<Quāle cōnsilium īdem cum prīmātibus suīs dē percipiendā fide Chrīstī habuerit, et ut pontifex eius suās ārās prōfānāverit>
[1] Quibus audītis, rēx suscipere quidem sē fidem, quam docēbat, et velle et dēbēre respondēbat. [2] Vērum adhūc cum amīcīs prīncipibus et cōnsiliāriīs suīs sēsē dē hōc conlātūrum esse dīcēbat, ut, sī et illī eadem cum illō sentīre vellent, omnēs pariter in fonte vītae Christō cōnsecrārentur. [3] Et adnuente Paulīnō, fēcit, ut dīxerat. [4] Habitō enim cum sapientibus cōnsiliō, sciscitābātur singillātim ab omnibus, quālis sibi doctrīna haec eātenus inaudīta, et novus dīvīnitātis, quī praedicābātur, cultus vidērētur.
[5] Cui prīmus pontificum ipsīus Coifi continuō respondit: ‘Tū vidē, rēx, quāle sit hoc, quod nōbīs modo praedicātur; ego autem tibi vērissimē, quod certum didicī, profiteor, quia nihil omnīnō virtūtis habet, nihil ūtilitātis religiō illa, quam hucusque tenuimus. [6] Nūllus enim tuōrum studiōsius quam ego cultūrae deōrum nostrōrum sē subdidit; et nihilominus multī sunt, quī ampliōra ā tē beneficia quam ego et maiōrēs accipiunt dignitātēs, magisque prosperantur in omnibus, quae agenda vel adquīrenda dispōnunt. [7] Sī autem diī aliquid valērent, mē potius iuvāre vellent, quī illīs impēnsius servīre cūrāvī. [8] Unde restat ut, sī ea quae nunc nōbīs nova praedicantur, meliōra esse et fortiōra habitā exāminātiōne perspexeris, absque ūllō cūnctāmine suscipere illa festīnēmus.’
[9] Cuius suāsiōnī verbīsque prūdentibus alius optimātum rēgis tribuēns assēnsum continuō subdidit: ‘Tālis,’ inquiēns, ‘mihi vidētur, rēx, vīta hominum praesēns in terrīs, ad comparātiōnem eius quod nōbīs incertum est temporis, quāle cum tē residente ad caenam cum ducibus ac ministrīs tuīs tempore brūmālī, accēnsō quidem focō in mediō et calidō effectō cēnāculō, furentibus autem foris per omnia turbinibus hiemālium pluviārum vel nivium, adveniēns ūnus passerum domum citissimē pervolāverit. [10] Quī, cum per ūnum ōstium ingrediēns mox per aliud exierit, ipsō quidem tempore quō intus est hiemis tempestāte nōn tangitur, sed tamen parvissimō spatiō serēnitātis ad mōmentum excursō, mox dē hieme in hiemem regrediēns tuīs oculīs ēlābitur. [11] Ita haec vīta hominum ad modicum apparet; quid autem sequātur, quidve praecesserit, prōrsus ignōrāmus. [12] Vnde, sī haec nova doctrīna certius aliquid attulit, meritō esse sequenda vidētur.’ [13] Hīs similia et cēterī maiōrēs nātū ac rēgis cōnsiliāriī dīvīnitus admonitī prōsequēbantur.
[14] Adiēcit autem Coifi, quia vellet ipsum Paulīnum dīligentius audīre dē Deō quem praedicābat verbum facientem. [15] Quod cum iubente rēge faceret, exclāmāvit audītīs eius sermōnibus dīcēns: ‘Iam ōlim intellēxeram nihil esse, quod colēbāmus; quia vidēlicet quantō studiōsius in eō cultū vēritātem quaerēbam, tantō minus inveniēbam. [16] Nunc autem aperte profiteor, quia in hāc praedicātiōne vēritās clāret illa, quae nōbīs vītae salūtis et beātitūdinis aeternae dōna valet tribuere. [17] Vnde suggerō, rēx, ut templa et altāria, quae sine frūctū ūtilitātis sacrāvimus, ōcius anathēmatī et ignī contrādāmus.’ [18] Quid plūra? [19] praebuit palam adsēnsum ēvangelīzantī beātō Paulīnō rēx, et abrenūntiātā idolatriā fidem sē Christī suscipere cōnfessus est. [20] Cumque ā praefātō pontifice sacrōrum suōrum quaereret, quis ārās et fāna īdōlōrum cum sēptīs quibus erant circumdata prīmus prōfānāre dēbēret, ille respondit: ‘Ego. Quis enim ea, quae per stultitiam coluī, nunc ad exemplum omnium aptius quam ipse per sapientiam mihi ā Deō vērō dōnātam dēstruam?’ [21] Statimque, abiectā superstitiōne vānitātis, rogāvit sibi rēgem arma dare et equum ēmissārium, quem ascendēns ad īdōla dēstruenda venīret. [22] Nōn enim licuerat pontificem sacrōrum vel arma ferre vel praeter in equā equitāre. [23] Accīnctus ergō gladiō accēpit lanceam in manū, et ascendēns ēmissārium rēgis pergēbat ad īdōla. [24] Quod aspiciēns vulgus aestimābat eum īnsānīre. [25] Nec distulit ille, mox ut adpropiābat ad fānum, prōfānāre illud, iniectā in eō lanceā quam tenēbat; multumque gāvīsus dē agnitiōne vērī Deī cultūs, iussit sociīs dēstruere ac succendere fānum cum omnibus sēptīs suīs. [26] Ostenditur autem locus ille quondam īdōlōrum nōn longē ab Eburācō ad orientem ultrā amnem Doruventiōnem, et vocātur hodiē Godmunddingaham, ubi pontifex ipse īnspīrante Deō vērō polluit ac dēstrūxit eās, quās ipse sacrāverat, ārās.
