The Story of Augustinus
in Get Started in Latin (2014)
continues here in Latin, with notes and English translations
The story so far …
Lucia is the daughter of the local count and countess. Paulus and Augustinus are students at a medieval monastery. There has been talk of hostile Danes in the area. A monk has mysteriously died. Paulus often journeys to a nearby town with his regular companion, a mule, to buy provisions for the monastery cook, which is how he met Lucia, who fell from a horse and needed his help.
Paulus is now on his way to the town with his mule but has decided to make a detour towards Lucia’s family castle. It is a hot day and he takes a swim in a pond not far from the castle. Lucia happens to be passing the pond, also with a swim in mind. She surprises Paulus who is now in the water, then to his slight alarm demonstrates her prowess as an archer. At that point some strange men arrive at the pond, and Lucia hides in the water with Paulus.
Units 1-25: see Get Started in Latin, 2014 edition
26
mox hominēs ad stāgnum advēnērunt.
‘quī sunt illī?’ rogāvit Paulus.
‘ssst!’ susurrāvit Lūcia pōnēns manum ad ōs eius, quam Paulus facere nōn poterat quīn bāsiāret. bibentēs equōs hominumque vōcēs audīre poterant.
‘… posterō diē omnia auferēmus,’ inquit quīdam.
‘omnēs rēs auferendae sunt,’ inquit alius, ‘praeter aurum et argentum.’
deinde Paulus vōcem monachī agnōvit et attonitus ‘est Ricardus!’ susurrāvit, ‘quī in nostrō monasteriō habitat!’ subitō mūlus Paulī in silvā rudīvit.
‘quid est illud?’ inquit ūnus advenārum.
‘sunt mūlī in agrīs,’ respondit alter.
‘vādāmus ad monasterium,’ inquit Ricardus. nec multō post Ricardus cum sociīs īgnōtīs abiit.
ōs, ōris [n.] mouth, face
quam [acc.fem.] whom, which
facere nōn poterat quīn bāsiāret s/he could not help kissing
auferō, auferre take away
quīdam [nom.s./pl.] some, certain: either a pronoun (someone) or adjective (some …)
advena,-ae [m.] stranger, foreigner
vādāmus let’s go (i.e. subjunctive; vādimus = we go)
socius,-ī [m.] partner, companion
Soon the men arrived at the pond.
‘Who are they?’ asked Paulus.
‘Sssh!’ whispered Lucia placing her hand on his mouth, which Paulus could not stop himself kissing. They could hear horses drinking and the voices of the men.
‘… On the day after we will take everything,’ said someone.
‘All the things are to be taken away’ said another, ‘except the gold and silver.’
Then Paulus recognized the voice of a monk and astonished whispered ‘It’s Ricardus, who lives in our monastery!’ Suddenly in the wood Paulus’ mule brayed.
‘What’s that?’ said one of the strangers.
‘There are mules in the fields,’ replied another.
‘Let’s go to the monastery,’ said Ricardus. And not long afterwards Ricardus went away with his unknown companions.
27
‘mūlus tuus est loquāx!’ inquit Lūcia ex aquā resurgēns.
‘quī sunt illī hominēs?’
‘Dānī sunt,’ respondit Lūcia. ‘eāmus, ōcius!’
‘Dānī?’
‘sīc.’
‘cum Ricardō? nōnne errāvistī?’
‘immō, certa sum. ōlim Dānōs hospitēs in nostrō castellō accēpimus. age, illī ad monasterium vādunt.’
loquāx talkative
resurgō,-ere rise up, reappear
eāmus let’s go (i.e. subjunctive; īmus = we go)
errō,-āre,-āvī,-ātum make a mistake
immō no, by no means, on the contrary
‘Your mule is talkative!’ said Lucia rising from the water.
‘Who are those men?
‘They are Danes,’ Lucia replied. ‘Let’s go, quickly!’
‘Danes?’
‘Yes.’
‘With Ricardus? Surely you’ve made a mistake?’
‘No, I’m sure. We once received Danes as guests in our castle. Come on, those men are going to the monastery.’
28
Ricardus et Dānī per silvam ad monasterium iter faciēbant, sequentibus procul Lūciā et Paulō.
‘ille est prōditor,’ fremuit Paulus mūlum dūcēns, ‘malus, turpis, īgnāvus, saevus, crūdēlis, scelestus …’
‘sst, cavē nē illī nōs audiant.’
‘quid facere vīs?’ rogāvit Paulus.
‘pete nostrōs amīcōs fidēlēs. cui monachōrum crēdis?’
‘certē Stephanō.’
‘huic refer; ī, ad monasterium, ōcius!’
