1. Exinde relictā mīlitiā sānctum Hilarium Pīctāvae epīscopum cīvitātis, cuius tunc in Deī rēbus spectāta et cognita fidēs habēbātur, expetiit et aliquamdiū apud eum commorātus est. 2. temptāvit autem īdem Hilarius impositō diāconātūs officiō sibi eum artius implicāre et ministeriō vincīre dīvīnō. sed cum saepissimē rēstitisset, indignum sē esse vōciferāns, intellēxit vir altiōris ingeniī, ūnō eum modō posse cōnstringī, sī id eī officiī impōneret, in quō quīdam locus iniūriae vidērētur: itaque exorcistam eum esse praecēpit. quam ille ordinātiōnem, nē dēspexisse tamquam humiliōrem vidērētur, nōn repudiāvit. 3. nec multō post admonitus per sopōrem, ut patriam parentēsque, quōs adhuc gentīlitās dētinēbat, religiōsā sollicitūdine vīsitāret, ex voluntāte sānctī Hilarī profectus est, multīs ab eō obstrictus precibus et lacrimīs ut redīret. maestus, ut ferunt, peregrīnātiōnem illam ingressus est, contestātus frātribus, multa sē adversa passūrum: quod posteā probāvit ēventus. 4. ac prīmum inter Alpēs dēvia secūtus incidit in latrōnēs. cumque ūnus secūrī ēlevātā in caput eius lībrāsset ictum, ferientis dexteram sustinuit alter: vinctīs tamen post tergum manibus ūnī asservandus et spoliandus trāditur. quī cum eum ad remōtiōra dūxisset, percontārī ab eō coepit, quisnam esset. rēspondit Christiānum sē esse. 5. quaerēbat etiam ab eō an timēret. tum vērō cōnstantissimē profitētur, numquam sē tam fuisse sēcūrum, quia scīret misericordiam Dominī maximē in temptātiōnibus adfutūram: sē magis illī dolēre, quī Christī misericordiā utpote latrōcinia exercēns esset indignus. 6. ingressusque ēvangelicam disputātiōnem verbum Deī latrōnī praedīcābat. quid longius morer? latrō crēdidit prōsecūtusque Martīnum viae reddidit, ōrāns ut prō sē Dominum precārētur. īdemque posteā religiōsam agēns vītam vīsus est, adeo ut haec, quae suprā rettulimus, ex ipsō audīta dīcantur.
notes
vocabulary
exindē: adv., thence
expetō -petere -petīvi -petītum: deek out, seek for; long for (+abl.)
diāconātus -ūs m.: office of deacon, deaconship
ministerium -ī n.: service, attendance, duty, ministry
vincio vincīre vinxī vinctum: bind
vōciferor -ferārī -ferātus sum: cry out, exclaim
cōnstringō -stringere -strinxī -strictum: bind tight, hold in check
exorcista -ae m.: exorcist
ordinātiō -ōnis f.: arrangement, appointment
humilis -e: low, lowly; humble
repudiō -āre: reject, repudiate
sollicitūdo -inis f.: uneasiness of mind, anxiety
obstringō -stringere -strinxī -strictum: bind, tie; lay under obligation
peregrīnātio -ōnis f.: sojourning, travel, peregrination
contēstor -tēstāri: invoke, call to witness
adversum -i n.: misfortune, calamity, adversity
ēventus -ūs m.: occurrence, event; result
dēvia -orum n.: lonely, unfrequented places
latro -ōnis m.: a highwayman, bandit, brigand
secūris -is f.: axe, hatchet
lībrō -āre: balance, level; swing, brandish
spoliō -āre: despoil; strip, plunder
percontor -ārī -ātus sum: question strictly, inquire, interrogate
utpote: (adv.) inasmuch that, since
latrōcinium -ī n.: robbery; villainy
ēvangelicus -a -um: evangelical
dīsputātio -ōnis f.: discussion, argument, debate