notes
vocabulary
NOTE: Lemmatization of Anglo-Saxon Names
—: declined forms unattested
[ ]: nominative forms unattested (back-formed for purposes of lemmatization)
*: form unattested but hypothesized based on existing patterns
amīcus amīcī m.: male friend
cōnsiliārius –ī m.: counsellor, advisor
pariter: alike
Christus –ī m.: Christ
cōnsecrō cōnsecrāre cōnsecrāvī cōnsecrātus: to consecrate
adnuō –ere –nuī (ūtus –rare): to nod to; with dat.
Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644
habitus habitūs m.: garment, attire; way of life
scīscitor –scīscitārī : to examine, interrogate
singillātim or singulātim: one by one, individually
doctrīna –ae f.: teaching, doctrine
eātenus: so far
inaudītus –a –um: unheard, unheard of
dīvīnitās –tātis f.: divinity
praedicō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preach
cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship
pontifex pontificis m.: priest
Coifi — m.: Coifi, Pagan priest at the court of Edwin 2 of Northumbria
continuō: immediately
praedicō praedicāre praedicāvī praedicātus: to proclaim
profiteor profitērī professus sum: to confess
omnīnō: entirely
ūtilitās ūtilitātis f.: usefulness
religiō religiōnis f.: religion
hūcūsque: up to this point, thus far
studiōsus –a –um: eager
cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship
subdō –ere –didī –ditus: to put under; place or fasten under
nihilōminus: nevertheless
maior māius: bigger
prosperō –āre: prosper, cause to succeed, make happy
adquīrō –ere –quīsīvī –quīsītus: to seek in addition
dispōnō dispōnere dispōsuī dispōsitus: to place, arrange, distribute
potius: rather, more
impēnsus –a –um: ample
restō restāre restitī: to resist
praedicō praedicāre praedicāvī praedicātus: to proclaim
melior melius: better
exāminātiō –iōnis f.: weighing, testing, trial, examination
perspiciō perspicere perspexī perspectus: to see through
cūnctāmen –inis n.: delay, hesitation
festīnō festīnāre festīnāvī festīnātus: to hurry
suāsiō –iōnis f.: suggestion, recommendation, advice
prūdēns: prudent
optimās –ātis: of the best or noblest
tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus: to assign
adsēnsus –ūs m.: an assenting; answering sound
continuō: immediately
subdō –ere –didī –ditus: to put under; place or fasten under
comparātiō comparātiōnis f.: comparison
incertus –a –um: uncertain
resideō residēre resēdī ressus: to remain
cēna cēnae f.: dinner
minister ministrī m.: attendant, servant
brūmālis –e: wintry
accendō accendere accendī accēnsus: to kindle, set on fire
focus –ī m.: fireplace
calidus –a –um: warm, hot
effectus –ūs m.: action; effect
cēnāculum –ī n. : upper room
furō furere: to rage, be mad
forīs: out of doors outside
turbō turbinis f.: whirlwind
hiemālis –e: of or belonging to winter, wintry
pluvius –a –um: rainy, bringing rain
nix nivis f.: snow
passer passeris m.: sparrow
cieō –ēre –cīvī –citus: to cause
pervolō pervolāre pervolāvī pervolātus: to fly through or over
ōstium ōsti(ī) n.: door
intus: within, inside
serēnitās –ātis f.: clearness, serenity, fair weather
mōmentum –ī n.: weight, importance
excurrō –currere –(cu)currī –cursum: to run out, hasten forwards
regredior regredī regressus sum: to go back, return
ēlābor elabī elapsus: to slip away
modicus modica modicum: moderate, modest, temperate
quid: what; why
quid: what; why
praecēdō –ere –cessī –cessus: to go before
prōrsus: forwards; straightway
īgnōrō īgnōrāre īgnōrāvī īgnōrātus: to not know; ignore
doctrīna –ae f.: teaching, doctrine
meritō: deservedly
videor vidērī vīsus sum: to seem; be seen
maior māius: bigger
nātus –ūs m.: birth, age (used only in the abl.)