‘et tū,’ respondit ille, ‘quid in animō habēs?’
‘ego Ricardum observābō. ī, festīnā!’
iter, itineris [n.] journey, route, way
sequentibus [abl.pl.] following
procul from afar, at a distance
prōditor,-ōris [m.] traitor
fremō,-ere, fremuī, fremitum growl, snort
cavē nē … watch out in case … (followed by audiant in the present subjunctive)
fidēlis,-e trustworthy
cui [dat.] whom, which
huic [dat.] this person
refer: imperative of referō, referre = carry back, report
ī: imperative of eō, īre = go
Ricardus and the Danes were making their way through the wood towards the monastery, with Lucia and Paulus following at a distance.
‘He’s a traitor,’ growled Paulus as he led the mule, ‘bad, disgraceful, cowardly, mean, cruel, wicked … ’
‘Ssh, be careful they don’t hear us.’
‘What do you want to do?’ asked Paulus.
‘Seek our trustworthy friends. Which of the monks do you trust?
‘Certainly Stephanus.’
‘Report to this man; go, to the monastery – quickly!’
‘And you,’ he replied, ‘what do you have in mind?’
‘I will keep an eye on Ricardus. Go, hurry!’
29
discipulī in scholā theologiam ā Stephanō docēbantur.
‘ō discipulī, nōn quaerō intellegere ut crēdam, sed crēdo ut intellegam. praetereā,’ inquit Stephanus, ‘philosophiam per dialecticam cognōscimus sed ipsam vēritātem grātiā Deī. scrībitisne? nunc est scrībendum.’
‘nōnne vēritātem agnōscere possumus per dialecticam?’ rogāvit Augustīnus.
‘cūr maiōribus semper contrādīcis, Augustīne?’
‘nōnne autem ipsī ex Graeciā sapientissimī vēritātem quaesiērunt per dialecticam?’
‘Graecī quidem sapientēs erant,’ admonuit Stephanus, ‘sed nōs sapientiōrēs sumus quod nōbīs etiam est sapientia Deī. per vēritātem opus Deī in terrā revēlātur. nunc est scrībendum: crēdere est scīre, scīre est intellegere, intellegere est crēdere …’
‘vidēre est cōnspicere bellissimam!’ exclāmāvit Augustīnus.
‘quid?’ rogāvit Stephanus.
‘ecce venit amīca Paulī, magister,’ inquit Augustīnus. omnēs discipulī ad fenestram cucurrērunt. ‘ecce Paulus ipse mūlum in monasterium dūcit.’
‘Paulusne adest?’ inquit Stephanus ad fenestram ipse veniēns.
‘coquus est īrātus,’ inquit quīdam, ‘quod Paulus nihil in sarcinā habet.’
mox Paulus in scholam irruit et ‘ō magister!’ exanimātus inquit, ‘Ricardus … Dānī … Ricardus …’
docēbantur: passive, i.e. were being taught
ut crēdam that I may believe (crēdam and intellegam are present subjunctive after ut)
praetereā besides, moreover
vēritās,-tātis [f.] truth
dialectica,-ae [f.] logical argument
maior,-ōris ancestor (noun from the adjective maior, maius = greater, larger)
sapientissimī: from sapiēns (sapientissimus = most, very, -est)
admoneō,-ēre, admonuī, admonitum advise, admonish
sapientiōrēs [nom.pl.] wiser (sapientior = more, rather, -er)
sapientia,-ae [f.] wisdom
relēvātur is revealed (present passive of relēvō,-āre = uncover, lay bare)
bellus,-a,-um lovely
cucurrī: perfect of currō,-ere
īrātus,-a,-um angry
irruō,-ere, irruī rush into, force a way into (irruit could be present or perfect)
exanimātus,-a,-um exhausted, breathless
The students were being taught theology by Stephanus in the school.
‘Students, I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe that I may understand. Moreover,’ said Stephanus, ‘we come to know philosophy through logical argument but the truth itself through the grace of God. Are you writing? It’s time to write.’
‘Surely we can identify the truth by logical argument?’ asked Augustinus.
‘Why do you always argue with your betters, Augustinus?’
‘Yet surely the wisest men from Greece themselves sought the truth through the practice of discussion?’
‘The Greeks indeed were wise,’ admonished Stephanus, ‘but we are wiser because for us there is also the wisdom of God. Through the truth the work of God is revealed on earth. Now it is time to write: to believe is to know, to know is to understand, to understand is to believe …’
‘To see is to catch sight of a gorgeous girl!’ exclaimed Augustinus.
‘What?’ asked Stephanus.
