1. Frequenter autem diabolus, dum mille nocendi artibus sānctum virum conābātur illūdere, vīsibilem sē eī formīs dīversissimīs ingerēbat. nam interdum in Iovis persōnam, plērumque Mercurī, saepe etiam sē Veneris ac Minervae trānsfigūrātum vultibus offerēbat: adversus quem semper interritus signō sē crucis et ōrātiōnis auxiliō protegēbat. 2. audiēbantur plērumque convīcia, quibus illum turba daemonum protervīs vōcibus increpābat: sed omnia falsa et vāna cognoscēns nōn movēbātur obiectīs. 3. testābantur etiam aliquī ex frātribus, audīsse sē daemonem protervīs Martīnum vōcibus increpantem, cur intrā monastērium aliquōs ex frātribus, quī ōlim baptismum dīversīs errōribus perdidissent, conversōs posteā recēpisset, expōnentem crīmina singulōrum: 4. Martīnum diabolō repugnantem rēspondisse cōnstanter, antīqua dēlicta meliōris vītae conversātiōne purgārī, et per misericordiam Dominī absolvendōs esse peccātīs, quī peccāre dēsierint. contrā dīcente diabolō, nōn pertinēre ad vēniam crīminōsōs, et semel lapsīs nūllam ā Dominō praestārī posse clēmentiam, tunc in hanc vōcem fertur exclāmāsse Martīnus: 5. 'sī tū ipse, miserābilis, ab hominum īnsectātiōne dēsisterēs et tē factōrum tuōrum vel hōc tempore, cum diēs iūdiciī in proximō est, paenitēret, ego tibi vērē cōnfīsus in Dominō Iēsū Christō misericordiam pollicērer.' ō quam sāncta dē Dominī pietāte praesumptio, in quā etsi auctōritātem praestāre nōn potuit, ostendit affectum. 6. et quia dē diabolō eiusdemque artibus sermō exortus est, nōn ab rē vidētur, licet extrīnsecus, referre quod gestum est, quia et quaedam in eō Martīnī virtūtum portio est et rēs digna mīrāculō rectē memoriae mandābitur, in exemplum cavendī, sī quid deinceps uspiam tale contigerit. 

    dum . . . conabatur: when(ever) he was trying'. cum would have been more regular.

    artibus: 'cunning methods'.

    visibilem se ei formis diversissimis ingerebat: 'used to make himself visible to him in a great variety of forms'.

    se . . . offerebat: 'he used to present himself'.

    vultibus: 'with respect to his appearance' (> vultus, -ūs, m.).

    protervis vocibus: 'with impudent words'.

    increpabat: 'used to rebuke'.

    obiectis: 'by their taunts' (> obicio, -icere, -ieci, -iectum, bring up as a reproach, throw in a person's teeth).

    cur . . . recepisset: 'because he had received'. cur = 'because' is rare, but classical. See below, 23.4.

    aliquos: direct object of recepisset, below.

    conversos: 'after they had repented' (> convertor, -verti, -versus sum, return, repent, convert [eccl.]).

    exponentem: 'describing'. The antecedent is the demon, parallel to increpantem above.

    Martinum . . . respondisse: '(they say that) Martin responded'.

    delicta . . . conversatione purgari: 'that sins were cleansed by repentance' (> conversatio, -onis, f. (eccl.)).

    absolvendos esse peccatis, qui peccare desierint: '(those) who had ceased to sin ought to be absolved of their sins' (desierint is pf. subj. in a relative clause of characteristic (AG 535a), > desino, -sinere, -sii).

    non pertinere ad veniam criminosos: 'that guilty men had nothing to do with mercy'. criminosus, -i, m.: a guilty man (late Lat.). pertineo, -ēre: apply to, be suitable to.

    lapsis: 'to those who had fallen', i.e., into sin after baptism (> labor, labi, lapsus sum).

    in hanc vocem: 'in these words', 'as follows'.

    te . . . paeniteret: 'you would repent' (> paeniteo, impersonal construction, standard with this verb, with accusative of person regretting and genitive of the thing causing regret, also standard with this verb).

    in proximo: 'at hand'.

    in qua etsi auctoritatem praestare non potuit, ostendit affectum: 'in which, even if he could not provide a guarantee, he did show his feelings' (> affectus -ūs, m.).

    non ab re videtur: 'it does not seem out of place' (impersonal construction).

    licet extrisecus: 'though it is not directly relevant' (lit. 'though it is exterior').

    in eo: 'in this', i.e. in the incident about to be related.

    res miraculo digna: 'a miraculous event' (lit. 'a thing worthy of a miracle').

    memoriae mandabitur: 'will be committed to memory', i.e., 'will be recorded for posterity'.

    in exemplum cavendi: 'as a cautionary example' (lit., 'for an example of taking care').

    contigerit: 'happens' (> contingo, -tingere, -tigi).

    vīsibilis -e: visible

    interdum: (adv.) meanwhile

    trānsfigūrō -āre: transform, transfigure, metamorphose

    interritus -a -um: unaffrighted, undisturbed

    prōtegō -tegere -tēxī -tēctum: cover in front, protect

    convīcium -ī n.: quarreling, altercation

    turbo -inis m.: whirlwind, tornado

    protervus -a -um: violent, vehement

    increpō -āre -uī -itum: make a noise; blame, rebuke

    tēstor -ārī: bear witness, testify

    cōnstanter: (adv.) steadfastly, uniformly

    dēlictum -ī n.: crime, transgression, fault

    conversātiō -ōnis f.: frequent use; dealing, conversation

    purgō -āre: make clean, purify

    peccātum -ī n.: fault, transgression, sin

    crīminōsus -ī m.: guilty man, criminal

    lapsō -āre: fall down, slip

    clēmentia -ae f.: gentleness, mildness

    exclāmō -clāmāre: cry out, shout

    miserābilis -e: pitiable, miserable, wretched

    īnsectātiō -ōnis f.: pursuit

    dēsistō -sistere -stitī: desist from, stop, cease (+abl. or inf.)

    proximum -i n.: neighborhood, vicinity

    paeniteō -ēre -uī: cause to repent

    praesumptiō -ōnis f.: anticipation; presumption

    exorior -orīrī -ortus sum: rise up, appear, arise

    extrinsecus: (adv.) moreover

    portiō -ōnis f.: share, part, portion

    mīrāculum -ī n.: wonder, marvel, miracle

    rēctē: rightly, properly

    mandō -āre: to commit, consign, commend

    deinceps: (adv.) in turn, in succession

    uspiam: (adv.) at or in any place, anywhere

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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-22