Epistula CXXVIII, St. Jerome to Pacatula (and her
father Gaudentius) Commentary by Nate Carney, revised by Jacques Bailly
Introduction
Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, known as Jerome (c. 347-420),
priest, theologian, historian, Saint, and Doctor of the Church
(Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican) is known
today mostly for his work on the Vulgate Bible. His Latin
translation became the standard when it was published and was
reaffirmed at the Council of Trent in the aftermath of the
Protestant Reformation, more than 1100 years after Jerome's death.
113 letters written by Jerome survive (many having to do with his
bible translation), along with 31 written to him. The current
letter, as its last sentence says, responds to a request for counsel
from the parent, Gaudentius, but is addressed to the young girl,
Pacatula, who is to be dedicated as a virgin (as cum futuram
virginem spoponderint near the beginning of the letter
implies). Jerome worked closely with Christian women, giving
encouragement and advice about how to live a holy life.
In this letter, in addition to considerations about how to raise a
little girl who is to be devoted to the religious life, Jerome has a
long digression that is inappropriate to Pacatula at her current
age: the digression concerns mainly male reactions to relations with
women. This obviously loomed large in Jerome's life: cf. Letter XXII
to Eustochium for a much larger dose of this sort of material.
Clearly the letter is intended for her to read later, when she can
read, and so perhaps the digression is a warning to her about such
things even later, when they may be relevant to her. But the letter
may also be intended for a larger audience, certainly including
Gaudentius.
The letter is said to have been written in 413 CE.
Text
CAUSA difficilis parvulae scribere, quae non intellegat quid
loquaris, cuius animum nescias, de cuius periculose voluntate
promittas, ut secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in ea
laudanda quam res sit. Quid enim horteris ad continentiam, quae
placentas desiderat, quae in sinu matris garrula voce balbuttit, cui
dulciora sunt mella quam verba? Audiat profunda apostoli, quae
anilibus magis fabulis delectatur? Prophetarum αἰνίγματα sentiat,
quam tristior gerulae vultus exagitat? Evangelii intellegat
maiestatem, ad cuius fulgura omnis mortalium hebetatur sensus? Ut
parenti subiciatur, horter, quae manu tenera ridentem verberat
matrem? Itaque Pacatula nostra hoc epistulium post lectura
suscipiat; interim modo litterularum elementa cognoscat, iungat
syllabas, discat nomina, verba consociet, atque, ut voce tinnula
ista meditetur, proponatur ei crustula mulsi praemia et, quicquid
gustu suave est, quod vernat in floribus, quod rutilat in gemmis,
quod blanditur in pupis, acceptura festinet; interim et tenero
temptet pollice fila deducere, rumpat saepe stamina, ut aliquando
non rumpat, post laborem lusibus gestiat, de matris pendeat collo,
rapiat oscula propinquorum, psalmos mercede decantet, amet, quod
cogitur dicere, ut non opus sit, sed delectatio, non necessitas, sed
voluntas. Solent quaedam, cum futuram virginem spoponderint, pulla
tunica eam induere et furvo operire palliolo, auferre linteamina,
nihil in collo, nihil in capite auri sinere re vera bono consilio,
ne habere discat in tenero, quod postea deponere conpellatur. Aliis
contra videtur. ‘Quid enim,’ aiunt, ‘si ipsa non habuerit, habentes
alias non videbit? Φιλόκοσμον genus femineum est multasque etiam
insignis pudicitiae, quamvis nulli virorum, tamen sibi scimus
libenter ornari. Quin potius habendo satietur et cernat laudari
alias, quae ista non habeant. Meliusque est, ut satiata contemnat,
quam non habendo habere desideret.’ Tale quid et Israheletico
fecisse dominum populo, ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad
nauseam et vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, multosque saeculi
prius homines facilius carere experta corporis voluptate quam eos,
qui a pueritia libidinem nesciant; ab aliis enim nota calcari, ab
aliis ignota appeti, illos vitare paenitendo suavitatis insidias,
quas fugerunt, hos carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis
blandientis, dum mella putant venena noxia reperire; mel enim
distillare labiis meretricis mulieris, quod ad tempus inpinguet
vescentium fauces et postea amarius felle inveniatur. Unde et in
domini mel sacrificiis non offerri ceraque contempta, quae mellis
hospitium est, oleum accendi in templo Dei, quod de amaritudine
exprimitur olivarum, pascha quoque cum amaritudinibus comedi in
‘azymis sinceritatis et veritatis,’ quos qui habuerit, in saeculo
persecutionem sustinebit. Unde et propheta mystice cantat: ‘Solus
sedebam, quia amaritudine repletus sum.’ Quid igitur? Luxuriandum
est in adulescentia, ut postea luxuria fortius contemnatur? Absit,
inquiunt; ‘Unusquisque,’ enim, ‘in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea
permaneat.’ ‘Circumcisus quis,’ id est virgo, ‘vocatus est: non
adducat praeputium,’ hoc est non quaerat pellicias tunicas
nuptiarum, quibus Adam eiectus de paradiso virginitatis indutus est.
‘In praeputio quis vocatus est,’ hoc est habens uxorem et matrimonio
pelle circumdatus: non quaerat virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae
nuditatem, quam semel habere desivit, sed utatur vase suo in
sanctificatione et pudicitia bibatque de fontibus suis et non
quaerat cisternas lupanarium dissipatas, quae purissimas aquas
pudicitiae continere non possunt. Unde et idem Paulus in eodem
capitulo de virginitate et nuptiis disputans servos carnis vocat in
matrimonio constitutos, liberos eos, qui absque ullo nuptiarum iugo
tota domino serviunt libertate. Quod loquimur, non in universum
loquimur, sed in parte tractamus, nec de omnibus, sed de quibusdam
dicimus. Ad utrumque sexum, non solum ad vas infirmius, noster sermo
dirigitur. Virgo es: quid te mulieris delectat societas? Quid
fragilem et sutilem ratem magnis committis fluctibus et grande
periculum navigationis incertae securus ascendis? Nescis, quid
desideres, et tamen sic ei iungeris, quasi aut ante desideraveris
aut—ut levissime dicam—postea desideraturus sis. ‘Sed ad ministerium
iste sexus est aptior.’ Elige ergo anum, elige deformem, elige
probatae in domino continentiae. Quid te adulescentia, quid pulchra,
quid luxuriosa delectat? Uteris balneis, cute nitida, rubicundus
incedis, carnibus vesceris, affluis divitiis, pretiosa veste
circumdaris et iuxta serpentem mortiferum securum dormire te credis?
An non habitas in eodem hospitio, in nocte dumtaxat? Ceterum totos
dies in huiusce modi confabulatione consumens quare solus cum sola
et non cum arbitris sedes? Cum etiam ipse non pecces, aliis peccare
videaris, ut exemplo sis miseris, qui nominis tui auctoritate
delinquant. Tu quoque, virgo vel vidua, cur tam longo viri sermone
retineris? Cur cum solo relicta non metuis? Saltim alvi te et
vesicae cogat necessitas, ut exeas foras, ut deseras in hac re, cum
quo licentius quam cum germano, multo verecundius egisti cum marito.
Sed de scripturis sanctis aliquid interrogas: interroga publice;
audiant pedisequae, audiant comites tuae. ‘Omne, quod manifestatur,
lux est.’ Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit, quin potius delectatur
laudibus suis et testimonio plurimorum. Magister egregius contemnit
viros, fratres despicit et in unius mulierculae secreta eruditione
desudat. Declinavi parumper de via occasione aliorum [disputatione]
et, dum infantem Pacatulam instituo, immo enutrio, multarum subito
male mihi pacatarum bella suscepi.