‘Look, there comes Paulus’ girlfriend, Master,’ said Augustinus. All the students ran to the window. ‘Look, Paulus himself is leading his mule into the monastery.’
‘Paulus is here?’ said Stephanus coming himself to the window.
‘The cook is angry,’ said someone, ‘because Paulus has nothing in the bag.’
Soon Paulus burst into the school ‘Master!’ he said breathlessly. ‘Ricardus … Danes … Ricardus …’
30
Lūcia Ricardum in monasterium secūta in claustrī tēctum ascendit ubi in pueritiā sē cēlāre solēbat; nunc dēspiciēns dē trabibus Ricardum vīdit sōlum sedentem. tandem aliquis cucullātus ad eum adiit.
‘ubi sunt nostrī hospitēs?’
‘omnēs adsunt valentque,’ respondit Ricardus.
‘omnia parāta sunt?’
‘ita vērō, domine abba.’
secūtus,-a,-um having followed
pueritia,-ae [f.] childhood
soleō,-ēre, solitus be accustomed to, be in the habit of (past tense has passive form: a ‘semi-deponent’)
dēspiciō,-ere look down
trabs, trabis [f.] beam
aliquis [nom.] someone
parāta sunt have been prepared, are ready (perfect passive of parō,-āre = prepare)
Having followed Ricardus into the monastery Lucia climbed on to the roof of the cloister where in her childhood she would hide; now, looking down from the beams, she saw Ricardus sitting alone. Eventually someone in a hood came to him.
‘Where are our guests?’
‘All are present and well,’ replied Ricardus.
‘Is everything ready?’
‘Indeed so, Lord Abbot.’
31
Lūcia est obstupefacta. abbas! nōn omnia verba audīre poterat quod duo monachī susurrābant. ‘tacē!’ dīcēbat abbas. ‘advenit aliquis. tū in ecclēsiam …’ et Ricardus abiit. ‘Stephane, salvē.’
‘tē salūtō, domine abba,’ respondit Stephanus, ‘īgnōscās mihi, sed tibi rem gravem referō.’
‘quid dīcis?’
‘ūnus ex discipulīs meīs, puer sapiēns, pius, fidēlis …’
‘quis ex tuīs discipulīs?’
‘Paulus. hodiē cum ad oppidum ambulāret, cōnspīrantēs in silvā Dānōs audiit ex quibus ūnum agnōvit. noster frāter, Ricardus, in silvā cum Dānīs erat!’
‘Ricardus in silvā? hodiē? sed Ricardus nōn est Dānus. ille puer elephantum ex muscā facit. huic discipulō errantī vīs crēdere? nōnne Paulus erat ille discipulus quī frūstrā fīliam Karolī amābat? īgnōscās mihi,’ rīsit abbas, ‘sed tuus puer Veneris discipulus nōn Christī esse vidētur. nōlī fābulās eius audīre, sed ut dīxit Sānctus Benedictus percute puerum tuum virgā. cūrā, ō Stephane, ut eum saepius verberēs.’
‘ut vīs, mī īgnōsce. rem tamen ad tē referendam esse putāvī.’
‘sānē. ecce, Ricardus ipse adest: eum interrogēmus … Ricarde, adsīs sī tibi placet.’
‘semper pāreō libēns …’
Lūcia immōta iacēns in trabibus nōn iam vōcēs audīre poterat. mox Stephanus Ricardusque abiērunt.
est obstupefactus,-a,-um was astonished, shocked (from obstupefaciō,-ere)
ambulāret: imperfect subjunctive, used after cum (not meaning with but when, since or although); treat as an indicative
elephantum ex muscā facit: i.e. exaggerates
vidētur s/he/it seems (present passive of videō,-ēre)
nōlī [+ infinitive] do not …
percutiō,-ere strike
virga,-ae [f.] rod
cūrā ut verberēs take care that you beat (present subjunctive of verberō,-āre, after ut)
ut vīs: ut here with the indicative, not subjunctive, usually meaning as or when
interrogēmus let us ask (the present subjunctive is used to encourage or request)
adsīs may you be present (present subjunctive of adsum, adesse)
libēns glad, willing
Lucia was astonished. The abbot! She could not hear all their words because the two monks were whispering. ‘Quiet!’ the abbot was saying. ‘Someone is coming. You, into the church …’ and Ricardus went away. ‘Hello Stephanus.’
‘I greet you, Lord Abbot,’ replied Stephanus. ‘Forgive me, but I bring a serious concern to you.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘One of my students, a wise boy, pious, trustworthy …’
‘Which of your students?’
