Legenda Aurea, Julian the Hospitaller.

The legend of Saint Julian the Hospitaller is one of the better narratives in the Legenda Aurea. As often, the origin of this saint is unknown and he is in all likelihood a completely fictitious character. His story takes up the motive of the inescapability of fate: Julian is told by a deer that he will kill his parents, and in order to make this prediction undone Julian leaves his house and travels far away. His parents are searching for him, come to his abode and yes, what has been predicted befalls. It is with some alteration a Christian version of King Oedipus, but Julian and his faithful spouse will be redeemed.

 acobus de Voragine, Legenda Aurea, de sancto Iuliano.

 ...] Fuit etiam alius Iulianus, qui utrumque parentem, nesciens, occidit. Cumque is Iulianus, praedictus iuvenis ac nobilis, quadam die venationi insisteret et quendam cervum repertum insequeretur. Subito cervus versus eum divino nutu se vertit eique dixit: "Tu me insequeris, qui patris et matris tuae occisor eris!" Quod ille audiens vehementer extimuit et, ne sibi forte contingeret, quod a cervo audierat, relictis omnibus clam discessit. Ad regionem remotam pervenit ibique cuidam principi adhaesit et tam strenue ubique et in bello et in pace se habuit, quod princeps eum militem fecit et quandam castellanam viduam in coniugem ei tradidit et castellum pro dote accepit.

 lius: various saints with the name Julianus are mentioned at the beginning of this legend

cumque: and when

praedictus: already mentioned

venationi insisteret: set out for hunting

cervum repertum: a deer he discovered

nutus –us (m.): nod, hint, command

subito: suddenly

occisor (m.): murderer

extimesco –ui (-ere): become very afraid

forte: by chance

contingo –tigi -tactum (-ere): to happen, befall

clam: secretly

cuidam principi adhaesit: he joined some ruler

strenue: strenuously

se habeo: to behave

castellanam viduam: a widow who had a castle

in conjugem trado: to give in marriage

pro dote accepit: accepted as dowry (the subject is now Iulianus, note that it is the widow/bride who had to provide for the dowry)

 nterea parentes Iuliani pro amissione filii Iuliani nimium dolentes vagabundi ubique pergebant et filium suum sollicite quaerebant. Tandem ad castrum, ubi Iulianus praeerat, devenerunt. Tunc autem Iulianus a castro casu recesserat. Quos cum uxor Iuliani vidisset et, quinam essent, inquisivisset, et illi omnia, quae filio suo acciderant, enarrassent, intellexit, quod viri sui parentes erant, ut puto, quia hoc a viro suo forte frequenter audierat. Ipsos igitur benigne suscepit et pro amore viri sui lectum iis dimisit et ipsa sibi alibi lectulum collocavit. Facto autem mane, castellana ad ecclesiam perrexit et ecce Iulianus mane veniens in thalamum quasi uxorem suam excitaturus intravit et inveniens duos pariter dormientes, uxorem cum adultero suo, silenter extracto gladio, ambos pariter interemit. Exiens autem domum vidit uxorem eius ab ecclesia revertentem et admirans interrogavit, quinam essent illi, qui in suo lecto dormirent. At illa ait: "Parentes vestri sunt, qui vos diutissime quaesierunt, et eos in vestro thalamo collocavi." Quod ille audiens paene exanimis effectus amarissime flere coepit ac dicere: "Heu miser, quid faciam! Quia dulcissimos meos parentes occidi. Ecce impletum est verbum cervi, quod, dum vitare volui, miserrimus adimplevi. Iam vale, soror dulcissima, quia de cetero non quiescam, donec sciam, quod Deus poenitentiam meam acceperit." Cui illa: "Absit, dulcissime frater, ut te deseram et sine me abeas, sed quae fui tecum particeps gaudii, ero particeps et doloris."

 missio –nis (f.): loss

nimium dolentes vagabundi:  exceedingly mourning, they were roaming (-bundus is in later Latin an alternative for the participle present active, hence vagabond)

ubique: everywhere

tandem: finally

sollicite: anxiously

pergo perrexi perrectum (-ere): to go forward, hasten

devenio deveni (-ire): to reach

casu: by chance

suscipio –cepi –ceptum (-ere): to take up, receive

lectum/lectulum: bed (lectulum is a diminutive)

colloco (-are): to put, place

alibi: elsewhere

facto mane: when it was morning (mane is an adverb)

thalamus: bedroom

quasi excitaturus: as for awakening

pariter: side by side

interimo or interemo emi, emptum, or emtum: to kill

admiror –atus: to wonder

diutissime: for a very long time

exanimis effectus: having become half death, fainting

amarus: bitter

coepio coepi coeptum (-ere): to start, begin

de cetero: further on

absit: it will not happen/ it shall not be

particeps –cipis (f., m.): partner

 

