1. Nam cum ōlim, audītā fidē eius vitā atque virtūte, dēsīderiō illius aestuārēmus, grātam nobis ad eum videndum suscēpimus peregrīnātiōnem: simul quia iam ardēbat animus vītam illius scrībere, partim ab ipsō, in quantum ille interrogārī potuit, sciscitātī sumus, partim ab hīs, quī interfuerant vel sciēbant, cognōvimus. 2. quō quidem tempore crēdī nōn potest, quā mē humilitāte, quā benignitāte suscēperit, congrātulātus plūrimum et gāvīsus in Dominō, quod tantī esset habitus ā nobis, quem peregrīnātiōne susceptā expeterēmus. 3. miserum mē — paene nōn audeō cōnfitērī — cum mē sānctō convīviō suō dignātus esset adhibēre, aquam manibus nostrīs ipse obtulit, ad vesperum autem pedēs ipse nobis abluit. nec renītī aut contrā īre cōnstantia fuit: ita auctōritāte illius oppressus sum, ut nefās putārem, sī nōn adquiēvissem. 4. sermō autem illius nōn alius apud nōs fuit, quam mundī illecebrās et saeculī onera relinquenda, ut Dominum Iēsum līberī expedītīque sequerēmur: praestantissimumque nobis praesentium temporum illustris virī Paulīnī, cuius suprā fēcimus mentiōnem, exemplum ingerēbat, quī summīs opibus abiectīs Christum secūtus sōlus paene hīs temporibus ēvangelica praecepta complēsset: 5. illum nobis sequendum, illum clāmābat imitandum: beātumque esse praesēns saeculum tantae fideī virtūtisque documentō, cum secundum sententiam Dominī dīves et possidēns multa vendendō omnia et dandō pauperibus, quod erat factū impossibile, possibile fēcisset exemplō. 6. iam vērō in verbīs et cōnfābulātiōne eius quanta gravitās, quanta dignitās erat! quam ācer, quam efficax erat, quam in absolvendīs scriptūrārum quaestiōnibus promptus et facilis! 7. et quia multōs ad hanc partem incrēdulōs sciō, quippe quōs vīderim mē ipsō etiam referente nōn crēdere, Iēsum testor spemque commūnem mē ex nūllius umquam ōre tantum scientiae, tantum ingeniī tantum tam bonī et tam pūrī sermōnis audīsse. 8. quamquam in Martīnī virtūtibus quantula est ista laudātio! nisi quod mīrum est hominī illitterātō nē hanc quidem grātiam dēfuisse.
notes
vocabulary
dēsīderium -ī n.: longing
aestuō -āre: boil up, foam
peregrīnātio -ōnis f.: sojourning, travel, peregrination
partim: (adv.) partly, in part
scīscitor -ārī -ātus sum: ask, inquire, question
benīgnitās -ātis f.: favour, courtesy
congrātulor -ārī -ātus sum: wish joy, congratulate
expetō -petere -petīvi -petītum: deek out, seek for; long for (+abl.)
dignor -ārī: deem worthy of, deign
vesper -eris or -erī m.: evening, evening star
pēs pedis m.: foot
abluō -uere -ui -ūtum: wash off, wash, cleanse
renītor -nītī: struggle against, resist
cōnstantia -ae f.: firmness of character, steadfastness
opprimō -primere -pressī -pressum: overwhelm, overpower
acquiēscō -quiēscere -quiēvī -quiētum: rest, repose; acquiesce, assent
illecebra -ae f.: enticement, allurement
expedītus -a -um: unimpeded, unencumbered, disengaged
praestāns -antis: pre-eminent, excellent. distinguished
mentiō -ōnis f.: mention
abiciō -ere -iēcī -iectum: throw away
ēvangelicus -a -um: evangelical
clāmō -āre: call, cry out, shout
imitor -āri: imitate
documentum -ī n.: lesson, example
possīdō -sīdere -sēdī -sessum: take possession of, possess one's self of
vēndō -dere -didī -ditum: sell, vend
impossibilis -e: impossible
possibilis -e: possible
confābulātio -ōnis f.: conversation
efficāx -ācis: efficacious, effectual, powerful
scrīptūra -ae f.: writing, scripture, a passage of Scripture
quaestio -ōnis f.: inquiry, judicial investigation, trial
prōmptus -a -um: ready, quick, prompt
incrēdulus -a -um: unbelieving, incredulous
tēstor -ārī: bear witness, testify
pūrus -a -um: clean, pure
quantulus -a -um: how little, how small, how trifling
laudātiō -ōnis f.: praising, praise, commendation
illiterātus -a -um: illiterate, uneducated