‘Paulus. Today when he was walking to the town he heard some Danes conspiring in the wood and he recognized one of them. Our brother, Ricardus, was in the wood with the Danes.’
‘Ricardus in the wood? Today? But Ricardus is not a Dane. That boy is making an elephant out of a fly. Are you willing to believe this mistaken student? Wasn’t Paulus that student who fell hopelessly in love with the daughter of Karolus? Forgive me,’ laughed the abbot, ‘but your boy seems to be a student of Venus not of Christ. Do not listen to his stories, but as Saint Benedict said, beat your boy with a rod. See to it, Stephanus, that you beat him more often.’
‘As you will, I’m sorry. But I thought that the matter should be reported to you.’
‘Indeed. Look, Ricardus himself is here: let’s ask him … Ricardus, here if you will.’
‘I always obey gladly …’
Lucia, lying motionless on the beams, was no longer able to hear the voices. Soon Stephanus and Ricardus went away.
32
nec multō post Paulus Lūciam ut quaereret bibliothēcam relīquit et nunc sōlus per monasterium vādēbat campanīs ad monachōs in ecclēsiam convocandōs resonantibus. itaque, cum ipse adesse in ecclēsiā dēbēret, ē claustrō fūrtim exiit in hortum ubi mūlum plaustrō vinctum vīdit.
‘eho mūle,’ susurrāvit amīcus, ‘quō nunc vādis? quārē hoc plaustrum trahis? quid hīc habēmus?’ vēlāmine plaustrī sublātō Paulus attonitus quae in thēsaurum trādita erant illa invēnit. ‘meherclē! cūr haec in plaustrō?’ deinde magnam sarcinam cōnspexit in quā erat corpus mortuum. ‘quid est?’ gemuit ille, ‘vae! es tū Stephane? vae!’ magistrum agnōscēns. ‘propter mē es trucīdātus. statim abbātī ībō ut omnia referam,’ et gemitū in monasterium effūgit.
ut quaereret that s/he might seek, look for (imperfect subjunctive of quaerō,-ere)
plaustrum,-ī [n.] cart
vinciō,-īre, vinxī, vinctum bind, tie (do not confuse with vincō,-ere = conquer, win)
trahō,-ere pull, haul, drag
vēlāmen,-inis [n.] cover
sublātō: past participle of tollō, tollere, sustulī, sublātum = raise, lift
es trucīdātus you have been slaughtered (perfect passive of trucīdō,-āre)
ut referam that I may report (present subjunctive of referrō, referre)
effūgit: compound of fugiō,-ere (ex + fugiō)
Not long afterwards Paulus left the library to look for Lucia and was now going through the monastery with the bells ringing to call the monks into the church (for the monks to-be-called). And so, when/since/although he himself ought to have been present in the church, he secretly went out of the cloister into the garden where he saw the mule bound to a wagon.
‘Hey mule,’ whispered his friend, ‘Where are you off to? Why are you hauling this cart? What do we have here?’ Having lifted the cart’s cover (with the cover having been …) he was shocked to find those things which had been handed into the storehouse. ‘Heavens! Why are these on the wagon?’ Then he saw a large sack in which there was a dead body. ‘What’s this?’ he groaned, ‘woe! is it you Stephanus? woe!’ recognizing his master. ‘Because of me you have been cut down. I’ll go immediately to the abbot to report everything,’ and with a groan he fled away into the monastery.
33
nunc Paulus in claustrum irruēns magnā vōce ‘domine!’ clāmāvit. Lūcia adhūc in trabibus iacēns vōcem abbātis audīre potuit.
‘quid est tibi, puer?’
‘Stephanus est mortuus.’
‘dēlīrās.’
‘vēra loquor!’
‘ō stulte puer! cūr semper vānīs dē somniīs loqueris? Stephanus nūper abiit in ecclēsiam.’
‘domine, ōrō, venī ut corpus eius tū ipse videās.’
quid est tibi? what is the matter with you?
dēlīrō,-āre be silly, mad, insane
loquor I am speaking (loquor, loquī looks passive but has an active meaning, i.e. a deponent verb)
stultus,-a,-um foolish, stupid
vānus,-a,-um vain, empty
somnium,-ī [n.] dream
loqueris: 2nd person singular, present tense of loquor, loquī
nūper recently
ut videās that you may see (present subjunctive of videō,-ēre)
Now Paulus rushing into the cloister shouted in a loud voice ‘Sir!’. Lucia, still lying on the beams, could hear the voice of the abbot.
‘What’s the matter with you, boy?’
‘Stephanus is dead.’
‘You are mad.’
‘I speak the truth!’
‘O foolish boy! Why do you always speak about empty dreams? Just now Stephanus went away into the church.’