Tunc insimul recedentes iuxta quoddam magnum flumen, ubi multi periclitabantur. Quoddam hospitale maximum statuerunt, ut ibi poenitentiam facerent et omnes, qui vellent transire fluvium, incessanter transveherent et hospitio universos pauperes reciperent. Post multum vero temporis media nocte, dum Iulianus fessus quiesceret et gelu grave esset, audivit vocem miserabiliter lamentantem ac Iulianum, ut se traduceret fluvium, lugubri voce invocantem. Quod ille audiens concitus surrexit et iam gelu deficientem inveniens in domum suam portavit et ignem accendens ipsum calefacere studuit. Sed cum calefieri non posset et, ne ibi deficeret, timeret, ipsum in lectulum suum portavit et diligenter cooperuit. Post paululum ille, qui sic infirmus et quasi leprosus apparuerat, splendidus scandit ad aethera et hospiti suo dixit: "Iuliane, Dominus misit me ad te mandans tibi, quod tuam poenitentiam acceptavit et ambo post modicum in Domino quiescetis." Sicque ille disparuit et Iulianus cum uxore sua post modicum plenus bonis operibus et eleemosynis in Domino requievit. [. . .]

insimul: at the same time

periclitor: to be in danger

hospitale -is (n.): guesthouse

incessanter: incessantly, continuously

hospitium: hospitality

fessus: exhausted

gelu gelus (n.): frost, cold

Iulianum, ut se traduceret fluvium, lugubri voce invocantem: someone calling Julian with pitiable voice, that he would transport him over the river

gelu deficientem: exhausted by cold

ipsum calefacere studuit: tried to warm him

calefieri is the passive of calefacere

et, ne ibi deficeret, timeret = et timeret, ne ibi deficeret

cooperio –rui -rtum (-ire): to cover

paululum: a short time

scando - -  (-ere): to climb, ascend

mandans (here) announcing

ambo: you two

post modicum: after a short while

elemosyna/ eleemosyna: alms, mercy

 

Translation (modernized) by William Caxton (1483)

 Another Julian there was that slew his father and mother by ignorance. And this man was noble and young, and gladly went for to hunt. And one time among all other he found an hart which returned toward him, and said to him, thou huntest me that shall slay thy father and mother. Hereof was he much abashed and afeard, and for dread, that it should not happen to him that the hart had said to him, he went privily away that no man knew thereof, and found a prince noble and great to whom he put him in service. And he proved so well in battle and in services in his palace, that he was so much in the prince’s grace that he made him knight and gave to him a rich widow of a castle, and for her dower he received the castle. And when his father and mother knew that he was thus gone they put them in the way for to seek him in many places. And so long they went till they came to the castle where he dwelt, but then he was gone out, and they found his wife. And when she saw them she inquired diligently who they were, and when they had said and recounted what was happened of their son, she knew verily that they were the father and mother of her husband, and received them much charitably, and gave to them her own bed, and made another for herself. And on the morn the wife of Julian went to the church, and her husband came home whiles she was at church, and entered into his chamber for to awake his wife. And he saw twain in his bed, and had weened that it had been a man that had lain with his wife, and slew them both with his sword, and after, went out and saw his wife coming from church. Then he was much abashed and demanded of his wife who they were that lay in his bed, then she said that they were his father and his mother, which had long sought him, and she had laid them in his bed. Then he swooned and was almost dead, and began to weep bitterly and cry, alas! caitiff that I am, what shall I do that have slain my father and my mother? Now it is happened that I supposed to have eschewed, and said to his wife: Adieu and farewell, my right dear love, I shall never rest till that I shall have knowledge if God will pardon and forgive me this that I have done, and that I shall have worthy penance therefor. And she answered: Right dear love, God forbid that ye should go without me, like as I have had joy with you, so will I have pain and heaviness. Then departed they and went till they came to a great river over which much folk passed, where they edified an hospital much great for to harbour poor people, and there do their penance in bearing men over that would pass.