cōnsiliārius –ī m.: counsellor, advisor
dīvīnitus: by a god, by inspiration
admoneō admonēre admonuī admonitus: to admonish, remind
prōsequor prōsequī prōsecūtus sum: to follow
adiciō adicere adiēcī adiectus: to throw to
Coifi — m.: Coifi, Pagan priest at the court of Edwin 2 of Northumbria
Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644
dīligēns: careful
praedicō –āre –āvī –ātum: to preach
quod: the fact that
exclāmō exclāmāre exclāmāvī exclāmātus: to exclaim
quod: the fact that
vidēlicet: clearly
studiōsus –a –um: eager
cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship
vēritās vēritātis f.: truth
tantō: by so much
apertē: frankly, openly
profiteor profitērī professus sum: to confess
praedicātiō –ōnis f.: teaching; sermon
vēritās vēritātis f.: truth
clāreō clārēre — —: to be bright, shine
beātitūdō –inis f.: felicity, blissfulness
tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus: to assign
suggerō –ere –gessī –gestus: to bring or put under or up to; supply
altāria –ium n.: the upper part of an altar; a high altar
ūtilitās ūtilitātis f.: usefulness
sacrō sacrāre sacrāvī sacrātus: to consecrate
ōcior –ius: swifter
anathema –tis n.: offering; excommunication
contrādō –dere –didi –ditum: to deliver together or wholly
palam: openly
adsēnsus –ūs m.: an assenting; answering sound
ēvangelizō –āre –āvī –ātum: to evangelize, preach the Gospel
Paulīnus –ī m.: Paulinus, Bishop of York, 625-633; bishop of Rochester, 633-644
abrenūntiō –āre –āvī –ātum: to renounce
īdō(lo)latria –ae f.: idolatry, idol-worship, paganism
Christus –ī m.: Christ
cumque: whenever, always
praefor –fātus sum: to say beforehand; praefātus: aforementioned
pontifex pontificis m.: priest
sacrum sacrī n.: a holy thing, (religious) rite
fānum –ī n.: temple
īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost
saeptum –ī n : enclosure, boundary; defined geographical area, precinct
circumdō circumdare circumdedī circumdatus: to surround
profānō –āre –āvī –ātum : to profane
stultitia –ae f.: stupidity
dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy
abiciō abicere abiēcī abiectum: to throw down/away
superstitiō –ōnis f.: religious awe; superstition
vānitās –ātis f.: absence of purpose
ēmissārius –iī: emissary
īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost
dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy
pontifex pontificis m.: priest
sacrum sacrī n.: a holy thing, (religious) rite
equa equae f.: mare
equitō equitāre equitāvī equitātus: to be a horseman; to ride
accingō –ere –cīnxī –cīnctus: to gird on
lancea –ae f.: lance
ēmissārius –iī: emissary
īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost
quod: the fact that
aestimō aestimāre aestimāvī aestimātus: to appraise
īnsāniō īnsānīre īnsānīvī īnsānītum: to be mad, insane
apprōpriō –āre: to make one's own, to appropriate
fānum –ī n.: temple
profānō –āre –āvī –ātum : to profane
iniectus –a –um: thrown
lancea –ae f.: lance
multum: much, a lot
āgnitiō –ōnis f.: recognition
cultus cultūs m.: religious observance, worship
socius –iī m.: ally, comrade
dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy
succendō –ere –cendī –cēnsus: to set on fire from beneath; (fig.)
fānum –ī n.: temple
saeptum –ī n : enclosure, boundary; defined geographical area, precinct
īdōlum or īdōlon –ī n.: an idol; ghost
Eburācum or Eborācum –ī n.: York
Oriēns –entis m.: rising; east
Doruventiō –ōnis f.: the river Derwent
Godmunddingaham: Goodmanham, Yorkshire
pontifex pontificis m.: priest
īnspīrō īnspīrāre īnspīrāvī īnspīrātus: to breathe into; inspire
polluō –ere –uī –ūtus: to soil
dēstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy
sacrō sacrāre sacrāvī sacrātus: to consecrate