‘Sir, please, come so that you yourself may see his body.’
34
deinde abbas et Paulus rediērunt iuvene dīcente ‘crēde mihi, ō domine, corpus Stephanī illā in sarcinā fuerat! nōnne eius sanguinem vīdistī?’
‘dīcō tibī: erat sanguis columbārum. iam satis rūmōrum. hōc tempore in ecclēsiā adesse dēbēmus. ecce, nunc Ricardus adest,’ inquit abbas adeunte Ricardō. ‘Ricarde, hic discipulus aegrōtāre gravissimē vidētur; itaque ad medicum statim est dūcendus.’
‘libenter eum dūcam, domine,’ respondit Ricardus.
‘immō, valeō!’ clāmāvit Paulus.
‘puer sānē est inops mentis.’
subitō saeviēns, fūriōsissima, exanimātaque, irruit Lūcia.
iuvenis,-is [m./f.] youth, young man/woman
sanguis,-inis [m.] blood
adeunte: present participle of adeō, adīre
aegrōtō,-āre be ill
gravissimē very seriously
medicus,-ī [m.] physician, doctor
libenter gladly
inops mentis out of his/her mind
saeviō,-īre be fierce (saeviēns = being fierce or fiercely)
furiōsus,-a,-um furious, raging
Then the abbot and Paulus returned, with the young man saying ‘Believe me, Lord, Stephanus’ body had been in that sack! Surely you saw his blood?’
‘I tell you: it was the blood of pigeons. Now enough of your rumours. At this time we should be present in the church. Look, now Ricardus is here,’ said the abbot as Ricardus approached. ‘Ricardus, this student seems to be seriously ill; and so he should be taken to the physician immediately.’
‘I’ll take him gladly, my lord,’ replied Ricardus.
‘No, I’m fine!’ shouted Paulus.
‘The boy is clearly out of his mind.’
Suddenly Lucia rushed in, fiercely, furiously, breathlessly.
35
‘Lūcia? quid tibi est in hōc locō?’ rogāvit abbas ē soliō surgēns.
‘ille est peior quam diabolus!’ exclāmāvit Lūcia, gestū in Paulum attonitum.
‘sī vīs, ō virgō cārissima, placidior sīs,’ inquit abbas.
‘hodiē mē trahere cōnābātur in stāgnum!’
‘in stāgnum?’
‘etiam meum manum bāsiāvit,’ et subitō genās Paulī duābus alapīs cecīdit. ‘et semper mihi versūs lascīvōs mittit.’
‘versūs lascīvōs? cuius versūs?’
‘Catullī carmina amātōria.’
‘Catullī? in hāc ecclēsiā? quid dīcis, puer?’
‘ecce liber,’ inquit virgō, abbātī librum trādēns quem ex Augustīnō petierat. ‘ille puer est scelestus, malus, īgnāvus, turpis …!’
‘mea cārissima, dēsiste,’ inquit abbas.
‘īgnōscās mihi!’ et flēbat.
‘crīmina, puer, audiistī. quid dīcēs?’
‘nesciō, domine, nesciō,’ inquit Paulus.
‘tū poenās dabis!’ et abbas Paulō alium ictum dedit.
‘dēsiste!’ exclāmāvit Lūcia.
‘rogās ut dēsistam? ille tamen castīgārī dēbet!’
‘prō certō ille poenas dabit, sed Karolus ipse iūdicāre vult. reus in vinclīs ad castellum dūcendus est.’
‘illumne vidēre volet tuus pater?’
solium,-ī [n.] seat
surgō,-ere rise
peiōr [nom.] worse
quam than
gestus,-ūs [m.] gesture, sign
placidiōr [nom.] more peaceful, calmer
sīs may you be (present subjunctive of sum, esse)
cōnābātur s/he tried (cōnor, cōnārī is another deponent verb: looks passive but active meaning)
alapa,-ae [f.] slap
caedō,-ere, cecīdī, caesum kill, strike, beat
cuius whose
amātōrius,-a,-um about love, sexy
quem [acc.masc.] whom, which
scelestus,-a,-um wicked (or scelestus,-ī [m.] = scoundrel)
fleō,-ēre weep (imperfect can have sense of began to …)
crīmen,-inis [n.] crime, charge
nesciō,-īre do not know, be ignorant
ictus,-ūs [m.] blow, strike
dēsistō,-ere stop (dēsistam = present subjunctive after ut)
castīgārī to be punished (passive infinitive of castīgō,-āre)
prō certō for sure
iūdicō,-āre give judgment, sentence
reus,-ī [m.] the accused, defendant, prisoner
‘Lucia? What brings you to this place?’ asked the abbot rising from his seat.
