fuerint dīcenda, dēfēcerint, sed quia nōs, ut inertēs poētae, extrēmō in opere neglegentēs, victī materiae mōle succumbimus. 2. nam etsi facta illius explicārī verbīs utcumque potuērunt, interiōrem vītam illius et conversātiōnem cōtīdiānam et animum caelō semper intentum nūlla umquam — vērē prōfiteor — nūlla explicābit ōrātio. illam scīlicet persevērantiam et temperāmentum in abstinentiā et in iēiuniīs, potentiam in vigiliīs et ōrātiōnibus, noctēsque ab eō perinde ac diēs āctās nūllumque vacuum ab opere Deī tempus, quō vel otiō indūlserit vel negōtiō, sed nē cibō quidem aut somnō, nisi quantum natūrae necessitās cōgēbat, 3. vērē fatēbor, nōn sī ipse, ut āiunt, ab īnferīs Homērus ēmergeret, posset expōnere: adeo omnia, māiōra in Martīnō sunt quam ut verbīs concipī queant. numquam hōra ulla mōmentumque praeteriit, quō nōn aut ōrātiōnī incumberet aut īnsisteret lēctiōnī, quamquam etiam inter legendum aut sī quid aliud forte agēbat, numquam animum ab ōrātiōne laxābat. 4. nimīrum ut fabrīs ferrāriīs mōris est, quī inter operandum prō quōdam labōris levāmine incūdem suam feriunt, ita Martīnus etiam, dum aliud agere viderētur, semper ōrābat. 5. ō vēre vir beātus, in quō dolus nōn fuit: nēminem iūdicāns, nēminem damnāns, nūllī malum prō malō reddēns. tantam quippe adversum omnēs iniūriās patientiam assumpserat, ut, cum esset summus sacerdōs, impūnē etiam ab īnfimīs clēricīs laederētur, nec propter id eōs aut locō umquam āmōverit aut ā suā, quantum in ipsō fuit, cāritāte reppulerit.
notes
vocabulary
iners -ertis: without force, sluggish
neglegō neglegere neglēxī neglēctum: not choose, not heed; disregard
mōlēs -is f.: shapeless mass
succumbō -cumbere -cubuī -cubitum: fall down, succumb, yield
explicō -plicāre -plicuī or -plicāvī -plicātum: unfold; release, explain
utcumque: (adv.) in whatever way, however
interior -ōris: inner, interior, innermost
conversātiō -ōnis f.: frequent use; dealing, conversation
cotīdiānus -a -um: daily
persevērantia -ae f.: steadfastness, perseverance
temperāmentum -ī n.: proper measure, moderation
abstinentia -ae f.: abstinence, self-restraint
iēiūnium -ī n.: a fast-day, fast
potentia -ae f.: might, force, power
vigilia -ae f.: sleeplessness; vigilance
perinde: (adv.) in like manner, just so
indulgeō indulgēre indulsī indultum: indulge in; concede, grant, allow (+ dat.)
ēmergō -mergere -mersī -mersum: bring or come forth
queō quīre quīvī quitum: be able
mōmentum -ī n.: short time, moment
incumbō -cumbere -cubuī -cubitum: lie upon; apply one's self to, exert one's self
īnsistō -sistere -stitī: enter upon, pursue; devote one's self to (+ dat.)
lēctiō -ōnis f.: a reading
laxō laxāre: loosen, slacken; open
nīmīrum: (adv.) without doubt, indisputably, certainly
faber -brī m.: workman, artisan
ferrārius -a -um: of iron
levāmen -inis n.: relief, solace, comfort
incūs -ūdis f.: anvil
adversum -i n.: misfortune, calamity, adversity
impūnē: without fear of punishment, with impunity
clēricus -ī m.: clergyman, priest
āmoveō -movēre -mōvī -mōtum: remove, take away
cāritās -ātis f.: dearness