Revertar ad propositum. Sexus femineus suo iungatur sexui; nesciat,
immo timeat cum pueris ludere. Nullum inpudicum verbum noverit et,
si forte in tumultu familiae discurrentis aliquid turpe audierit,
non intellegat. Matris nutum pro verbis ac monitum pro imperio
habeat. Amet ut parentem, subiciatur ut dominae, timeat ut
magistram. Cum autem virgunculam et rudem edentulam septimus aetatis
annus exceperit et coeperit erubescere, scire, quid taceat,
dubitare, quid dicat, discat memoriter psalterium et usque ad annos
pubertatis libros Salomonis, evangelia, apostolos ac prophetas sui
cordis thesaurum faciat. Nec liberius procedat ad publicum nec
semper ecclesiarum quaerat celebritatem. In cubiculo suo totas
delicias habeat. Numquam iuvenculos, numquam cincinnatos videat
vocis dulcedine per aures animam vulnerantes. Puellarum quoque
lascivia repellatur, quae quanto licentius adeunt, tanto difficilius
evitantur et, quod didicerunt, secreto docent inclusamque Danaen
vulgi sermonibus violant. Sit ei magistra comes, paedagoga custos
non multo vino dedita, non iuxta apostolum otiosa ac verbosa,
sed sobria, gravis, lanifica et ea tantum loquens, quae animum
puellarum ad virtutem instituant. Ut enim aqua in areola digitum
sequitur praecedentem, ita aetas mollis et tenera in utramque partem
flexibilis est et, quocumque duxeris, trahitur. Solent lascivi et
comptuli iuvenes blandimentis, affabilitate, munusculis aditum sibi
per nutrices ad alumnas quaerere et, cum clementer intraverint, de
scintillis incendia concitare paulatimque proficere ad inpudentiam
et nequaquam posse prohiberi illo in se versiculo conprobato: ‘Aegre
reprehendas, quod sinas consuescere.’ Pudet dicere et tamen dicendum
est: nobiles feminae nobiliores habiturae procos vilissimae
condicionis hominibus et servulis copulantur ac sub nomine
religionis et umbra continentiae interdum deserunt viros. Helenae
sequuntur Alexandros nec Menelaos pertimescunt. Videntur haec,
planguntur et non vindicantur, quia multitudo peccantium peccandi
licentiam subministrat. Pro nefas, orbis terrarum ruit et in nobis
peccata non coruunt. Urbs inclita et Romani imperii caput uno hausta
est incendio. Nulla regio, quae non exules eius habeat. In cineres
ac favillas sacrae quondam ecclesiae conciderunt et tamen studemus
avaritiae. Vivimus quasi altera die morituri et aedificamus quasi
semper in hoc victuri saeculo. Auro parietes, auro laquearia, auro
fulgent capita columnarum et nudus atque esuriens ante fores nostras
in paupere Christus moritur. Legimus Aaron pontificem isse obviam
furentibus flammis et accenso turibulo Dei iram cohibuisse; stetit
inter mortem et vitam sacerdos maximus nec ultra vestigia eius ignis
procedere ausus est. Moysi loquitur Deus: ‘Dimitte me et delebo
populum istum.’ Quando dicit ‘dimitte me,’ ostendit se teneri, ne
faciat, quod minatus est; Dei enim potentiam servi preces
inpediebant. Quis, putas, ille sub caelo est, qui nunc irae Dei
possit occurrere, qui obviare flammis et iuxta apostolum dicere:
‘Optabam ego anathema esse pro fratribus meis?’ Pereunt cum
pastoribus greges, quia, sicut populus, sic sacerdos. Moyses
conpassionis loquebatur affectu: ‘Si dimittis populo huic, dimitte;
sin autem, dele me de libro tuo.’ Vult perire cum pereuntibus nec
propria salute contentus est. ‘Gloria ’ quippe ‘regis multitudo
populi.’ His Pacatula est nata temporibus, inter haec crepundia
primam carpit aetatem ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum
sensura quam gaudium. Necdum introitus, iam exitus; talem semper
fuisse putat mundum. Nescit praeterita, fugit praesentia, futura
desiderat. Quae ut tumultuario sermone dictarem et post neces
amicorum luctumque perpetuum infanti senex longo postliminio
scriberem, tua me, Gaudenti frater, inpulit caritas; maluique parum
quam nihil omnino poscenti dare, quia in altero voluntas oppressa
luctu, in altero amicitiae dissimulatio est.
Commentary
The difficulty in giving advice about a girl not yet fully
developed intellectually and emotionally, whose personality is
unknown to the advisor. Causa difficilis parvulae scribere quae non intellegat quid
loquaris, cuius animum nescias, de cuius periculose voluntate
promittas, ut, secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in
ea laudanda quam res sit. Subordination map:
Causa difficilis parvulae scribere (sc. est)
(main clause)
quae non intellegat (rel. clause of characteristic:
antecedent is parvulae)
quid loquaris (indirect question dependent on
intellegat)
cuius animum nescias (rel. clause of characteristic:
antecedent is parvulae)
de cuius periculose voluntate promittas (rel. clause
of characteristic: antecedent is parvulae)
ut, secundum praeclari oratoris exordium, spes magis in
ea laudanda (sc. sit) (result clause)
quam res (sc. laudanda) sit.
(comparative clause)
parvulae scribere: scribere is the subject of an
understood est: causa difficilis is predicate
nominative.parvulae is dative indirect object of scribere.
| intellegat ...
nescias ... promittas: subjunctive is the norm in relative
clauses of characteristic. Compare the next sentence, where the
relative clauses have the indicative. | loquaris:
subj., ind. question dependent on intellegat. | periculose:
adverb modifying promittas. | secundum ...
exordium: parenthetical prepositional phrase. | oratoris
exordium: the exordium referred to is Cicero, De
Republica, fr. 5: Fanni, causa difficilis laudare puerum;
non enim res laudanda, sed spes est (quoted by Servius in his
commentary on Aeneid at VI.877). | in ea
laudanda: ea ablative, laudanda nominative in
agreement with spes. | res: 'the facts'
regarding the girl now, as opposed to the hopes held for her. |
sit: subjunctive in a comparative clause within a result
clause. Comparative clauses are rarely completed with a verb of
their own: alternatively, sit may be construed with spes,
which would leave quam res (sc. laudanda sit) as a
truncated comparative clause.
There is no need to urge abstinence or discuss scripture and
doctrine with her; little girls care about sweets, not reasoning,
and that is fine.
On a stylistic note: rhetorical questions most often expect the
answer "no" and so can often be read as negative claims. Quid enim horteris ad continentiam, quae placentas desiderat,
quae in sinu matris garrula voce balbuttit, cui dulciora sunt
mella quam verba? Audiat profunda apostoli, quae anilibus magis
fabulis delectatur? Prophetarum αἰνίγματα sentiat, quam tristior
gerulae vultus exagitat? Evangelii intellegat maiestatem, ad cuius
fulgura omnis mortalium hebetatur sensus? Ut parenti subiciatur,
horter, quae manu tenera ridentem verberat matrem? horteris: deliberative subjunctive: A&G §443. |
quae ... quae ... cui ... quae ... quam ... quae: all
refer to the little girl as antecedent:the antecedent of
the first 3 (quae ... quae ... cui)is
an understood eam or the like after horteris. The
remaining 3 have antecedents that are the subjects of their main
verbs. | garrula voce: abl. of manner or means. | cui:
dative of person concerned. | mella: 'sweets' were a bit
less sweet back then: Arabs brought sugar to Europe later. |
audiat, sentiat, intellegat: deliberative subjunctives ('is
she to...' or 'should she...'). These verbs of perception move from
the more corporeal to the purely intellectual. | apostoli:
Paul. | anilibus fabulis: compare English 'old wives'
tales'. | Prophetarum: the prophets of the Old Testament. |
αἰνίγματα: Greek for 'enigmas,' 'mysteries,' 'riddles': Latin
aenigma is used by Cicero and many who follow: it is not
clear why use Greek here. | tristior: 'quite sad.' |
gerulae: possessive gen. with vultus. | evangelii:
the gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as a unit). | cuius:
antecedent is evangelii. | parenti: dative with
compound verb subiciatur, dative of beneficiary. |
subiciatur: subj. in indirect command; subject is Pacatula
'...that she be subject to (obey)...'. | horter:
deliberative subjunctive, introducing purpose clause ut horter
which precedes the verb. | manu tenera: abl. of instrument.
Jerome begins his actual recommendations. Jerome clearly believes
that what would be called a rather progressive/permissive
education is not incompatible with a life destined for austerity:
amet, quod cogitur dicere "may she love what she is made to say"
sums up his idea here. Compare these recommendations with
Rousseau's education style in Emile. Note the use of
diminutives epistulium, litterularum, crustula, which
would be thematically suited to talking to a child (i.e. Jerome's
vocabulary is embodying the advice he is giving: make her work and
training "fun").
Itaque Pacatula nostra hoc epistulium post lectura suscipiat;
interim modo litterularum elementa cognoscat, iungat syllabas,
discat nomina, verba consociet, atque, ut voce tinnula ista
meditetur, proponantur ei crustula mulsi praemia et, quicquid
gustu suave est, quod vernat in floribus, quod rutilat in gemmis,
quod blanditur in pupis, acceptura festinet; interim et tenero
temptet pollice fila deducere, rumpat saepe stamina, ut aliquando
non rumpat, post laborem lusibus gestiat, de matris pendeat collo,
rapiat oscula propinquorum, psalmos mercede decantet, amet, quod
cogitur dicere, ut non opus sit, sed delectatio, non necessitas,
sed voluntas. hoc epistulium and litterularum: diminutives. epistulium
is a diminutive of epistula, found earlier in Catullus
68a (Catullus has many unique diminutives: spelled epistolium
in most editions), but not otherwise in Classical Latin until
Apuleius. litterularum, a diminutive of littera,is found in Cicero's letters used of grammatical knowledge. |
post lecturasuscipiat: post adverbial. lectura,
nominative future participle, perhaps to be translated as a
circumstantial participle as "later, when she reads, let
her take up...," but more likely expressing purpose, as becomes more
common in later writers (A&G 499.2): "later, let her take
up this letter to read it" (compare acceptura festinet,
which follows soon after). | suscipiat (and the 13
main clause verbs that follow, all in asyndeton, namely cognoscat,
iungat, discat, consociet, proponatur, festinet, temptet, rumpat,
gestiat, pendeat, rapiat, decantet, amet: jussive subjunctive;
compare English 'have someone do something' or German lassen.| voce tinnula: abl. of manner / instrument. |
meditetur: subj. purpose clause, deponent. | crustula
mulsi: honey-cakes, to which praemia is in
apposition. | gustu suave: gustu is supine,
similar to mirabile visu.| acceptura:
nominative future participle expressing purpose (cf. earlier lectura
suscipiat). | rumpat (2nd instance): subj. purpose
clause. | lusibus: gestiat takes abl. | de
matris pendeat collo: unusual placement of pendeat:
by default a preposition and its object phrase occur as a unit with
nothing inserted. | mercede: abl. of price/value. |
sit: subj. in purpose clause introduced by ut; sit
is also understood with delectatio, necessitas, and
voluntas.