‘He is worse than the devil!’ exclaimed Lucia, with a gesture at the astonished Paulus.
‘If you will, dearest maiden, be calmer,’ said the abbot.
‘Today he was trying to haul me into a pond.’
‘Into a pond?’
‘He even kissed my hand,’ and suddenly she struck Paulus’ cheeks with two slaps. ‘And he is always sending me lascivious verses.’
‘Lascivious verses? Whose verses?’
‘Love poems of Catullus.’
‘Catullus? In this church? What do you say, boy?’
‘Here is the book,’ said the girl, handing over to the abbot a book which she had sought from Augustinus. ‘That boy is a scoundrel, bad, cowardly, disgraceful …!’
‘My dearest one, stop,’ said the abbot.
‘Forgive me!’ and she began to weep.
‘You have heard the charges, boy. What shall you say?’
‘I don’t know, Lord, I don’t know,’ said Paulus.
‘You will be punished!’ and the abbot gave Paulus another blow.
‘Stop!’ exclaimed Lucia.
‘You ask me to stop? But he must be punished!’
‘For sure he will be punished, but Karolus himself wants to sentence him. The prisoner is to be taken to the castle in chains.’
‘Your father will want to see him?’
36
tandem Lūcia cōnsolāta ab aliīs monachīs quī iam propter tumultum advēnerant flēre dēsiit.
‘peregrīnī quīdam hodiē monasterium relinquent quī vōs ad castellum comitentur,’ inquit abbas et librum Augustīnī in ignem iniēcit. deinde Paulus et Lūcia dēductī sunt et omnibus aliīs dīgressīs ‘Ricarde, adsīs,’ susurrāvit abbas. ‘imperā ut in silvīs et puer et virgō fīniantur.’
cōnsōlō,-āre,-āvī,-ātum console, comfort
tumultus,-ūs [m.] noise, fracas
peregrīnus,-ī [m.] foreigner, pilgrim
comitor,-ārī accompany (deponent verb: here subjunctive as they will be leaving in order to accompany…)
iniciō,-ere, iniēcī, iniectum throw into
dēductī sunt have been or were taken away
aliīs dīgressīs with the others having gone away (ablative absolute, from dīgredior)
imperō,-āre,-āvī,-ātum order, command, give an instruction
ut fīniantur that they be ‘terminated’ (passive subjunctive of fīniō,-īre)
At last Lucia stopped weeping, having been comforted by other monks who had gathered because of the commotion.
‘Some pilgrims will be leaving the monastery today who might accompany you to the castle,’ said the abbot, and he threw the book of Augustinus into the fire. Then Paulus and Lucia were led away and with everyone else having departed the abbot whispered ‘Ricardus, here a moment. Give the word for both the boy and the girl to be terminated in the woods.’
37
Augustīnus fūrtim ad cellam in quā Paulus erat vinctus adiit. ‘psst, Paule,’ susurrāvit amīcus, ‘adsum ego.’
‘Augustīne!’
‘sst; nē custōdēs excitēs. sī fortūna tibi favēbit mox eris līber. tandem Lūcia librum meum accēpit quī erat sōlum exemplar Catullī.’
‘ēheu, rem gravem tibi referō,’ susurrāvit Paulus.
‘quid dīcis?’
‘liber ille est combustus.’
‘Catullī liber?’
‘ita vērō.’
‘combustus? ā quō? num Lūcia versūs Catullī dēlēvit?’
‘abbas librum tuum iniēcit in ignem.’
in quā [abl.fem.] in which
nē excitēs lest you rouse (present subjunctive of excitō,-āre)
exemplar,-āris [n.] transcript, copy
combustus,-a,-um burned, incinerated
ā quō by which, whom
dēleō,-ēre, dēlēvī, dēlētum destroy
Augustinus went secretly to the cell in which Paulus had been chained.
‘Psst, Paulus,’ whispered his friend, ‘I’m here.’
‘Augustinus!’
‘Ssh, in case you wake the guards. If fortune favours you, you will soon be free. Lucia has at last taken my book, which was the only copy of Catullus.’
‘Alas, I have bad news for you,’ whispered Paulus.
‘What do you mean?’
‘That book has been burned.’
‘The book of Catullus?’
‘Yes.’
‘Burned? By whom? Surely Lucia hasn’t destroyed the verses of Catullus?’
‘The abbot threw your book into the fire.’
38
‘vae! malum est!’ gemuit Augustīnus.
‘taceās, nē custōdēs veniant.’
‘illī erant Catullī versūs sōlī in bibliothēcā, in monasteriō, in terrā! quid agam?’
