Mediaeval literature abounds in miracle stories and when
reading such stories I wonder whether such texts were believed by their readers
or listeners. Of course, as long as creationists are still walking on the earth
and have not become an extinct species, the capacity of the human mind to
believe contra facts must not be underestimated. Still, I think it is unfair to
set mediaeval people aside as credulous believers. Belief in miracles must have
had a soothing effect in an environment largely erratic and uncontrollable.
The power of performing miracles is also a sign of
holiness and of being a man or woman of God. The following extract from the
Vita Sancti Columbae tells how Columba (521-597) while still a young man (adhuc juvenis) visited a monastery in Ireland (Scotia). At some occasion it appeared that there was not enough
wine for celebrating mass. While the priests were quarrelling amongst each
other (inter se conquerentes), the
young saint decided to take a drastic action and turned water into wine. This
was the first proof of his virtue (protum
virtutis documentum) and many would follow. This miracle was also the first
Jesus performed and so Adomnán (624-704), author of the Vita, is drawing a
parallel between Jesus and Columba.
Adomnán, Vita Sancti Columbae, Book 2, chapter 1.
Caput 1: De
Vino Quod De Aqua Factum Est
ALIO in tempore, cum vir venerandus in Scotia apud
sanctum Findbarrum episcopum, adhuc juvenis, sapientiam sacrae Scripturae
addiscens, commaneret, quadam solenni die vinum ad sacrificale mysterium casu
aliquo minime inveniebatur: de cujus defectu cum ministros altaris inter se
conquerentes audiret, ad fontem sumpto pergit urceo, ut ad sacrae Eucharistiae
ministeria aquam, quasi diaconus, fontanam hauriret: ipse quippe illis in
diebus erat in diaconatus gradu administrans. Vir itaque beatus aquaticum, quod
de latice hausit, elementum, invocato nomine Domini Jesu Christi, fideliter
benedixit, qui in Cana Galileae aquam in vinum convertit: quo etiam in hoc
operante miraculo, inferior, hoc est aquatica natura, in gratiorem, videlicet
vinalem, per manus praedicabilis viri conversa est speciem. Vir itaque sanctus,
a fonte reversus, et ecclesiam intrans, talem juxta altare urceum intra se
habentem deponit liquorem; et ad ministros, Habetis, ait, vinum, quod Dominus
Jesus ad sua misit peragenda mysteria. quo cognito, sanctus cum ministris
episcopus eximias Deo referunt grates. Sanctus vero juvenis hoc non sibimet,
sed sancto Vinniano adscribebat episcopo. Hoc itaque protum virtutis documentum
Christus Dominus per suum declaravit discipulum, quod in eadem re, initium ponens
signorum in Cana Galileae, operatus est per semetipsum.
vir venerandus:
Columba
addisco addidici:
to learn (Mediaeval Latin often uses prefixed verbs without any distions with
the simplex.)
commaneo = maneo (again an example of this tendency
as commoneo is not found in CL.)
solemnis dies: a day in memory of a saint or some other
ecclesiastical celebration
sacrificale
mysterium: the holy mass
casu aliquo:
for some reason
ministros altaris:
the priests responsible for the mass
sumpto urceo: a
jar (urceus) being taken
quasi diaconus:
as deacon (an official of minor rank.
haurio hausi
haustum: to draw out
quippe: namely
diaconatus, -us
(m.): the office of deacon
aquaticum elementum:
that part of water
latex laticis
(m.): water, spring, well
Jesu, qui
quo etiam in hoc
operante miraculo: by which thus in this miracle being performed
inferior, hoc est
aquatica natura, in gratiorem, videlicet vinalem, per manus praedicabilis viri
conversa est speciem = inferior, hoc
est aquatica natura, in gratiorem speciem, videlicet vinalem, conversa est per
manus praedicabilis viri
inferior: something
inferior
vinalem:
belonging to wine, of wine
praedicaliis viri:
of the famous man (= Jesus)
talem juxta altare
urceum intra se habentem deponit liquorem = juxta altare urceum habentem intra se talem liquorem deponit (Note
how the emphasis is put on talem liquorem
by putting the sub clause between these words.)
eximius,
special, abundant
Vinnianus:
Saint Finnian of Clonard (470-549), an Irish saint. He was a teacher of
Columba.
In eadem re: in
the same way, at a likewise occasion
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