Honor et Gloria

III AULA MAGNA
1 Consum̍mati̍s jam quadra̍-
ginta di̍ebus et̍ omnibus̍
2 dispen̍diis̍ quae. ad
vic̍tum per̍tine̍bantur̍ |
3 apparu̍it il̍lis quae̍dam.
insu̍la ǁ ex̍ parte̍
4 septen̍triona̍lis ǁ val̍de
sa̍xosa. e̍t alta̍ |

5 Cuṃ autem. ap̍propin̍quassent̍ |
ad li̍tus il̍lius̍
6 vide̍runt ri̍pam. al̍tissi̍mam
sicut̍ murum̍ |
7 et di̍versos̍ rivu̍los ǁ
des̍cenden̍tes de̍
8 summita̍te. insu̍lae ǁ
fluen̍tes in̍ mare̍ 1 | tamen̍
9 minime̍ pote̍rant
in̍veni̍re por̍tum. ubi̍
10 stetis̍set na̍vis |

Fra̍tres enim̍ vexa̍ti. erant̍
11 valde̍ fame. et̍ siti̍ | Singuli̍
vero. ac̍ceperunt̍
12 vascula̍ 2 ut ali̍quid de
a̍qua potu̍issent̍ sumere̍ 3 |
13 Sanctus̍ Brenda̍nus cum̍ haec
vi̍disset̍ dixit̍ |

14 « Sic noli̍te face̍re |
Stul̍tum. est e̍nim quod̍ agitis̍ 4 |
15 Adhuc̍ Deus̍ non vult̍
nobis̍ osten̍dere̍ |
16 portum. in̍trandi ǁ et̍ vultis̍
rapi̍nam fa̍cere̍ |
17 Dominus̍ Jhesus̍ Christus̍
post tres̍ dies ǁ os̍tendet̍
18 portum. et̍ locum̍ manen̍di ǁ
et̍ refici̍entur̍
19 corpora̍ vexa̍torum̍ 5 » |

Cum. autem̍ circuis̍sent per̍
20 tres die̍s illam. in̍sulam̍|
tertia̍ die̍ circa.
21 ho̍ram no̍nam ǁ in̍vene̍runt
por̍tum ǁ ubi̍ era̍t
22 aditus̍ uni̍us navis̍ |
Et sta̍tim sur̍rexit̍
23 sanctus̍ Brendanu̍s et
bene̍dixi̍t intro̍itum̍ |



1. This and the following description accurately describe Vagar in the Faroe Isalnd (Chapman, 50–53). Descriptions of the islands subsequently visited match Stromo or Esturoy (Chapman 55–56). Severn agrees that this passage concerns the Faroes and in his voyage was able to visit Brendan’s Creek (Brandarsvik) on Streymoy, apparently the ancient name (Severn 105, 132, et passim).

2 Vita Sancti Columbae I.xlix: in aeneo defertur vasculo (Fowler 120)

3 In verses 7b–12b, we find a confluence of typical patterns:
† verse–final rhyme symmetry: aa bb cc bc ba;aa
† verse–initial rhyme: [su- flu-] [min- in] [-et- -at-] [va- ve- va- va-]
† syllable dupplication, [ -men minim-];
† tight symmetry (also known as chiastic alliteration), verse 12, with t of ut as pivot, bounded by a’s, then l’s, then cu/qu, ending with va’s
† expansion of this symmetry with the loose symmetry of acceperunt /potuissent:
† approximate alliteration, Fratres … vexati … valde … fame … (Note, too, the precision in handling assonance);
† balanced internal assonance: (7b) e e e e; (8a) i a e/ i u ae; (8b) uee[in]/ ae/ ae; (9) i i e poterant/ i e i e portum; (10a) et is et [au]is; (10b) at es /enim/eks at; (11) a e a e i i/ i [u] i e a e e; (12) ascu a u a qui aqua.
To the poetic richness noted, this strophe adds the natural poetry inherent in the phrase, Don’t do that! (Sic nolite facere). The interleaving of heightened poetry with the commonplace is simply funny. [OMIT:] The -ic and -ac- of the reprimand are embedded in an internal sequence running from 13 to 16a:
Sanc-… haec … dix-… sic … fac-… ag-… huc … fac-.

4 The overtly colloquial Latin suggests Abba Brendan as a “regular guy,” rather than a pious self–construct. The lesson inherent in his speaking in familial register will become increasingly significant.
Meanwhile, nolite seems to motivate the nearby “Stultuṃ e-” as well as the dixit … agitis consonance, which in turn suggests the nobis as a subsequent rhyme. As throughout the Navigatio, the longer a reader contemplates the text, the more poetry it yields.

5 This narrative strophe reflects a surprising natural reversal. After the abbot rebukes his monks in the strongest possible terms, “et vultis rapinam facere?” he drops the harshness to offer comfort and assurance, “et locum manendi et reficientur corpora vexatorum.” Theatrically, it seems all faces fell at the rebuke, so a natural human kindness in Brendan stirred into stronger emotion. Natural expression has taken over from poetic artifice, which is to say that the poet is as likely to be transcribing speech patterns as to be crafting them.