Various courses taken by the educators of young women dedicated
as virgins. Some deprive them of blandishments from a young age,
because they will have to do without them later. Solent quaedam, cum futuram virginem spoponderint, pulla tunica
eam induere et furvo operire palliolo, auferre linteamina, nihil
in collo, nihil in capite auri sinere, re vera bono consilio, ne
habere discat in tenero, quod postea deponere conpellatur. cum ... spoponderint: perfect subj., primary sequence:
cum referring to the past usually takes subjunctive. | pulla
tunica, furvo palliolo: abl. of instrument. | induere,
operire, auferre, sinere: complementary infinitives dependent
on solent. | auri: partitive genitive with nihil,
as is common. | re vera: adverbial. | bono consilio:
ablative of manner adverbially modifying the preceding infinitives.
| ne ... discat: negative purpose clause, primary sequence,
adverbially modifying consilio. | in tenero:
some noun meaning "age" must be understood here. | quod...
conpellatur: relative clause of characteristic: antecedent is
omitted, but would have been the object of habere.
But won't these girls see others with costly and pretty garments
and adornments? Women like to dress up, and even those who have no
sexual aims beautify themselves for the sake of looking nice. It
is better to let her have her fill of these luxuries and see that
other women who do not have these accoutrements are praised for
higher reasons than trivialities such as jewelry. Aliis contra videtur. ‘Quid enim,’ aiunt, ‘si ipsa non habuerit,
habentes alias non videbit? Φιλόκοσμον genus femineum est
multasque etiam insignis pudicitiae, quamvis nulli virorum, tamen
sibi scimus libenter ornari. Quin potius habendo satietur et
cernat laudari alias, quae ista non habeant. Meliusque est, ut
satiata contemnat, quam non habendo habere desideret.’ aliis: dative with videtur, an impersonal verb: aliis
contrasts with quaedam of previous section. | quid
enim: 'what then...?' no verb finishes this interrogative: quid
enim? is often used in this way to introduce rhetorical
questions, as here. | habuerit: fut. perfect
protasis of future more vivid conditional. | habentes: an
'absolute' use of habeo: cf. English "the haves and the
have-nots." | Φιλόκοσμον: 'adornment-loving,' a
Hellenistic and later Greek word that occurs mostly in Christian
authors speaking of luxuries: cf. The Letter of Jeremiah
8.1, which speaks of a
παρθένῳφιλοκόσμῳ "girl who loves ornaments." It
is not clear why Jerome cites a Greek word here. Another use of the
word is at Johannes Chrysostomus Homily on Ephesians 13,
near the end, which says that the feminine sex may be φιλόκοσμον,
but men's pride in their women's ornaments exceeds the pride of
women. | multas ornari: acc. subject and infinitive
in indirect speech dependent on scimus. | insignis
pudicitiae: gen. of description. | nulli virorum,
tamen sibi: nulli and sibi are indirect object
datives dependent on ornari. | quin potius: 'nay,
rather,' used in corrections, as it will be used again later in this
letter (and in several other letters of Jerome). | habendo
and later, non habendo: gerund, ablative of instrument. |
satietur, cernat: jussive subjunctives. | laudarialias:
inf. in indirect speech after cernat. | habeant:
subjunctive is the norm in a subordinate clause in indirect speech:
translate as an ordinary relative clause. | ut satiata contemnat:
this nominal ut clause is the subject of est. |
quam ... desideret: comparative clause: desideret is
parallel to contemnat, and hence subjunctive too.
A concatenation of almost a dozen biblical citations begins here:
they are a mix of paraphrase and quotation, and their source is
not clear (Jerome's Vulgate was complete by 413, the date
usually given for this letter, but the citations do not adhere to
it). Analyzing each one carefully would distort the
compendious nature of this commentary. Readers who desire should
consult the Vulgate, the Septuagint, and the Tanakh
among others as well as associated secondary literature. First, the story of the quails (coturnicum) fromNumbers
11: its application? perhaps Pacatula should be exposed now
to some luxury so that she doesn't glut on it later out of pent up
desire. Perhaps somehow she should be given so much luxury that it
disgusts her, like the Israelites who became disgusted by quails.
Next comes Proverbs 5.3-4, which likely indicates
that she should be helped to see that immediately attractive
things can be undesirable in the longer term. This passage is
often used for that. And yet, the example of prostitution is
extreme, more appropriate to an adult male than a young girl, and
foreshadows the male-centered digression to come. Male-centered
perspectives were the default: no surprise that they appear even
here in a letter about a little girl. Note the switch to indirect speech accusatives with
infinitives without an introductory verb of saying.
Tale quid et Israheletico fecisse dominum
populo, ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad nauseam et
vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, multosque saeculi prius
homines facilius carere experta corporis voluptate quam eos, qui a
pueritia libidinem nesciant; ab aliis enim nota calcari, ab aliis
ignota appeti; illos vitare paenitendo suavitatis insidias quas
fugerunt, hos, carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporis
blandientis, dum mella putant venena, noxia reperire; mel enim
distillare labiis meretricis mulieris, quod ad tempus inpinguet
vescentium fauces et postea amarius felle inveniatur (Prov.
5.).
Sentence structure:
Tale quid et Israheletico fecisse dominum populo, (1st
acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
ut cupientibus Aegyptias carnes usque ad nauseam et
vomitum praeberet examina coturnicum, (result clause,
secondary sequence)
multosque saeculi prius homines facilius carere experta
corporis voluptate (2nd
acc. + inf. indirect speech clause)
quam eos qui a pueritia libidinem nesciant; (eos
comparative and hence parallel to homines, plus a
restrictive relative clause defining it)
ab aliis enim nota calcari, (3rd acc. + inf. indirect
speech clause)
ab aliis ignota appeti; (4th acc. + inf. indirect
speech clause)
tale quid: 'such a thing,' a not uncommon phrase in Latin:
cf. English "some such thing." Direct object of fecisse. |
cupientibus: plural referring to the same people as singular populo,
a collective noun: indirect object of praeberet. | usque
ad nauseam et vomitum: adverbial phrase modifying praeberet:
Jahweh says in Numbers 11:18-20, 'I will give you flesh, and
ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, ... But even a
whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome
unto you' (et vertatur in nausiam). | examina coturnicum:
direct obj. of praeberet: coturnicum is genitive of
material (A&G 344). | saeculi: in ecclesiastical
Latin, 'of the world', ' of non-Christians,' whence English
'secular.' | experta voluptate: abl. with carere. corporis
possessive genitive with voluptate.| nesciant:
subjunctive in relative clause in indirect speech. Note that this
relative clause is a "restrictive clause," one that is typically not
set off by commas in English, because it cannot be omitted without
distorting or losing the meaning of the rest of the sentence.
Contrast "The books, which are on the table, are mine" (my books
just happen to be on the table) with "The books which are on the
table are mine" (being on the table indicates that they are mine). |
ab aliis...ab aliis: 'by some (the one group)...by others (the
other group)'. | illos...hos: 'the former...the latter.' |
carnis inlecebris et dulci titillatione corporisblandientis:
chiastic gen. + abl. / abl. + gen. structure; ablatives of cause. |
dum mella putant venena: sc. esse. dum usually
takes indicative when it refers to mere temporal conjunction of two
events (A&G 555): here Jerome adds it as his own
thought, as the indicative indicates: if it were a part of the
indirect speech, it would be subjunctive. | labiis: abl. of
separation. | ad tempus: 'for a time', 'for the moment'. |
inpinguet, inveniatur: subjunctives in relative clause in
indirect speech. | felle: abl. of comparison.
The next 4 biblical citations are more distant from Pacatula and
more symbolic in general but continue the theme of things
attractive or pleasurable to the senses versus things not
attractive or pleasurable to the senses as they relate to morality
and truth and behavioral disposition. Unde et in domini sacrificiis mel non offerri, ceraque contempta,
quae mellis hospitium est, oleum accendi in templo Dei (Levit.
