The Society for Ancient Languages
Week Eleven
EKKEHART |
EKKEHARD THE THREE FRIENDS |
| Erat tribus illis inseparabilibus consuetudo, permisso quidem prioris, in intervallo laudum nocturno convenire in scriptorio collationesque tali horae aptisimas de scripturis facere. At Sindolfus, sciens horam et colloquia, quadam nocte fenestrae vitreae cui Tuotilo assederat clandestino foris appropiat, aureque vitro affixa, si quid rapere posset quod depravatum episcopo traderet auscultabat. Senserat illum Tuotilo, homo pervicax lacertisque confisus, latialiterque, quo illum qui nihil intellegeret lateret, compares alloquitur. "Adest ille," inquit, "et aurem fenestrae affixit. Sed tu, Notker, quia timidulus es, cede in ecclesiam, Ratperte autem mi, rapto flagello fratrum, quod pendet in pyrali, deforis accurre. Ego enim illum, cum appropinquare te sensero, vitro citissime redaperto, captum capillis ad meque pertractum violenter tenebo. Tu autem, anime mi, confortare et esto robustus, flagelloque illum totis viribus increpita, et Deum in illo ulciscere." | Three inseparable brethren were wont to meet in the scriptorium, by the Prior's permission, in the nightly interval before Lauds, and there to hold debates of Holy Scripture, most suited to such a time. But Sindolf, knowing of their colloquies at such a time, crept stealthily one night to the glazed window by which Tutilo sat, whereunto he closely applied his ear and listened whether he might catch something which he might twist to evil and bear to the Bishop. Tutilo became aware of this; and, being a resolute man who trusted in the strength of his arms, he spoke to companions in the Latin tongue (for Sindolf knew no Latin), saying, "The rascal is here, with his ear glued to the window! Thou, Notker, who are a timid fellow, go into the church; but thou, my Ratpert, seize the Brethren's scourge which hangs in the calefactory, and hasten forth. I, when I hear your approach, will suddenly open the window, catch him by the hair, and drag him to me here by main force; and you, dear friend, be strong and of a good courage, and lay upon him with all your might, that we may avenge God on him." |
| Ille vero, sicut semper erat ad disciplinas acutissimus, modeste exiens, rapto flagello, cucurrit celerrimus, hominemque intra capite tractum, totis viribus a dorso ingradinat. Et ecce ille manibus pedibusque renisus, flagellum incussum capiens tenuit; at ille virgam propius aspectam rapiens, ictus ei validissimos infregit. Cum autem parci sibi, male iam mulctatus, in cassum petisset: "Voce," inquit, "opus est," et exclamans vociferavit. At fratrum pars, voce audita tali tempore insolita, stupens accurrit luminibus et quidnam esset quaesivit. Tuotilo autem diabolum se cepisse creber ingeminans, lumen adhiberi rogat ut in cuius illum imagine teneret certius inspiceret. Capite autem inviti hac et illac ad inspicientes versato, si Sindolfus esset quasi nescius interrogat. Omnibus autem vere ipsum esse clamantibus et ut illum dimitteret rogantibus, relicto eo: "Me miserum," ait, "in auricularem in intimum episcopi manus misisse." Ratpertus vero, fratribus accurrentibus, in partem cedens clam se subduxit. Neque enim ipse qui passus est a quo caederetur scire poterat. Quaerentibus autem aliquibus ubinam domnus Notkerus Ratpertusque abissent: "Ambo," inquit, "ad opus Dei, diabolum sentientes, abierunt, meque cum illo in negotio perambulante in tenebris dimiserunt. Vere autem omnes scitote angelum Domini ictus ei manu sua incussisse." Discedentibus tandem fratribus, a partium sectatoribus surgunt, ut fit, multiloquia; alii Dei iudicio, ut auscultatores clandestini publicarentur factum dicebant; alii autem tali viro, nisi quod angelum Dei praetendit, tale opus non decuisse. Occultabat autem se confractus ille corporis pariter et mentis dolore. | So Ratpert, who was ever most ready to discipline, crept softly forth, caught the scourge, and hastened swiftly to the spot, where he found the fellow caught up by the head, and hailed blows upon that defenseless back with all his might; when lo! Sindolf, struggling with arms and legs together, caught the scourge as it fell upon him and held it fast. But Ratpert was aware of a rod that lay nearby, wherewith he now laid on most lustily again; until the victim, after fruitless prayers for mercy, thought within himself, "Now is the time to cry!" and roared aloud for the Brethren. Part of the convent, amazed to hear these unwonted sounds at such an hour, hastened up with lanterns, and asked what was amiss. Whereupon Tutilo cried again and again, "I hold the Devil, I hold the Devil, bring a light here, that I may see more clearly in whose form I hold him." Then, turning that unwilling head back and forth to the beholders, he asked as though in astonishment: "What! Is this Sindolf?" "Yea, indeed!" they cried and prayed at his liberty, at which Tutilo released him, and said: "Woe is me! For I have laid hands upon the Bishop's intimate and privy whisperer!" But Ratpert, when the Brethren hastened up, had gone aside and withdrawn himself, nor could the victim know who it was that had smitten him. When, therefore, some inquired where Dom Notker and Dom Ratpert had gone, Tutilo answered, "Both departed to worship God when they heard the Devil, and left me alone with that field prowling in the darkness. You all know, therefore, that it was an angel of the Lord whose hand dealt him these stripes." The Brethren therefore departed, and the matter was much debated (as was natural enough) by the partisans of each side; some said that it had befallen by God's justice, that privy eavesdroppers might be brought to light; other, again, argued that such a man should not have been handled such unless it were true that an angel of God had smitten him. |