 

After long time Saint Julian slept about midnight, sore travailed, and it was frozen and much cold, and he heard a voice lamenting and crying that said: Julian come and help us over. And anon he arose, and went over and found one almost dead for cold, and anon he took him and bare him to the fire and did great labour to chauffe and warm him. And when he saw that he could not be chauffed ne warm, he bare him in to his bed, and covered him the best wise he might. And anon after, he that was so sick and appeared as he had been measell, he saw all shining ascending to heaven, and said to Saint Julian his host: Julian, our Lord hath sent me to thee, and sendeth thee word that he hath accepted thy penance. And a while after Saint Julian and his wife rendered unto God their souls and departed out of this world.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_the_Hospitaller

Legenda Aurea, De Sancta Anastasia: a prefect deluded.

The Legenda Aurea is an inexhaustible source of anecdotes and miracles, often loosely connected and miracles performed by one saint, could easily have been performed by another. The following story is taken from the De Sancta Anastasia, but she plays no part in these story and it could almost be part of the vita every saint, except for hermits, as they don’t have servants and certainly not maids. This story is lacking in William Caxton’s translation and it could well be that it was not in his Latin text. Copyists and publishers of De Voragine’s Legenda have in due course inserted their own stories and - given the large number of manuscripts, prints and translations - it is almost impossible to establish a scholarly text. Years ago an edition was announced for the prestigious Fontes Christiani: I am still waiting.

acobus de Voragine, Legenda Aurea, De Sancta Anastasia (part)

aec habebat tres ancillas pulcherrimas, quae sorores erant. Quarum una dicebatur Agapete, altera Thionia et altera Irenia. Quae cum Christianae essent et praefecti monitis nullatenus oboedirent, in cubiculum eas reclusit, ubi coquinae utensilia servabantur. Praefectus autem in earum ardens amorem ad eas ivit, ut suam libidinem exerceret. Qui in amentiam versus putans se tractare virgines cacabos, patellas, caldaria et similia amplectens osculabatur et, cum ex hoc satiatus fuisset, foras exiit nigerrimus et deformis et vestimentis concisis. Quem servi, qui eum pro foribus exspectaverant, sic aptatum videntes cogitantes, quod in daemonem versus esset, eum verberibus affecerunt et fugientes solum reliquerunt. Cumque imperatorem adiret, ut de hoc conqueretetur, alii virgis percutiebant, alii lutum et pulverem in eum proiciebant suspicantes, quod in furiam versus esset. Oculi autem eius tenebantur, ne sic se deformem videret. Videbatur enim ei, quod ipse et omnes albis vestibus essent induti. Quapropter mirabatur plurimum, cum sic eum omnes deridebant, quem in tanto honore habere consueverant. Putans vero, cum sic se deformem ab aliis didicisset, quod puellae sibi per artem magicam hoc fecissent, iussit eas coram se exspoliari, ut eas saltem nudas aspiceret. Sed statim earum vestimenta sic corporibus adhaeserunt, ut nullo modo exui valerent. Praefectus autem prae admiratione ita obdormivit stertens, quod etiam a pulsantibus non poterat excitari.

haec: Anastasia
praefectus: prefect, governor (praefecti: no indication is given in the Legenda Aurea in which town Anastasia lived, but other sources name Sirnium, now in modern Serbia)
monitum: admonition
nulatenus: no way, by no means
cubiculum: room, chamber
recludo reclusi reclusum: in Classical Latin this word means `to open, reveal’, but in ML the meaning shifted to ‘to shut up’, cf English recluse `hermit’
coquina: kitchen
in amentiam versus: turned into madness
putans se tractare: thinking that he handled/grasped
cacabos, patellas, caldaria: cooking-pots, platters, pots for boiling
amplector amplexus: to embrace
osculor: to kiss
foras: outside
deformis: deformed, ugly
concido concidi concisus: to ruin, cut to pieces
pro foribus: in front of the door
sic aptatum: in such condition
verber verberis (n.): lash, whip
adiret: the praefectus
conqueror conquestus: to complain (bitterly)
virga: twig
percutio percussi percussum: to strike heavily
lutum: mud
furia: fury
oculi autem eius tenebantur, ne sic se deformem videret: his eyes though were in a condition that he could not see that he was deformed
albus: white
induo indui indutum (-ere): to dress
quapropter: therefor
plurimum: very much
consuesco consuevi consuetum: to be accustomed
cum sic se deformem ab aliis didicisset: when he had learnt from others that he was that ugly
per artem magicam: but in reality it was God or the Holy Ghost who protected these girls
coram: openly, in his presence
exspolio (-are): (here) to undress
saltem: at least
adhaereo adaesi (the perfect only in ML): to stick
exuo exui exutum: to take off
valeo valui: to be able
obdormio obdormivi obdormitum (-ire) = to sleep
sterto (-ere): to snore
pulso (-are): to beat, hammer
excito (-are): to wake

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_of_Sirmium

Legenda Aurea: Saint Andrew and the seven demons.