2), quod de amaritudine exprimitur olivarum, pascha quoque cum
amaritudinibus comedi (Exod. 12) in ‘azymis sinceritatis
et veritatis (1. Cor. 5. 8),’ quas qui habuerit, in
saeculo persecutionem sustinebit. Unde et propheta mystice cantat:
‘Solus sedebam, quia amaritudine repletus sum (Jerem. 15. 17).’ in domini sacrificiis: domini possessive genitive
dependent on sacrificiis. | mel non offerri, ...
oleum accendi, ... pascha comedi: parallel accusative + inf.
indirect speech clauses. | ceraque contempta:
ablative absolute. | mellis hospitium: the honeycomb. |
pascha: the Passover meal, a commemoration of the death of
Egypt's firstborn sons and the flight of the Jews from Egypt. |
azymis: sc. panibus. Unleavened bread for the Passover
holiday (pascha); Paul uses it metaphorically in 1 Cor.
5 to refer to Christian society untainted by the 'leaven' of
fornicators, etc., which would spread throughout and affect the
whole 'dough'. | quas: refers to sinceritatis et
veritatis; at least one edition has quos (refers to
bread, presumably). Since bread represents sinceritaset
veritas, it amounts to the same thing. | habuerit ...
sustinebit: equivalent to a future more vivid conditional.
Here, J. resumes speaking in his own person, i.e. not representing
others' views.
Jerome's metaphorical reading in this section pays no
attention to more straightforward interpretations of Paul, perhaps
because in Paul's world, the status of Jewish vs. non-Jewish
Christians was a pressing issue, but in Jerome's world that issue
had faded as Christians were in the majority. "People" (inquiunt) reject the idea that the young should
be indulged in order to inure them against later
enticements.
Pacatula is indulged and enticed with cakes and baubles, but
Jerome now expands his scope to speak of another kind of
enticement, sex, leaving Pacatula well behind, as J.
will eventually admit. This digression about celibacy and
sex is a thoroughly male-centered discussion (foreskins of
penises, Adam with no mention of Eve, male-gendered forms).
Broadly, it advocates that virgins remain virgins, and that people
who have had sex be married and continue to have sex with their
spouse exclusively.
5 more biblical passages are brought to bear, and Jerome
constructs a metaphorical reading, as follows. Being
circumcised/circumcision = virginity and the pre-lapsarian
paradisiacal naked state; not being circumcised = having had sex
and the post-lapsarian clothed state. A consequence is that having
a foreskin = having sex, not being a virgin, and having
a wife (who is a foreskin): lacking a foreskin = not having
had sex, being celibate. The metaphor sits uneasily when it comes
to Pacatula, in other words, who is destined either to be a
'foreskin' for a man or ... it is not clear what, because surely
she is not a circumcision or circumcised penis or an absence of a
foreskin. A reading of Corinthians 1, however,that is
more straightforward than Jerome's is that Paul is
explicitly giving newly-called Christians a list of things that do
not matter for being a Christian: virgin or married, circumcised
or not, married to a non-Christian or a Christian, servant, slave,
or free -- all should remain so after being called to
Christianity. Namely, in Corinthians 1.2-4 he speaks of
married versus unmarried (he does say being a virgin is better,
but advocates for remaining married and marital fidelity if one is
married). In 18-19he says that on being called to
Christianity, one need neither be circumcised nor undergo a
decircumcision operation. In 20 and 24 he repeats that one should
abide in the state in which one was before the call to
Christianity, with a call to remain a servant, slave, or free
person if one is such. A straightforward reading of Thessalonians
1.3-5 is simply that it says that one ought to have sex only
within marriage. Genesis 3.21 reports simply that god made clothing out of
hides for Adam and Eve (eating from the tree made them realize
they were nude: they had devised fig leaf clothing and something
like aprons), and has nothing obviously conducive to Jerome's
metaphorical reading, although the common association of nudity
with sexual activity gives a shove in that direction.
Presumably Jerome's talk of clothing v. nudity (pellicias
tunicas, nuditatem, indutus est, pelle circumdatus) comes from Genesis
too. Proverbs 5 encourages marital fidelity and praises one's wife
in exuberant terms. Quid igitur? Luxuriandum est in adulescentia, ut postea
luxuria fortius contemnatur? Absit, inquiunt; ‘Unusquisque,’ enim,
‘in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat.’ (1. Cor. 7.
20, 24) ‘Circumcisus quis,’ id est virgo, ‘vocatus est: non
adducat praeputium'(1. Cor. 7.18), hoc est
non quaerat pellicias tunicas nuptiarum, quibus Adam eiectus de
paradiso virginitatis indutus est (Gen. 3:21). ‘In
praeputio quis vocatus est,’ (1. Cor. 7.18) hoc est habens
uxorem et matrimonio pelle circumdatus: non quaerat virginitatis
et aeternae pudicitiae nuditatem, quam semel habere desivit, sed
'utatur vase suo in sanctificatione et pudicitia' (1. Thess.
4. 4) bibatque de fontibus suis et non quaerat cisternas
lupanarium dissipatas, quae purissimas aquas pudicitiae continere
non possunt (Prov. 5). quid igitur?: 'quid igitur ... absit' perhaps
reminiscent of Paul's epistles: for example, Romans 6:1: Τί οὖν
ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ; μὴ γένοιτο.
The formula here (quid igitur? + rhetorical question + very
short negative answer) is not uncommon in the church fathers,
however: it is but an expansion and adornment of a rhetorical
question, serving to set it off. quid igitur in itself
marks a transition, often to a conclusion or a recap. |
luxuriandum est: impersonal gerundive. | fortius:
comparative adverb. | contemnatur: purpose clause,
primary sequence. | absit: jussive subjunctive. absit
is not used in Classical Latin as a one-word sentence, but it is not
uncommon in the Latin church fathers. | inquiunt: generic
subject, as in 'they say' or 'people say.' | absit..., permaneat...,
non adducat..., non quaerat..., non
quaerat..., utatur..., bibat...,
and non quaerat...: independent subjunctives of
the will ('optative' or 'jussive'): in Classical Latin, the negative
is usually ne (A&G 439f.). | non
adducat praeputium: Paul refers to a sort of "reverse
circumcision" procedure, an early reconstructive aesthetic surgery (
ἐπισπάω, 'de-circumcise,' a medical
procedure): for more information, see Sander Gilman's article
cited below. | id est, hoc est: explaining
metaphors, cf. i.e. in English. | quibus Adam: quibus
instrumental dative dependent on indutus est, referring to
tunicas. | de paradiso virginitatis: virginitatis
is genitive of material (A&G 344) with paradiso,
'from the paradise of virginity,' i.e. the pre-lapsarian state. |
virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae nuditatem: again, the
pre-lapsarian state. virginitatis et aeternae pudicitiae is
again genitive
of material (A&G 344), this time dependent on nuditatem.
| semel habere desivit: semel means
'once and for all' here. | vase suo: ablative with utatur;
vase suo and fontibus suis refer to a wife.
Next, Jerome claims that he is speaking not fully generally, but
about a part, and not about everyone, but certain ones, as
well as that he is speaking to both sexes, not just women
and girls. For the moment he continues to speak only to sexually
mature males, however. He will turn to mature females later, and
also back to Pacatula. First, in his hetero-normative
way, he considers the case of a hypothetical virgin man (Virgo
es), who enjoys female company (mulieris delectat societas):
Jerome suggests a metaphor of someone who wants to sail the seas
but has no idea of the danger.
Jerome claims the 'same chapter' calls married people
'servants of the flesh' and unmarried people 'free.' And yet,
nothing at Corinthians 1.7 straightforwardly
means that: the references to 'free' and 'servant' in
7.20-24 apparently refer to social or civil status, don't occur in
conjunction with flesh or sex, and indicate that one can be a
servant on earth but free as a Christian. Jerome must therefore be
interpreting, in light of the overall tenor of 1 Cor. 7, perhaps
especially 32-35, which indicates that marriage is a distraction
from attention to god. Jerome probably imports ideas about
slavery, freedom, and flesh from elsewhere (e.g. Colossians 3.22
speaks of "slaves" of "masters according to the flesh": other
passages, such as Romans 7.14f. use "flesh" for worldly, including
sexual, concerns; Romans 6.22 speaks of being slaves of god and
freed of sin). Unde et idem Paulus in eodem capitulo
de virginitate et nuptiis disputans 'servos carnis' vocat in
matrimonio constitutos, 'liberos' eos, qui absque ullo nuptiarum
iugo tota domino serviunt libertate. Quod loquimur, non in
universum loquimur, sed in parte tractamus, nec de omnibus, sed de
quibusdam dicimus. Ad utrumque sexum, non solum ad vas infirmius,
noster sermo dirigitur. Virgo es: quid te mulieris delectat
societas? Quid fragilem et sutilem ratem magnis committis
fluctibus et grande periculum navigationis incertae securus
ascendis? Nescis, quid desideres, et tamen sic ei iungeris, quasi
aut ante desideraveris aut—ut levissime dicam—postea desideraturus
sis.
eodem capitulo: 1 Cor. 7. | servos carnis ... constitutos:
servos is predicate accusative agreeing with constitutos
dependent on vocat, whence quotation marks around servos
carnis; the same applies to the pred. acc. liberos in
agreement with eos, with which understand vocat
again (anaphora). | absque: a form of ab
used in Classical Latin early (Cato, Plautus, once by Sallust) and
late (Quintilian, Apuleius, etc.), but not by the likes of Cicero or
Caesar. | tota ... libertate: ablative of manner. |
domino serviunt: servio takes dat. | vas
infirmius: refers to females; vas parallels vase
suo in the previous paragraph. | sutilem: do not
confuse with subtilem. | magnis fluctibus: dative
with committis. | navigationis incertae:
notoriously risky, seafaring is a good metaphor for moral peril. |
securus: "free from care" as in "negligent" or as in
"cheerful": | grande periculum ... ascendis: periculum
metonymical for 'sea.' | nescis: not having experienced
female companionship, he doesn't 'know' it, but thinks he will want
it once he does, or so claims Jerome. | desideres:
subjunctive in indirect question, primary sequence. |
iungeris: iungo could mean marriage, but could be
used for other alliances (even quite innocent ones: see iungaturbelow). |quasi aut ante desideraveris aut quasi
postea desideraturus sis: quasi introduces a
conditional clause of comparison, whose apodosis is sic ei
iungeris (AG 512 and 524): desideraveris is
perfect subjunctive and desideraturus sis is a future
periphrastic subjunctive, both primary sequence.| dicam:
subj. in parenthetical purpose clause.
