Section 18 | Dickinson College Commentaries

[1] Intereā cum dē mōtū atque impetū barbarōrum subita cīvitātem fama turbāsset, daemoniācum ad sē exhibērī iubet: imperat ut, an vērus esset hic nuntius, faterētur. [2] tum cōnfessus est decem daemonās sēcum fuisse, quī rumōrem hunc per populum dispersissent, ut hōc saltim metū ex illō Martīnus oppidō fugārētur: barbarōs nihil minus quam de irruptiōne cōgitāre. ita cum haec immundus spiritus in mediā ecclēsiā faterētur, metū et turbātiōne praesentī cīvitās līberāta est. [3] Apud Parīsiōs vērō, dum portam cīvitātis illius magnīs sēcum turbīs euntibus introīret, leprōsum miserābilī faciē horrentibus cunctīs osculātus est atque benedīxit, statimque omnī malō ēmundātus. [4] posterō diē ad ecclēsiam veniēns nitentī cute grātiās prō sānitāte, quam recēperat, agēbat. nec praetereundum est, quod fimbriae vestimentō eius ciliciōque dētractae crēbrās super īnfirmantibus ēgēre virtūtēs. [5] nam digitīs illigātae aut collō indītae saepe ab aegrotāntibus morbōs fugāvērunt.

notes

mōtū: "revolt," "rising."

cīvitātem: presumably Trier (Augusta Treverorum), where the previous two episodes were set (Fontaine ii.854).

[2]

dispersissent: > dispergō, "'had scattered."

hōc saltim metū: "by this fear, at any rate," i.e., rather than by direct attacks by demons, thus far ineffective.

nihil minus quam: "merely."

irruptiōne: "incursion," "raid' ( > irruptiō -onis, f.).

[3]

Apud Parīsiōs: "among the Parisii," a people of Celtic Gaul, bordering on the Senones (historical map). Their chief city was Lutetia Parisiorum, the modern Paris.

Parīsiōs: m. pl. > Parisii –orum.

leprōsum: > leprōsus –i (m.), "a leper"

ēmundātus: > ēmundō (1), "was cleansed." Supply est.

[4]

nitentī: > niteō –ēre, "shining," "glistening."

nec praetereundum est, quod: "and I must not pass over the fact that," lit., "it must not be passed by that."

praetereundum est: impersonal pass. > praetereō –ire

fimbriae: "fringes."

crēbrās . . . ēgēre virtūtēs: "performed frequent miracles." ēgēre = ēgērunt > agō.

[5]

digitīs illigātae aut collō indītae: "tied on the fingers or placed upon the neck." The antecedent is fimbriae. indītae > indō –ere.

vocabulary

mōtus –ūs, m.: moving, motion; movement

impetus –ūs, m.: an attack, assault, onset

daemoniacus –ī, m.: demoniac, one possessed by an evil spirit

exhibeō –ēre –uī –itum: deliver, produce; show, exhibit

rūmor –ōris, m.: common talk; report, rumor2

dispergō –spergere –spersī –spersum: scatter about, disperse

saltim: (adv.) at least, at all events, anyhow

irruptio –ōnis, f.: rushing upon, invasion, raid

immundus –a –um: unclean, impure, foul

turbātiō –ōnis, f.: confusion, disorder

līberō –āre: make free, free, liberate

introeō –īre –iī –itum: go inside, enter3

leprōsus –a –um: leprous

miserābilis –e: pitiable, miserable, wretched

horreō horrēre horruī: tremble, shudder

ōsculor –ārī –ātus sum: kiss

benedīcō –ere –xī –ctum: bless, consecrate

ēmundō –āre: cleanse, purify

nitēns –entis: shining, glistening, brilliant4

cutis –is, f.: the skin

fimbria –ae, m.: fibres, threads, fringe

vestīmentum –ī, n.: clothing, garment, vestment

cilicium –ī, n.: course garment

dētrahō –trahere –trāxī –trāctum: draw off, pull off, rob (+dat. or abl.)

crēber crēbra crēbrum: thick, close, frequent

īnfirmantes –um, m.: (pl.) the weak, the sick

illigō –ligāre: bind fast5

collum –ī, n.: neck

indō –dere –didī –ditum: put, place in; apply to

aegrōtō –āre: be ill, be sick

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