The Legenda Aurea written by Jacobus de Voragine (1228-1298) was to some extent the 1001 Nights of Mediaeval Europe: all kinds of stories and anecdotes in some thousand pages. Its content though was not just amusement but also, or even more, exempla of miracle and devotion for the Christian laity.

Believe in demons was part of everyday Christianity and it must have been a reassuring thought that these could be driven away, as Saint Andrew does in this excerpt. From a modern perspective it has a strange ending: why would the apostle revive the son on the condition that he, the son, would follow the holy man? Such ethical considerations would not have bothered the audience, glad as they were to hear a miracle.

  

Legenda Aurea De sancto Andrea apostolo  (fragment).

Cum autem esset apostolus in civitate Nicaea, dixerunt ei cives, quod extra civitatem secus viam septem daemones erant, qui praetereuntes homines occidebant. Quibus ad iussum apostoli ante populum in specie canum venientibus praecepit, ut illuc irent, ubi nulli hominum nocere possent. Qui statim evanuerunt. Illi autem homines hoc viso fidem Christi receperunt. Et cum venisset ad portam alterius civitatis, ecce quidam iuvenis mortuus ferebatur. Quaerente apostolo, quid ei accidisset, dictum est ei, quod septem canes venerunt et eum in cubiculo necaverunt. Et lacrimans apostolus ait: "Scio, Domine, quod fuerunt daemones, quos a Nicaea urbe repuli." Dixitque patri: "Quid dabis mihi, si suscitavero filium tuum" Cui ille: "Nil carius ego possidebam, ipsum ergo tibi dabo." Et facta oratione surrexit et apostolo adhaesit.

secus (+ acc.): beside, along

praeter-eo: to pass by

occido occidi occisum (-ere): to kill

quibus…venientibus is an abl abs. with the words in between depending on it

in specie: in disguise of, disguised as

praecipio praecepi praeceptum (-ere): to order, command (subject: Andreas)

illuc: there, thither

noceo nocui (-ēre)

statim: immediately

evanesco evanui (-ere): to vanish

hoc viso: abl. abs.

ferebatur: was carried to a grave

quaero quaesivi quaesitum: to ask

cubiculum: bedroom

neco (-are): to kill

quod: that         

repello repuli repulsum: (-ere): to drive away repel

suscito (-are): to raise up, revive

carius: more dear

ipsum: his son

oratio –onis (f.): prayer

adhaereo adhaesi adhaesum: to stick, adhere, follow

The translation is adapted from William Caxton’s Middle English edition.

(After this,) as the apostle was in the city of Nice, the citizens said to him that there were seven devils without the city, by the highway, which slew all them that passed forthby. And the apostle Andrew commanded them to come to him, which came in the likeness of dogs, and sith he commanded them that they should go whereas they should not grieve ne do harm to any man; and anon they vanished away. And when the people saw this they received the faith of Jesu Christ. And when the apostle came to the gate of another city there was brought out a young man dead. The apostle demanded what was befallen him, and it was told him that seven dogs came and strangled him. Then the apostle wept and said: O Lord God, I know well that these were the devils that I put out of Nice; and after said to the father of him that was dead: What wilt thou give to me if I raise him? And he said: I have nothing so dear as him, I shall give him to thee. And anon the apostle made his prayers unto almighty God, and raised him from death to life, and he went and followed him.

Legenda aurea: Diana expelled.

Tomorrow December 5, the feast of Saint Nicolas will be celebrated here in the Netherlands and part of Flanders. As a child I was a firm believer in this holy man and was convinced that it was he who brought presents himself in my shoe placed near the heating, riding with his white horse over the roofs.