The next section seems to have the hypothetical male virgin say
"(Even if I grant that you are right, I still need a servant:)
women are better at serving," Jerome replies that an unattractive
or old woman will do. The hypothetical virgin is now fleshed out
into a rich dandy who believes he can sleep next to a serpent and
suffer no harm (now women are serpents). It is interesting that
Jerome has no shyness about foreskins and such earlier, but here
doesn't make clear the nature of the association and how sex,
marriage, etc. might figure into it. The unmistakable misogyny is
particularly interesting in a charitable letter for a little girl. Cf. Jerome's lengthy advice about women to a clergy member in
Letter 52 (to Nepotian) §5: it can be summed up as 'never be
alone with a woman, but if you are, let her be one to whom you
would not be attracted.'
‘Sed ad ministerium iste sexus est aptior.’ Elige
ergo anum, elige deformem, elige probatae in domino continentiae.
Quid te adulescentia, quid pulchra, quid luxuriosa delectat?
Uteris balneis, cute nitida, rubicundus incedis, carnibus
vesceris, affluis divitiis, pretiosa veste circumdaris et iuxta
serpentem mortiferum securum dormire te credis?
iste sexus: = women. | probatae
continentiae: gen. of quality dependent on understood mulierem
or the like. | in domino: a common Christian phrase,
employing a sense of in which is hard to define, perhaps
"towards" or "in relation to." Cf. in praeputio above,
another difficult-to-define sense of in. | uteris: utor
takes the ablative (balneis). | cute nitida:
ablatives of quality are the norm for physical attributes and are
modified by an adjective (A&G 415). | rubicundus:
perhaps implies makeup. | vesceris: vescor usually
takes ablative. | affluis: affluo meaning 'abound
in' takes ablative. | circumdaris: 'middle' voice, 'wrap
yourself in'. | securum dormire...te: acc. subject
and infinitive in indirect speech after credis. |
securum: modifies te. See note on securus in
previous section.
A chaste man who merely spends his waking moments with a woman,
often alone, thereby lends encouragement to others to sin. Next,
Jerome turns to a hypothetical virgin or widowed female,
specifically a shameless virgin/widow who is infatuated and
constantly with a man. Jerome suggests that she should use the
excuse of "intestinal necessity" or the like to get away from
being alone with the man (presumably, he means the excuse to
involve more than just a few minutes in the bathroom for normal
bodily needs). The church fathers have no single policy about whether widows
should remarry or not, and Paul seems ambivalent. In his Letters
38 and 54, however, Jerome clearly says a widow should not
remarry.
An non habitas in eodem hospitio, in nocte dumtaxat?
Ceterum totos dies in huiusce modi confabulatione consumens quare
solus cum sola et non cum arbitris sedes? Cum etiam ipse non
pecces, aliis peccare videaris, ut exemplo sis miseris, qui
nominis tui auctoritate delinquant. Tu quoque, virgo vel vidua,
cur tam longo viri sermone retineris? Cur cum solo relicta non
metuis? Saltim alvi te et vesicae cogat necessitas, ut exeas
foras, ut deseras in hac re, cum quo licentius quam cum germano,
multo verecundius egisti cum marito. An: introduces an alternative direct question: the
next sentence confirms that the virgin protests that he is not
co-habiting with the woman. | Ceterum:
adverbial, = 'but.' | totos die: accusative of
duration of time. |huiusce: a more emphatic
than huius (-ce can be added to many forms of hic,
haec, hoc). | pecces: concessive cum etiam
(cf. 'even though' in English) takes subjunctive: the structure
of the sentence is the same as that of a future-more-vivid
conditional. | videaris: potential subj. | exemplo sis
miseris: result clause; double dative exemplo
predicate dative + miseris dative dependent on exemplo:
'you serve as an example to the wretched.'| auctoritate:
abl. of cause. | delinquant: subj. in relative clause of
characteristic, probably expressing result. | saltim: alt.
form of saltem. | cogat: hortatory subjunctive; J.
suggests she should claim to need to go to the bathroom to avoid
being alone with the man. | exeas, deseras: object clauses
of result which are the objects of cogat. | deseras:
sc. eum as direct object and antecedent to the following quo.
| in hac re: perhaps 'in that instance' or 'situation' or
'occasion'. | licentius quam ... verecundiusegisti:
the thought more fully expressed would be: cum quo licentius
egisti quam egisti/egeris cum germano, et cum quo multo
verecundius egisti quam egisti/egeris cum marito. | multo:
ablative of degree of difference. | multo verecundius
egisti cum marito: verecundius here must mean
"shamefully" as in "shamelessly" and there must be an understood quam
with cum marito.
Jerome imagines these sinners claiming as an excuse for being
together that they are discussing scripture. The last
sentence only really makes best sense as sarcasm, because egregius
has nothing but positive senses, which are inappropriate here. The quotation from Paul Ephesians 5.13 is apt, for it is
used in a similarly general fashion there. In full, verse 13 is
'All things that are put right are revealed by light; for everything
that reveals is light.'
Sed de scripturis sanctis aliquid interrogas: interroga publice;
audiant pedisequae, audiant comites tuae. ‘Omne, quod manifestatur
lux est. (Ephes. 5. 13)’ Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit, quin
potius delectatur laudibus suis et testimonio plurimorum. Magister
egregius contemnit viros, fratres despicit et in unius mulierculae
secreta eruditione desudat. audiant: jussive subj. | sermo:
metonymy for people who converse. Also note the pithy formulation of
Bonus sermo secreta non quaerit.| quin
potius:used in correction as "nay, rather," as
earlier in this letter. | laudibus suis et testimonio:
ablatives with delectatur.| eruditione:
ablative object of in.
Jerome now returns to the subject of Pacatula, the almost
forgotten little girl who was the occasion for the letter. It is
unclear what the multarum male pacatarum are: perhaps rerum
or perhaps he is imagining women who took offense at his recent
words. Declinavi parumper de via occasione aliorum et, dum
infantem Pacatulam instituo, immo enutrio, multarum subito male
mihi pacatarum bella suscepi. Revertar ad propositum.
parumper: this 'brief' digression takes a fifth of the
letter. | occasione aliorum: ablative of cause,
loosely 'because of other opportunties.' | et:
notice that et does not join two different things, but
rather the second makes the first more specific (i.e. this et
means i.e.). |immo: used in
corrections, "nay, rather" to intensify or augment something
previous: it differs from quin potius, which corrects by
rejecting. | mihi: dative of agent, common with perfect
passive participles used as adjectives (A&G 375). |
multarum subito male pacatarum: gen. of possession dependent
on bella. subito = "unexpectedly." male
means something like "unsuccessfully" or "with difficulty." | bella:
contrasts starkly with pacatarum, a pun on the name of the
girl, Pacatula. | revertar: future.
Now J. begins giving clear instructions to the guardians of
Pacatula. The first thing is to keep her separated from boys. She
should be kept away from and not understand lewd talk. She ought
to love, respect and fear her mother. When she reaches a certain
age she should begin studying and memorizing the scriptures.
Sexus femineus suo iungatur sexui; nesciat, immo timeat cum
pueris ludere. Nullum inpudicum verbum noverit et, si forte in
tumultu familiae discurrentis aliquid turpe audierit, non
intellegat. Matris nutum pro verbis ac monitum pro imperio habeat.