‘sī potes carmina eius revocāre, alium librum exscrībās. nunc mī īgnōscās, mī amīce, sed ego maiōre in perīculō sum quam tū.’
‘quid? vērō. dīcō tibi, Paule: tū es fēlīx.’
‘vērō? num fēlīx in vinclīs?’
‘ecce, accipe hunc librum.’
‘alium librum?’
‘Dē Philosophiae Cōnsolātiōne.’
‘ō Augustīne, quid agis? Boethius, cum Cōnsolātiōnem scrīpsisset, in vinclīs trucīdātus est. ego nōn cōnsolātiōnem sed auxilium dēsīderō!’
‘sī librum legēs,’ respondit Augustīnus, ‘et cōnsolātiōnem et auxilium inveniēs. Lūcia cōnsilium cēpit. mox tē iuvābit in tenerīs dominae iacēre lacertīs. valē Paule.’
‘valē amīce.’ susurrāvit Paulus librum accipiēns in quō Lūcia epistulam scrīpserat.
vae! woe!
taceās may you be quiet (present subjunctive of taceō,-ēre)
exscrībās may you write out (present subjunctive)
maiōre [abl.] greater, larger
cōnsolātiō,-ōnis [f.] comfort, consolation
legēs: translate the future after sī (if) as if present (i.e. if you read)
cōnsilium capiō,-ere make a plan
iuvābit it will please
lacertus,-ī [m.] arm
‘Woe! It’s bad!’ groaned Augustinus.
‘Be quiet, in case the guards come.’
‘Those were the only verses of Catullus in the library, in the monastery, in the world! What am I to do?’
‘If you can recall his poems, write out another book. Now forgive me, my friend, but I am in greater danger than you.’
‘What? Indeed. I tell you, Paulus: you are fortunate.’
‘Really? Surely not fortunate in chains?’
‘Here, take another book.’
‘Another book?’
‘The Consolation of Philosophy.’
‘Augustinus, what are you doing? When Boethius had written the Consolation, he was killed in prison. I do not want consolation, I want help!’
‘If you read the book,’ replied Augustinus, ‘you will find both consolation and help. Lucia has made a plan. Soon you’ll have the pleasure of lying in the tender arms of your lady. Farewell Paulus.’
‘Goodbye friend,’ whispered Paulus as he took the book in which Lucia had written a letter.
39
eōdem diē mūlus, quī plaustrum trahēbat, et Lūcia et Paulus et septem Dānī ē monasteriō ad castellum profectī sunt. mox, cum omnēs obscūram per silvam iter facerent, Paulus manibus vinctīs plaustrum sequēns ‘eho mūle, lentē, lentē!’ susurrābat. ūnus Dānōrum perturbātus ‘sst, puer!’ inquit arborēs umbrāsque circumspiciēns. subitō exclāmāvit Lūcia ‘ecce aliquis in arboribus! illumne vīdistis?’
‘ubi?’ inquit quīdam.
‘timeō nē aliī discipulī in animō habeant illum līberāre,’ inquit virgō, sed Dānī sē nihil vidēre respondērunt.
‘vōs hīc adeste dum illōs quaerō,’ inquit Lūcia et equō citatō mediam in silvam ēvānuit.
‘immō vērō! absit ut nōs relinquās,’ clāmāvit dux Dānōrum, frūstrā. Dānī ibi manēbant arborēs circumspicientēs. ‘silvam hanc nōn amō,’ inquit quīdam.
proficiscor, proficiscī, profectus set out (deponent verb)
facerent: the imperfect subjunctive (here after cum) always contains the present infinitive within it (facerent)
perturbātus,-a,-um troubled, anxious
sē nihil vidēre themselves to see nothing, i.e. that they saw nothing
adeste: imperative of adsum, adesse
dum while
absit may it be far, i.e. forget it, perish the thought (present subjunctive of absum, abesse)
relinquās: present subjunctive after absit ut
ibi there
On the same day, the mule, who was pulling the wagon, and Lucia and Paulus and seven Danes set out for the castle from the monastery. Presently, when they were all making their way through the dark wood, Paulus, who was following the cart with his hands bound, whispered ‘hey, mule, slowly, slowly!’ One of the Danes felt anxious and said ‘Ssh, boy!’, as he looked around at the trees and shadows. Suddenly Lucia said aloud ‘There, someone in the trees! Did you see him?’
‘Where?’ said one.
‘I am afraid that other students may intend to free him,’ said the maiden, but the Danes replied that they saw nothing.
‘You stay here while I look for them,’ said Lucia and having stirred her horse (with her horse having been …) she disappeared into the middle of the wood.