This historical Nicolas (15 March 270 – 6 December 343) was bishop of Myra. He must have been an impressive figure and some of his miracles – e.g. the saving of the three innocent men and the rescue of three sisters form prostitution – might indeed go back on historical events, as often the church was the only institution helping the poor. This bishop has become one of the major saints in both the Eastern and the Western tradition and the only saint known and loved by protestant Dutch children. The following story is taken from Jacobus de Voragine’s  (1229-1298) Legenda Aurea. Cutting down sacred trees was a topos in the life of many saints and so Saint Nicolas did too, though I think that more such trees were cut down in vitae than in real life.

Iacobus de Voragine, Legenda Aurea, Historia Sancti Nicolai, pars V.

Cum autem regio illa idolis deservisset, prae ceteris nefandae Dianae simulacrum populus coluerat adeo, ut usque ad tempus viri Dei nonnulli rustici praedictae religioni exsecrabili deservirent ac sub quadam arbore consecrata Dianae quosdam ritus gentilium exercerent. Ac vir Dei praedictum ritum de omnibus finibus expulit ipsamque arborem praecidi mandavit. Iratus ex hoc contra eum hostis antiquus oleum Mydyatum, quod in naturam in aqua et lapidibus ardet, confecit seque in formam religiosae feminae transfigurans quibusdam ad virum Dei navigantibus in quadam saginula obviavit sicque affata est eos: "Mallem ad Sanctum Dei venire vobiscum, sed nequeo. Rogo ergo vos, ut hoc oleum ad eius ecclesiam offeratis et ob mei memoriam exinde aulae eius parietes liniatis." Et statim evanuit.

Et ecce aliam cernunt naviculam cum honestis personis, inter quos erat simillimus sancto Nicolao, qui sic ait illis: "Heu quid mulier illa locuta est vobis vel quid attulit!" Illi autem cuncta per ordinem narraverunt. Quibus ille: "Haec est impudica Diana, et ut me verum dicere comprobetis, oleum illud in mare proicite." Quibus proicientibus ingens ignis in mari succenditur et contra naturam diutius in mari ardens conspicitur. Venientes igitur ad servum Dei aiebant: "Vere tu es ille, qui nobis in mari apparuisti et a diaboli insidiis liberasti;"

deservio (+ dat.): to serve,  honour

nefandus: heinous, awful

Diana: Artemis had taken over traits from the pre-Greek great goddesses worshipped in Asia Minor.

colo colui cultum: to worship

adeo, ut usque ad tempus: to such an extent that (even) till that time

viri Dei: Christians

rusticus: from the country-side (It was not unusal that people were Christians, but also performed heathen rituals at special occasions.)

praedictus: mentioned afore

exsecrabilis: accursed

vir Dei: Saint Nicolas

expello expulsi expulsum: to drive away, expel

praecidi –cidi –cisum: to cut down

ex hoc: because of that

hostis antiquus: the Devil

oleum Mydyatum: oil from Midyat (a place in Turkey). I have been unable to find out which kind of oil this is, but it might be a kind of Greek fire.

in naturam: contrary to nature

ardeo arsi arsum: to burn

saginula: boat

obvio (+ dat.): to meet (quibusdam…obviavit)

affor affatus: to address

nequeo nequivi (-ire): not to be able to

exinde: then, after that

linio: to oint, smear

paries parietis (m.): wall

evanesco evanui: to vanish, disappear

cerno crevi cretum: to perceive

navicula: ship

cuncta per ordinem: everything in succession

comprobo (-are): to prove

succendo  –cendi  -censum: to burn

diutius: for a very long time

servum Dei: Saint Nicolas

aio: to say, confirm

insidiae insidiarum: trap

Translation by William Craxton (1483, but with modernized spelling)

And in this country the people served idols and worshipped the false image of the cursed Diana. And to the time of this holy man, many of them had some customs of the paynims, for to sacrifice to Diana under a sacred tree; but this good man made them of all the country to cease then these customs, and commanded to cut off the tree. Then the devil was angry and wroth against him, and made an oil that burned, against nature, in water, and burned stones also. And then he transformed him in the guise of a religious woman, and put him in a little boat, and encountered pilgrims that sailed in the sea towards this holy saint, and areasoned them thus, and said: “I would fain go to this holy man, but I may not, wherefore I pray you to bear this oil into his church, and for the remembrance of me, that ye anoint the walls of the hall”; and anon he vanished away. Then they saw anon after another ship with honest persons, among whom there was one like to Nicholas, which spake to them softly: “What hath this woman said to you, and what hath she brought?” And they told to him all by order. And he said to them: “This is the evil and foul Diana; and to the end that ye know that I say truth, cast that oil into the sea.” And when they had cast it, a great fire caught it in the sea, and they saw it long burn against nature. Then they came to this holy man and said to him: “Verily thou art he that appeared to us in the sea and deliveredst us from the sea and awaits of the devil.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

Legenda Aurea: St Paul the Hermit.