Amet ut parentem, subiciatur ut dominae, timeat ut magistram. Cum
autem virgunculam et rudem edentulam septimus aetatis annus
exceperit et coeperit erubescere, scire, quid taceat, dubitare,
quid dicat, discat memoriter psalterium et usque ad annos
pubertatis libros Salomonis, evangelia, apostolos ac prophetas
sui cordis thesaurum faciat. iungatur, nesciat, timeat, noverit, intellegat, habeat, amet,
subiciatur, timeat, discat, faciat: jussive subjunctives. |
immo: cf. use of immo in previous section. |
noverit: perfect subjunctive: note both that perfect
subjunctives are used for prohibitions (nullum here makes
this prohibitive: see also A&G 439 and 450) and that the perfect
system of nosco has present meaning "know." | audierit:
perfect subjunctive presenting something that has happened in a
future-less-vivid protasis (A&G 516c): taken in
isolation, the sentence could be future-more-vivid (i.e. noverit
and audierit could be future perfect indicatives), but the
context of a string of jussives makes the future-less-vivid more
likely. | pro verbis and pro imperio: pro
'in place of,' 'as.' | nutum pro verbis ac monitum
pro imperio habeat: habeo te pro amico means "I
take you for a friend," "I consider you a friend." | monitum:
'suggestion.' | amet ... subiciatur ... timeat ... : fully
expressed, this would be amet matrem ut parentem, subiciatur
matri ut dominae, timeat matrem ut magistram. Here, ut
= "as." Note the rhetorical repetitive structure. | cum
virgunculam ... septimus ... annus exceperit: the meaning is
clear, but excipio is not a standard way to express
the age of people. | exceperit, coeperit: cum
circumstantial relating action before main verb usually takes
subjunctive; here, primary sequence referring to an action when it has
happened (i.e. perfective aspect); subject of exceperit is annus,
subject of coeperit is Pacatula. | erubescere,
scire, dubitare: complementary infinitives with coeperit;
coeperit erubescere is metonymical: blushing stands for a
sense of self, a self-consciousness, a moral sense. | taceat
and dicat: subjunctives in indirect question. |
psalterium: the Psalms of the Old Testament. | usque ad
annos pubertatis: in about 5 years, she is to memorize a large
part of scripture. Not all books are accounted for: J. leaves out
the Mosaic books and the historical books of the Old Testament,
prioritizing the poetic and prophetic writings. The evangelia
(gospels) and apostles represent a natural division among the New
Testament books, with the four gospels being accounts of the life
and teachings of Jesus and the rest of the Testament being composed
of epistles written by the apostles to various churches or
individuals. J. leaves out the Apocalypse of John. | libros
Salomonis: Solomon was considered the author of Proverbs,
Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, all from the Old
Testament. | apostolos: authors of New Testament writings;
Paul, John, Luke, etc. | evangelia, prophetas: cf. earlier
note. | sui cordis thesaurum: in letter XXII§30, Jerome
speaks of a treasure of writings in his heart, which notably
includes the pagan author Cicero, and quotes Matthew 6.21
ubi thesaurus tuus, ibi et cor
tuum.
Jerome recommends isolation from peers of both sexes:
curly-headed sweet-voiced boys as well as girls will teach her
whatever they know and so harm this innocent Danae, confined to
her cubiculum. Jerome is not necessarily
recommending isolation for all girls: Pacatula has been dedicated
as a Christian virgin. Note that by now he clearly rejects
the suggestion at the start that she should be exposed to
temptations in order to be able to resist them.
The phrase from Timothy 5.13 is taken out of a different context,
about widows, and says "They learn idleness, going around
their houses; and not only idleness, but also foolish talk and
meddlesomeness, prattling on about inappropriate things."
Nec liberius procedat ad publicum nec semper ecclesiarum
quaerat celebritatem. In cubiculo suo totas delicias habeat.
Numquam iuvenculos, numquam cincinnatos videat vocis dulcedine per
aures animam vulnerantes. Puellarum quoque lascivia repellatur,
quae quanto licentius adeunt, tanto difficilius evitantur et, quod
didicerunt, secreto docent inclusamque Danaen vulgi sermonibus
violant. Sit ei magistra comes, paedagoga custos non multo vino
dedita, non iuxta apostolum 'otiosa ac verbosa' (1 Timothy 5:13),
sed sobria, gravis, lanifica et ea tantum loquens, quae animum
puellarum ad virtutem instituant. procedat, quaerat, habeat, videat, repellatur, sit: more
jussive subjunctives. | dulcedine: ablative of means
dependent on vulnerantes and governing genitive vocis.
| vulnerantes: agrees with iuvenculos and cincinnatos,
and takes animam (sc. Pacatulae) as direct object. |
quanto...tanto: correlative ablatives of degree of difference
modifying comparative adverbs licentius and difficilius.
| quod didicerunt: Jerome hints at perils without specifying.
| secreto: adverbial. | inclusam Danaen: Jerome's
virgin is compared to Danae, who was sealed off from all outside
contact by her father. Perhaps not as good a comparison as Jerome
needs, because Zeus nevertheless found a way to make her pregnant
with Perseus. | magistra comes ... loquens: magistra
is the subject, and the rest consists of a large predicate
nominative phrase. | non multo vino dedita: dedita
governs datives. | iuxta: 'according to,' like secundum,
L&S s.v. iuxta II.B.5. | tantum: adverbial. |
quae: antecedent is the unexpressed object of loquens.
| instituant: subjunctive in relative clause of
characteristic.
Young girls are easily influenced and so must be protected:
young men persevere and gain access to the girls they like and
then proceed by increments to 'shamelessness.' Indeed, Danae was
perhaps the wrong person to compare to Pacatula, for Zeus found
his way into her chamber.
The saying is #180 from the sayings of Publilius Syrius, a
1st century-BC Syrian slave in Rome, who was freed and became a
public performer.
Ut enim aqua in areola digitum sequitur praecedentem, ita aetas
mollis et tenera in utramque partem flexibilis est et, quocumque
duxeris, trahitur. Solent lascivi et comptuli iuvenes
blandimentis, affabilitate, munusculis aditum sibi per nutrices ad
alumnas quaerere et, cum clementer intraverint, de scintillis
incendia concitare paulatimque proficere ad inpudentiam et
nequaquam posse prohiberi illo in se versiculo conprobato: ‘Aegre
reprehendas, quod sinas consuescere.' aqua in areola digitum sequitur praecedentem: the idea is
clearly that water follows flexibly where one leads it. | ut ...
ita: correlatives, "Just as ..., so ...." | in
utramque partem: i.e. for good or for ill. |
quocumque: quo 'where' + -cumque '-ever.' |
duxeris: future perfect. | blandimentis,
affabilitate, munusculis: ablatives of instrument. |
intraverint: perf. subj. with circumstantial cum,
primary sequence. | quaerere, concitare, proficere, posse:
complementary infinitives after solent. |
prohiberi: complementary infinitive dependent on posse:
the thing prevented is the impudentia referred to in the
previous clause. | illo in se versiculo conprobato:
ablative absolute. in se refers to the saying itself (i.e.
it is a direct reflexive: A&G 300.1).|
reprehendas, quod sinas: 2nd person generalizing potential.The antecedent of quod is the unexpressed object of reprehendas.
A passage of unclear purpose in the letter: a generic
misogynistic rant. Jerome claims that women commonly form
attachments to men of lower social positions, using virtue and
holiness as an excuse, and sometimes leaving their husbands. He
compares them to the pagan mythological Helen, who left her
husband King Menelaus to go with Alexander, as found in the Trojan
War stories (Iliad, Odyssey, tragedies, etc.).
Pudet dicere et tamen dicendum est: nobiles feminae nobiliores
habiturae procos vilissimae condicionis hominibus et servulis
copulantur ac sub nomine religionis et umbra continentiae interdum
deserunt viros. Helenae sequuntur Alexandros nec Menelaos
pertimescunt. Videntur haec, planguntur et non vindicantur, quia
multitudo peccantium peccandi licentiam subministrat. pudet: called 'semi-impersonal,' although technically the
infinitive dicere is the subject of pudet. | dicendum
est: gerundive, notion of necessity. | nobiliores:
accusative with procos, which is direct object of habiturae.
| vilissimaecondicionis: gen. of description,
modifying hominibuset servulis, which are governed
by copulantur. | Helenae, Alexandros, Menelaos:
plurals of proper names are used to generalize, and hence refer to
anyone who is like Menelaus, Alexander, or Helen. | peccandi:
genitive gerund dependent on licentiam.
Another passage of unclear purpose with generic content. The
Visigoths had just sacked Rome in 410; churches lay in ashes, and
the city was burned, but the people continued their sin, greed and
selfishness. Note the contrast between rich and poor (with esuriens
et nudus ChristusJerome must be equating Christ with
"the least of his brethren" and fores nostras must
be metaphorical for the gates of the whole Roman Empire).
Pro nefas, orbis terrarum ruit et in nobis peccata non coruunt.
Urbs inclita et Romani imperii caput uno hausta est incendio.
Nulla regio, quae non exules eius habeat. In cineres ac favillas
sacrae quondam ecclesiae conciderunt et tamen studemus avaritiae.
Vivimus quasi altera die morituri et aedificamus quasi semper in
hoc victuri saeculo. Auro parietes, auro laquearia, auro
fulgent capita columnarum et nudus atque esuriens ante fores
nostras in paupere Christus moritur.
pro nefas: exclamatory, 'For shame!', 'The
horror!' | orbis terrarum: standard Latin for "the world"
when referring to the countries and lands of the world. | Urbs
inclita et Romani imperii caput: caput is nominative
in apposition to urbs (the subject of haustaest).
| uno incendio: ablative of means (instrument) – refers to
Visigothic sacking of Rome in 410. | nulla regio: sc. est.
| habeat: subjunctive in relative clause of characteristic. |
sacrae quondam: quondam modifies sacrae. |
avaritiae: studemus takes dative. | altera
die: abl. of time at which; means 'tomorrow'; reminds of 1
Corinthians 15:32 Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν "let
us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." | aedificamus quasi ...
