The Society for Ancient Languages
Week Nine
English Translation |
BEDAE VENERABILIS LIBER II |
THE VENERABLE BEDE BOOK 2 |
| Quibus auditis, rex suscipere quidem se fidem quam docebat, et velle et debere respondebat. Verum adhuc cum amicis principibus, et consiliariis suis sese de hoc collaturum esse dicebat, ut si et illi eadem cum illo sentire vellent, omnes pariter in fonte vitae Christo consecrarentur. Et annuente Paulino, fecit ut dixerat. Habito enim cum sapientibus consilio, sciscitabatur singillatim ab omnibus, qualis sibi doctrina haec eatenus inaudita, et novus divinitatis qui praedicabatur cultus videretur. | Which having heard this, the king responded that he to both wish to and to be bound to receive the faith which Paulinus taught. But he said that he would still confer thereof with the nobles that were his friends, and his chief counsellors, that so, if they too should be willing to think the same as he did, they might all be consecrated together to Christ in the font of life. And with Paulinus agreeing, he did as he had said. For having called a meeting with his wise men, he asked each of them one at a time, what sort of doctrine this seemed to them which so far had never been heard of, and what they thought of the new worship of divinity which was now preached. |
| Cui primus pontificum ipsius Coifi continuo respondit: "Tu vide, rex, quale sit hoc quod nobis modo praedicatur: ego autem tibi verissime quod certum didici, profiteor, quia nihil omnino virtutis habet, nihil utilitatis religio illa quam hucusque tenuimus: nullus enim tuorum studiosius quam ego culturae deorum nostrorum se subdidit; et nihilominus multi sunt qui ampliora a te beneficia quam ego, et maiores accipiunt dignitates, magisque prosperantur in omnibus quae agenda vel adquirenda disponunt. Si autem dii aliquid valerent, me potius iuvare vellent, qui illis impensius servire curavi. Unde restat, si ut ea quae nunc nobis nova praedicantur, meliora esse et fortiora, habita examinatione perspexeris, absque ullo cunctamine suscipere illa festinemus." | To whom Coifi, the chief bishop of the king, responded immediately: "You see, o king, what sort this may be, insofar as the doctrine preached to us; however I acknowledge to you most truly, as to what I have certainly learned, that the religion we have observed so far has nothing of virtue nor utility in it at all. For none of your subjects has set himself more earnestly to the worship of our gods than I; and there are many notwithstanding, who receive from you more ample benefits, and higher dignities, and they prosper more in all things, which they arrange to do or seek to get. However if the gods were powerful to some degree, rather they would wish to help me, who has cared to serve them more zealously. Wherefore it remains, that you have discerned having examined the new doctrines, which now are preached to us, to be better and stronger, then without delay let us hasten to receive them." |
| Cuius suasioni verbisque prudentibus alius optimatum regis tribuens assensum, continuo subdidit: "Talis," inquiens, "mihi videtur, rex, vita hominum praesens in terris, ad comparationem eius quod nobis incertum est temporis, quale cum te residente ad coenam cum ducibus ac ministris tuis tempore brumali, accenso quidem foco in medio et calido effecto coenaculo, furentibus autem foris per omnia turbinibus hiemalium pluviarum vel nivium, adveniensque unus passerum domum citissime pervolaverit qui cum per unum ostium ingrediens, mox per aliud exierit. Ipso quidem tempore quo intus est, hiemis tempestate non tangitur, sed tamen parvissimo spatio serenitatis ad momentum excurso, mox de hieme in hiemem regrediens, tuis oculis clabitur. Ita haec vita hominum ad modicum apparet; quid autem sequatur, quidve praecesserit, prorsus ignoramus. Unde si haec nova doctrina certius aliquid attulit, merito esse sequenda videtur." His similia et ceteri maiores natu ac regis consiliarii divinitus admoniti prosequebantur. | To whose persuasive and wise words another royal counselor conferring assent, immediately applied, saying: "Such doctrine it seems to me, o king, the life of men on earth, for the comparison of their time here, which is uncertain to us, as if a sparrow should come to the house and very swiftly fly through; which enters in at one window and straightway passes out through another, while you sit at dinner with your captains and servants in wintertime; the parlor being made warm with the fire kindled in the midst thereof, but all places abroad being troubled with raging tempests of winter rain and snow. For that time which it is within the house, if feels no tempest of winter, but nevertheless after a very short space of fair weather that lasts but a moment, it soon passes again from winter to winter and escapes your sight. So this life of man appears for a short while; however what follows, of what comes before, we surely do not know. Wherefore if this new doctrine has brought any more certainty, it seems it must deservedly be followed." In the same manner the rest of the elders and counsellors of the king spoke, having been moved to God. |