The Legenda Aurea by Jacobus de Voragine (1230-1298) belongs to the most widely read books in the Middle Ages. It has been called the 1001 nights of Saints’ lives for its numerous stories, though when it comes to a real contest 1001 Nights will absolutely win. The reason for the success of the Legenda Aurea was that it provided knowledge in a simple Latin. The target group were priests who could use the Saints’ lives for embellishing their sermons, but translations in various vernacular languages made it highly popular amongst educated laymen.

The decline of this work rapidly set in when Humanistic scholars proved that the stories were highly unreliable.

This story is about Paul the Hermit. He is said to be the first hermit, living in the Theban desert in Egypt.  St Jerome wrote a hagiography about him around 376 and for that reason it is very difficult to separate fact and fiction. In fact Jerome wrote this treatise as a Latin answer to the Greek hagiography of Anthony the Great – also an Egyptian hermit – by Bishop Athanasius.  Probably to his own satisfaction Jerome had a hermit who was earlier and lived longer. Conveniently those two hermits met according to Jerome – and taken over by Jacobus de Voragine - and Anthony considered Paul his superior

Paul is said to be born in about 228 and to have died in 341. Though not impossible an age of 113 seems a bit exaggerated.  In fact, I think that this well advanced age made it possible for Jerome to have Paul fit into the biography of Anthony and giving Paul a longer age made him also even more respectable than Anthony, who reached the age of 104. The meeting is the more suspicious as it is not mentioned in the Vita of Anthony by Athanasius. My guess is that the two never met and that Paul did not reach the age of 113. The Legenda Aurea states that St Paul died at the age 287 years, but is even more beyond belief!

According to the Vita, Paul fled to the desert under the persecution of Decius in 251 (not 256 as this text claims) and this could be true, but persecutions are not the only reason for retreating into the desert and: the hardship of daily life under Roman rule and the high burden of taxes caused a decline in welfare and living in the desert as monk was often more secure than tiling the land as a fellah. The popularity of following the example of Paul and Anthony is therefore not only for spiritual welfare, but certainly had mundane incentives as well.

IACOBUS DE VORAGINE

HISTORIA DE SANCTO PAULO EREMITA

Paulus primus eremita, ut testatur Hieronymus, qui eius vitam conscripsit, fervente Decii persecutione, eremum vastissimum adiit ibique in quadam spelunca LX annis hominibus incognitus permansit. Iste autem Decius dicitur fuisse Gallienus, qui fuit binomius, qui coepit anno Domini CCLVI. Videns enim sanctus Paulus Christianis tot tormentorum genera irrogari in eremum aufugit.

fervente Decii persecutione:  when the persecution under Decius  was fervent (AD 250)

eremus: desert

binomius: having two names

coepit (persecutionem)

irrogo (+ dat.): to impose upon, to use against

At that time two young Christians were taken prisoner: one was given over to physical torture, the other was put on a very soft bed in the midst of a beautiful place (locus amoenus) but with his hands and feet tied

Eo siquidem tempore duo iuvenes Christiani comprehenduntur, quorum unus toto corpore melle perungitur et sub ardore solis aculeis muscarum et crabronum et vesparum lacerandus exponitur. Alter vero mollissimo lecto imponitur et in loco amoenissimo collocatur, ubi aeris erat temperies, rivorum sonitus, cantus avium et florum olfactus. Funibus tamen floreis coloribus obtectis sic iuvenis cingitur, ut manibus vel pedibus se iuvare non posset.

melle perungitur: is besmeared with honey

aculeis muscarum et crabronum et vesparum lacerandus exponitur: is exposed to be tormented by the stings of flies, hornets and wasps

temperies (f.): mixture, pleasant temperature

rivus: stream

olfacio:  to smell (the ppp serves here as a noun: smell)

Funibus tamen floreis coloribus obtectis: though with ropes covered with flowery colours

A beautiful girl approaches the boy. Involuntary he feels sexual arousement (in carne motus contrarios rationi), but being unable defend himself, he bites off his tongue in order to drive away his lust by pain and spits that in her face. They idea of sexual temptation and how to combat it is a constant theme in Coptic literature from and about the Fathers of the Dessert.