: explained in next sentence. |auro: abl. of means
with fulgent. | ante fores nostras: Jesus'
crucifixion took place in Judaea, but perhaps J. simply means that
it took place within Roman jurisdiction; he is thinking of Rome not
as the city, but as the empire.
J. transitions from the lamentable state of the world to
parallels from the Old Testament: dire situations, in which humans
interceded with god. First, a paraphrase of Numbers
16:46-48, where the high priest Aaron interceded with god to stop
a plague. Next, Exodus 32.10, where god was held back by
Moses' prayers from punishing his people. Then Romans 9.3,
where Paul wishes that he could be an offering for his brother
humans, which Jerome interprets to mean that the shepherd perishes
with the flock. Finally, he returns to Moses and Expodus
32 and adds on Proverbs 14.
Legimus Aaron pontificem isse obviam furentibus flammis et
accenso turibulo Dei iram cohibuisse; stetit inter mortem et vitam
sacerdos maximus nec ultra vestigia eius ignis procedere ausus
est. Moysi loquitur Deus: ‘Dimitte me et delebo populum
istum (Exod. 32. 10).’ Quando dicit ‘dimitte me,’ ostendit se
teneri, ne faciat, quod minatus est; Dei enim potentiam servi
preces inpediebant. Quis, putas, ille sub caelo est, qui nunc irae
Dei possit occurrere, qui obviare flammis et iuxta apostolum
dicere: ‘Optabam ego anathema esse pro fratribus meis (Rom. 9.
3)?’ Pereunt cum pastoribus greges, quia, sicut populus, sic
sacerdos. Moyses conpassionis loquebatur affectu: ‘Si dimittis
populo huic, dimitte; sin autem, dele me de libro tuo (Exod. 32.
31. 32).’ Vult perire cum pereuntibus nec propria salute contentus
est. ‘Gloria ’ quippe ‘regis multitudo populi (Proverbs 14:28).’ legimus: in Numbers 16:46. | Aaron pontificem
isse, cohibuisse: acc. subj. and infinitives in indirect
speech after legimus. | isse obviam furentibus flammis:
obviam is an adverbial from of obvius, -a, -um that
1) takes the dative (here furentibus flammis) and 2) occurs
with verbs, often of motion (here isse, short form of ivisse):
it involves meanings such as "meeting," "being in the way of," etc.
| accenso turibulo: abl. of instrument (means by which ira
cohibita est). | ignis: personified
(fire can't 'dare', even if it seems alive). | Moysi:
dative. | loquitur: a shift from past tenses
(isse, cohibuisse, stetis, auses est) to
historical present AG 469. | populum istum:
i.e. the Jews, Moses' and Jahweh's people: iste is often
said to be "second person" because it is in reference to the person
spoken to, and hence can be translated sometimes as "your," "of
yours." | se teneri: acc. subj. and infinitive in indirect
speech after ostendit. | faciat: subj. in negative
clause of hindering: AG 558b. | servi preces: i.e.
the prayers of Moses. | possit: subj. in relative clause of
characteristic. | qui obviare ... dicere: understand possit
here. | sicut...sic: correlatives: understand a form of the
most recent verb again with each of these clauses. | affectu:
abl. of manner. | Si dimittis populo huic, dimitte:
there is a direct object with this sentiment in Exodus
32.31.32, namely peccatum, noxam or the like, so
that it means "If you dismiss this people's sin, dismiss it." |
de libro tuo: there is a Christian notion of a 'book of
life', referenced, e.g., in the Apocalypse of John, which contains
the names of the saved; what Moses refers to is perhaps merely a
figure of speech, meaning 'take me out of your protection, abandon
me, forsake me', or may be meant literally. | propria salute:
abl. with contentus. | multitudo: predicate
nominative, upon which populi depends; nominal sentence
(i.e. understand est).
J. returns to discussing Pacatula, her entrance into the world
during such times. Jerome concludes by saying Gaudentius' love has
torn him away from his grief for a while in order to write to a
little girl as an old man: the little he has tried to offer is
preferable to nothing. This concluding section has an epigrammatic, Senecan feel to
it. His Pacatula est nata temporibus, inter haec crepundia primam
carpit aetatem ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum
sensura quam gaudium. Necdum introitus, iam exitus; talem semper
fuisse putat mundum. Nescit praeterita, fugit praesentia, futura
desiderat. Quae ut tumultuario sermone dictarem et post neces
amicorum luctumque perpetuum infanti senex longo postliminio
scriberem, tua me, Gaudenti fratri, inpulit caritas; maluique
parum quam nihil omnino poscenti dare, quia in altero voluntas
oppressa luctu, in altero amicitiae dissimulatio est. his temporibus: abl. of time at which: Jerome has been
describing "the times" since pro nefas several sentences
ago. | haec crepundia: figuratively speaking. |
ante lacrimas scitura quam risum, prius fletum sensura quam
gaudium: note the repetitive rhetorical structure: scitura
and sensura modify Pacatula as predicate terms
(like nata), and are periphrastic forms of the future
indicative (est is understood) with direct objects lacrimas
and fletum). ante ... quamand prius
... quam (both sometimes written as two words,
sometimes as one) modify scitura and sensura. Fully
spelled out, the end of the sentence would read: Pacatula scitura
est lacrimas antequam scitura est risum et
fletum sensura est priusquam gaudium sensura est. |necdum introitus, iam exitus: sc. est with both.
| tumultuario sermone: abl. of manner. | dictarem,
scriberem: subjunctive in result clause of result dependent on
inpulit in the next clause: secondary sequence. | neces,
luctum: probably referring to the losses incurred after the
recent sack of the city. | infanti: dat. indirect obj. of scriberem.
| longo postliminio: ablative of circumstances with senex,
referring to recovery from the grief just mentioned. | Gaudenti
frater: vocative. | in altero ... in altero:
correlatives, first referring to parum, second with nihil
omnino. | oppressa luctu: sc. est: hence
Jerome could only offer parum and not more. | amicitiae
dissimulatio est: had he not written at all, he would not be
fulfilling the duty of friendship.
References:
Gilman, Sander L. “Decircumcision: The First Aesthetic Surgery.” Modern
Judaism, vol. 17, no. 3, 1997, pp. 201–210. JSTOR,
JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1396657.
Text taken from CSEL 56 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum
Latinorum series).
A&G: Allen and Greenough, New Latin Grammar.
L&S: Lewis & Short's dictionary.
Woodcock: A New Latin Syntax, Bristol Classical Press, 1985
(orig. Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1959)
Wright's Loeb volume Select Letters of St. Jerome identified
the Biblical passages and other texts in the commentary in notes.
