Section 15

1. Quid etiam in pāgō Aeduōrum gestum sit, referam. ubi dum templum itidem ēverteret, furēns gentīlium rusticōrum in eum irruit multitūdo. cumque ūnus audācior cēterīs strictō eum gladiō peteret, rēiectō palliō nūdam cervicem percussūrō praebuit. 2. nec cunctātus ferīre gentīlis, sed cum dexteram altius extulisset, resupīnus ruit, cōnsternātusque dīvīnō metū veniam precābātur. 3. nec dissimile huic fuit illud. cum eum īdōla dēstruentem cultrō quīdam ferīre voluisset, in ipsō ictū ferrum eī dē manibus excussum nōn compāruit. 4. plērumque autem contrā dīcentibus sibi rusticīs, nē eōrum fāna dēstrueret, ita praedīcātiōne sānctā gentīles animōs mītigābat, ut lūce eīs vēritātis ostēnsā ipsī sua templa subverterent.

Aeduorum:  'of the Aedui', a large and important Gallic people occupying the territory between the Saone and the Loire rivers. Historical map.

stricto . . . gladio: 'with his sword drawn' (> stringo).

peteret: 'was attacking'.

reiecto pallio: 'with his cloak having been cast aside' (> reicio).

percussuro: 'to the one about to strike' (> percutio).

gentilis: 'the heathen (man)'.

huic . . . illud: 'this (just mentioned) . . . the following'.

non comparuit: 'disappeared' (> compareo).

plerumque autem contrā dīcentibus sibi rusticīs: 'generally, however, when the peasants were speaking speaking to him in opposition'.

pāgus -ī m.: district, canton, province

itidem: (adv.) in like manner, so, in the same way

stringō stringere strinxī strictum: draw tightly, bind

rēicio -icere -iēcī -iectum: throw, cast back

pallium -ī n.: coverlet; Greek cloak or mantle

cervīx -īcis f.: neck

percutiō -cutere -cussī -cussum: strike through; slay, kill

cunctor -ārī: delay, tarry, linger

resupīnus -a -um: thrown backwards, stretched out

ruō ruere ruī rūtum: throw down, overthrow; rush down

cōnsternō -āre: alarm, overwhelm with terror

dissimilis -e: unlike, dissimilar, different

īdōlon -ī n.: idol

culter -trī m.: knife

excutiō -cutere -cussī -cussum: shake out, shake off, force away

compāreō -ēre -uī: appear, be visible

praedicātio -ōnis f.: preaching

mītigō -āre: soften, soothe, appease

vēritās -ātis f.: truth, verity

subvertō -vertere -vertī -versum: turn upside down; ruin, destroy

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Suggested Citation

Christopher Francese, Sulpicius Severus: Life of St. Martin. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-947822-03-0. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/sulpicius-severus/section-15