‘No! On no account should you leave us,’ shouted the leader of the Danes, too late. The Danes stayed there looking around at the trees. ‘I don’t like this wood,’ said one.
40
haud multō post strīdēns per aurās sagitta adhaesit in plaustrum, tum alia secūta. Dānī, ratī quōsdam impetum facere, in dūmīs sē cēlāvērunt. illum quī Paulum custōdiēbat gladiō strictō ut captīvum trucīdāret tertia sagitta trānsfīxit. Paulus statim gladiō vulnerātī Dānī arreptō sē līberāvit et tantā vōce clamāvit ut equī Dānōrum et mūlus ipse quam celerrimē dēnsās in arborēs effūgerint.
‘plaustrum, plaustrum!’ clāmāvit quīdam; frūstrā. mūlus iam mediam in silvam abierat sēcum plaustrum atque praedam Dānōrum trahēns. ‘et ubi est noster captīvus?’ rogāvit dux. Dānī tamen animīs collectīs Paulum invenīre nusquam poterant.
secūta (est) followed (from the deponent verb sequor, sequī, secūtus)
ratī thinking, having imagined (past participle of deponent verb reor, rērī)
quōsdam impetum facere certain men to be making an attack, i.e. that … were making …
dūmus,-ī [m.] thicket, bush
stringō,-ere, strinxī, strictum pluck, draw
gladius,-ī [m.] sword
ut trucīdāret that s/he might slaughter (imperfect subjunctive after ut)
vulnerō,-āre,-āvī,-ātum wound
arripiō,-ere, arrēpī, arreptum snatch, seize
tantus,-a,-um such, so great
quam celerrimē as quickly as possible
effūgerint: perfect subjunctive after ut, here expressing consequence (i.e. in such a voice that …)
captīvus,-ī [m.] captive, prisoner
colligō,-ere, collēgī, collēctum gather, assemble (animīs collēctīs = having come to their senses)
nusquam nowhere
Shortly afterwards an arrow hissed through the air and stuck in the cart, then another followed. The Danes, thinking that some people were making an attack hid in the bushes. A third arrow transfixed the one who was guarding Paulus, who had drawn his sword (with his sword drawn) that he might cut down the prisoner. Immediately Paulus snatched the sword of the wounded Dane and freed himself, and shouted in such a loud voice that the horses of the Danes and the mule himself fled away into the dense trees as quickly as they could.
‘The cart, the cart!’ shouted someone; in vain. The mule had now gone away into the middle of the wood pulling with him the wagon and the plunder of the Danes. ‘And where is our captive?’ asked the leader. However, the Danes having come to their senses couldn’t find Paulus anywhere.
41
nunc Lūcia et Paulus in silvam mediam iter faciēbant dēfessī per pluviam, et tandem Lūcia madida ‘ōhē caballe, ōhē caballe!’ inquit. ‘ecce antrum!’
‘hōc anteā nōn vīdī,’ inquit Paulus. in antrō Paulus aquam ē faciē virginis tergēns ‘tū es mīrābilis,’ susurrāvit, ‘bellissima Lūcia, tē amō.’
‘ergō dā mī bāsia.’
‘quidquid imperās, labor est grātus.’
‘imperō ut taceās.’
nec multō post tumultū excitātī ex antrō fūrtim exiērunt ut quis adesset cognōscerent. prīmō nihil vīdērunt; deinde Lūcia atque Paulus plaustrum cōnspexērunt et quās Dānī ex ecclēsiā rapuerant illās rēs omnēs et placidum sub arboribus pāscentem mūlum.
dēfessus,-a,-um exhausted
madidus,-a,-um wet, dripping
ōhē! whoa!
antrum,-ī [n.] cave, grotto
anteā before, previously
tergeō,-ēre wipe
quidquid [nom./acc. neuter] whatever
pāscor, pāscī graze, crop (the present participle of a deponent verb is like that of a normal verb)
Now Lucia and Paulus were making their way through the rain into the middle of the wood. They were exhausted. At last Lucia, who was soaked, said ‘Whoa horse, whoa horse! Look, a cave!’
‘I haven’t seen this before,’ said Paulus. In the cave he wiped water from the maiden’s face and whispered ‘You are amazing, gorgeous Lucia, I love you.’
‘Then kiss me.’
‘Whatever you command, the task is a pleasure.’
‘I command you to hush.’
Not long afterwards they were roused by a noise and cautiously went out of the cave to see who was there. At first they saw nothing; then Lucia and Paulus saw the wagon and all those things which the Danes had taken from the church and, grazing peacefully under the trees, the mule.