Adest quaedam iuvencula corpore pulcherrima et impudica ac impudice tractat iuvenem Dei amore repletum. Cum autem ille in carne motus contrarios rationi sensisset, non habens arma, quibus ab hoste se eruat, linguam propriam dentibus suis incidit et in faciem impudicae exspuit et sic tentationem dolor fugavit et trophaeum laude dignum promeruit.

impudicus: unchaste, shameful

se eruat: he could  free himself

promereo promerui promeritum: to deserve

St Anthony considered himself to be first hermit amongst the monks, but a dream tells him otherwise. When he sets out to look for this other hermit, he meets various strange creatures: a figure half horse, half man, an Satyr and a wolf. St Paul knowns the St Anthony is coming and he closes the entrance. When Anthony promises to stay, Paul opens the gate.

Horum et aliorum poenis sanctus Paulus territus eremum petiit. Eo tempore cum Antonius primum se inter monachos eremicolam cogitaret, in somniis alium se multo meliorem eremum colere edocetur. Qui dum eum per silvas inquireret, obvium habuit hippocentaurum, hominem equo mixtum, qui ei viam dextram demonstravit. Postmodum obvium habuit animal, ferens fructus palmarum, supra imagine hominis insignitum, deorsum vero caprae formam habens. Qui dum ipsum per Deum coniuraret, ut sibi diceret, quis esset, respondit se esse Satyrum, deum silvarum secundum errorem gentilium. Postremo obviavit ei lupus, qui eum ad cellam sancti Pauli perduxit. Paulus autem Antonium praesentiens ostium sera clausit. Antonius vero rogat, ut sibi aperiat, asserens se numquam inde recessurum, sed ibi potius moriturum. Victus Paulus ei aperuit, statimque ambo in amplexus ruunt.

eremicola : diminutive of eremita

se cogitaret: thought that he

alium se multo meliorem eremum colere edocetur:  he learns that he had to venerate

per silvas: clearly our writer was unaware of the landscape of Egypt

viam dextram: the right way

animal...insignitum: a beast...having the form

deorsum: down

capra: she-goat

sera: bolt

amplexus, -us (m.):  embrace

When it was time for a meal   - called prandium in the text, but hermits ate only once a day – a crow came, bringing bread and as Paul had a visitor, the crow had the good idea of bringing  a bread twice as large. Anthony is highly surprised, but for Paul it is business as usual. A pious strife (pia lis) arose about who was worthy of dividing the bread, as both wanted to give that honour to the other. Finally they do it together.

Cumque hora prandii adesset, corvus duplicatam panis partem attulit. Cumque de hoc Antonius miraretur, respondit Paulus, quod Deus sibi omni die taliter ministrabat et praebendam propter hospitem duplicaverat. Pia lis oritur, quis magis dignus esset panem dividere. Defert Paulus hospiti et Antonius seniori. Tandem uterque manum apponunt et in aequas partes panem dividunt.

praebendam (panis partem): the offered (piece of bread)

defero detuli delatum: to grant

Anthony sees that angels are taking away the soul of Paul and when he comes closer he sees that the dead body is in a praying position. At first he thinks Paul is still alive (ita ut ipsum vivere aestimaret), but once he sees he is dead. Two lions dig a grave and Anthony receives the cloak of Paul.’

Cum autem Antonius rediens iam cellae suae appropinquaret, vidit angelos Pauli animam deferentes. Qui velociter rediens invenit corpus Pauli flexis genubus in modum orantis erectum, ita ut ipsum vivere aestimaret. Sed cum ipsum mortuum didicisset, ait: "O sancta anima, quod gerebas in vita, in morte monstrasti." Cum autem non haberet, unde sepulturam faceret, ecce duo leones advenerunt et foveam paraverunt sepultoque eo ad silvam redierunt. Antonius autem tunicam Pauli ex palmis contextam assumpsit, qua postmodum in solemnitatibus utebatur. Obiit autem circa annos CCLXXXVII

gero gessi gestum:  to carry out, display (i.e. being religious)

disco didici: to learn

non haberet, unde: he had nothing,  with which

fovea: pit, hole

ex palmis contextam: made of palm leaves

Obiit: Paul

Icon depicting St Paul and St Anthony (details unknown to me).