Vocabulary
absque: without
absum, abesse, afui: be absent, away
accendo, accendere, accendi, accensum: ignite
accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum: accept, receive
adduco, adducere, adduxi, adductum: lead to, draw to
adeo, adire, adii, aditum: go to, approach
aditus, us, m: entrance, access
adulescentia, ae, f: adolescence; young man/woman
aegre: with difficulty
Aegyptius, a, um: Egyptian
aetas, atis, f: age, period of life, life
aeternus, a, um: eternal
affabilitas, atis, f: affability, friendliness
affluo, affluere, affluxi, affluxum: abound in
ago, agere, egi, actum: act
αἴνιγμα, ατος, τό: enigma, riddle [form in letter is acc. plural]
aio, aiere: say
aliquando: at some (other) time
alumna, ae, f: female ward, pupil, foster-child
alvus, i, f: stomach, bowels
amaritudo, inis, f: bitterness
amarus, a, um: bitter
amo, amare, amavi, amatum: love
anima, ae, f: soul, spirit
anathema, atis, n: a doomed or cursed thing, offering
anilis, e: of an old woman
animus, i, m: mind, spirit
annus, i, m: year
anus, us, f: old woman
apostolus, i, m: apostle
appeto, appetere, appetivi, appetitum: seek/strive after
aptus, a, um: apt, fit, suited
arbitra, -ae, f., female witness
areola, ae, f: little place or garden
ascendo, ascendere, ascendi, ascensum: ascend, climb on, 'take on'
aqua, ae, f: water
arbiter, arbitri, m: spectator, hearer, witness
auris, is, f: ear
azymus, a, um: unleavened
auctoritas, atis, f: authority
audio, audire, audivi, auditum: hear, listen to
aufero, auferre, abstuli, ablatum: take off
aurum, i, n: gold
balbuttio, balbuttire, balbutivi: stammer, stutter, babble
balneum, i, n: bath
bellum, i, n: war
bibo, bibere, bibi, bibitum: drink
blandimentum, i, m: flattery, nicety
blandior, blandiri, blanditus sum: please, flatter, be agreeable,
entice
bonus, bona, bonum: good
calco, calcare, calcavi, calcatum: stamp, tread underfoot
canto, cantare, cantavi, cantatum: sing
capitulum, i, n: chapter, section
caput, itis, n: head
careo, carere, carui, caritum: lack, be without
caro, carnis, f: flesh
causa, ae, f: affair, matter, subject
celebritas, atis, f: congregation, multitude
cera, ae, f: wax
cerno, cernere, crevi, cretum: discern, understand
ceterum: but, furthermore (adding new thought)
cincinnatus: with curled hair (young man with curled or treated
hair)
circumcisus, a, um: circumcised
circumdo, circumdare, circumdedi, circumdatum: put, place around
cisterna, ae, f: cistern
clementer: calmly, casually; gradually
coepio, coepere, coepi, coeptum: begin
cogo, cogere, coegi, coactum: force, compel
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum: cognize, come to know,
learn
collum, i, n: neck
comedo, comedere, comedi, comesum: eat, consume (entirely)
comes, comitis, m/f: companion
committo, committere, commisi, commissum: commit
comptulus, a, um: dressed up, luxuriously adorned
concito, concitare, concitavi, concitatum: incite
condicio, onis, f: condition
confabulatio, onis, f: conversation
conpello, conpellere, conpuli, conpulsum: compel, force
conprobo, conprobare, conprobavi, conprobatum: prove, attest, prove
credible, demonstrate
consilium, i, n: counsel
consocio, consociare, consociavi, consociatum: join together
constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum: set up, establish,
confirm
consuesco, consuescere, consuevi, consuetum: habituate, accustom
consumo, consumere, consumpsi, consumptum: consume, spend, squander
contemno, contemnere, contempsi, contemptum: contemn
continentia, ae, f: continence, chastity
contineo, continere, continui, contentum: contain
contra: the opposite
copulo, copulare, copulavi, copulatum: couple, copulate
corpus, oris, n: body
cor, cordis, n: heart
coruo, coruere, corui, corutum, co + ruo go to
ruin with
coturnix, icis, f: quail
credo, credere, credidi, creditum: believe
crepundia, orum, n: child's toy rattle
crustulum, i, n: small pastry, confectionery
cubiculum, i, n: bedroom
cupio, cupere, cupivi, cupitum: want, desire (involuntary passion)
custos, custodis, m: guardian
cutis, is, f: skin
decanto, decantare, decantavi, decantatum: sing, proclaim
declino, declinare, declinavi, declinatum: lean/bend away, deviate
dedo, dedere, dedidi, deditum: give over to
deduco, deducere, deduxi, deductum: draw out
deformis, e: deformed, ugly
delectatio, onis, f: delight, pleasure
delecto, delectare, delectavi, delectatum: delight, charm, please
delicia, ae, f: pleasantry, delight
delinquo, delinquere, deliqui, delictum: fail in duty, be wanting,
transgress
depono, deponere, deposui, depositum: put down, put off, give up
desero, deserere, deserui, desertum: desert, abandon
desidero, desiderare, desideravi, desideratum: desire, want
desino, desinere, desivi, desitum: cease
despicio, despicere, despexi, despectum: look down on, despise
desudo, desudare, desudavi, desudatum: work up a sweat
deus, dei, m: god, God
dico, dicere, dixi, dictum: say, speak
dies, ei, m: day
difficilis, e: difficult
digitus, i, m: digit, unit of length (inch)
diligo, diligere, dilexi, dilectum: esteem, have regard for
dimitto, dimittere, dimisi, dimissum, discharge, dismiss
disco, discere, didici, discitum: learn
discuneo, discuneare, discuneavi, discuneatus: be split, wedged,
'feuding' [not in L&S]
disputo, disputare, disputavi, disputatum: dispute
dissimulatio, onis, f: negligence
dissipo, dissipare, dissipavi, dissipatum: dissipate, scatter,
disperse
distillo, distillare, distillavi, distillatum: drip
divitiae, arum, f: wealth
doceo, docere, docui, doctum: teach
domina, ae, f: mistress
dominus, i, m: (the) lord
dormio, dormire, dormivi, dormitum: sleep
dubito, dubitare, dubitavi, dubitatum: doubt
dulcedo, dulcedinis, f: sweetness
dulcis, e: sweet
dumtaxat: at any rate, at least
ecclesia, ae, f: church, assembly
edentulus, a, um: toothless
egregius, a, um: distinguished, excellent
eicio, eicere, eieci, eiectum: eject, throw out
elementum, i, n: element, alphabet
eligo, eligere, elegi, electum: choose, elect
enim: for (postpositive)
enutrio, enutrire, enutrivi, enutritum: nurture, rear
epistulium, i, n.: little letter
erubesco, erubescere, erubui: blush
eruditio, onis, f: erudition, knowledge
evangelium, i, n: gospel
exagito, exagitare, exagitavi, exagitatum: stir, rouse, disturb
evito, evitare, evitavi, evitatum: avoid
examen, inis, n: flock, swarm
excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptum: take out, receive, rescue
exemplum, i, n: example
exeo, exire, exii, exitum: leave, go out
exitus, -us, m., end, exit; death
exordium, i, n: exordium, introduction, writing
expertus, a, um: experienced, tried
exprimo, exprimere, expressi, expressum: press out
fabula, ae, f: tale
facilis, e: easy
facio, facere, feci, factum: do, make
familia, ae, f: family
fauces, ium, f: gullet, throat
fel, fellis, n: gall
femineus, a, um: feminine
festino, festinare, festinavi, festinatum: hurry
filum, i, n: thread
flexibilis, e: flexible
flos, floris, m: flower
fluctus, us, m: wave
fons, fontis, m: fount, spring
foras: outdoors
foris, foris, f., door, gate
forte: by chance
fortis, e: strong
fragilis, e: breakable, fragile
frater, fratris, m: brother
fugio, fugere, fugi, fugitum: flee
fulgur, uris, n: fulgor, splendor, lightning
furvus, a, um: dark, dusky, gloomy
futurus, a, um: destined to be, about to be, prospective,
presumptive
garrulus, a, um: garrulous, talkative, babbling
gaudeo, gaudere, gaudi, – , gavisus sum: take joy
gemma, ae, f: bud
genus, eris, n: genus, type, sort, race
germanus, i, m: brother
gerula, ae, f: female bearer, carrier
gestio, gestire, gestivi, gestitum: be eager, exult in
gravis, e: stern, strict
gustus, us, m: taste
habeo, habere, habui, habitum: have
hebeo, hebere: be dull, be amazed (stupefied)
homo, inis, m: man
hortor, hortari, hortatus sum: advise, encourage
hospitium, i, n: lodging
idem: same
igitur: then, therefore
ignotus, a, um: unknown, unfamiliar
immo: nay, rather
imperium, i, n: decree, order, command
impinguo, see inpinguo
incedo, incedere, incessi, incessum: go about
incendium, i, n: fire
incertus, a, um: uncertain
inclusus, a, um: closed in, locked in
induo, induere, indui, indutum: clothe, put on
infans, antis: infant
infirmis, e: infirm, weak
inlecebra, ae, f: enticement, inducement
inpinguo, inpinguare, inpinguavi, inpinguatum: fatten
inpudicus, a, um: shameless, immodest
inquam, inquii: say
insidiae, arum, f: trap, ambush
insignis, e: distinguished, remarkable
instituo, instituere, institui, institutum: build up
intellego, intellegere, intellexi, intellectum: understand
interdum: occasionally
interim: in the meantime
interrogo, interrogare, interrogavi, interrogatum: ask about
intro, intrare, intravi, intratum: enter
introitus, -us, m., entrance, beginning
invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum: find out, invent
Israheleticus, a, um: Israelitish, Jewish
ita: thus
iugum, i, n: yoke
iungo, iungere, iunxi, iunctum: join, yoke
iuvenis, is, m/f: young person (between 20-40)
iuvenculus, i, m: young man
iuxta: next to; according to
labium, i, n: lip
labor, oris, m: work, labor
lanificus, a, um: wool-working
laquear, aris, n: panelled or fretted ceiling
lascivia, ae, f: playfulness (in bad sense, lasciviousness,
flirtatiousness, lewdness)
lascivus, a, um: lascivious, etc.
laudo, laudare, laudavi, laudatum: praise
laus, laudis, f: praise
lectura
levis, e: light
libenter: gladly, with pleasure
liber, era, erum: free
libertas, atis, f: freedom
libido, inis, f: longing, desire, lust
liber, i, m: book
licens, licentis: bold, presumptuous, unrestrained
licentia, ae, f: presumptuousness, lack of restraint, license
linteamen, inis, n: linen
litterulae, arum, f: little letter; note
longus, a, um: long
loquor, loqui, locutus sum: speak
luctus, us, m: grief
ludo, ludere, lusi, lusum: play
lupanar, aris, n: brothel
lusus, us, m: game, play
lux, lucis, f/m: light
luxuria, ae, f: luxury
luxurio, luxuriare, luxuriavi, luxuriatum: to have in excess, to
abound in
luxuriosus, a, um: luxurious
male: badly, wrongly
mel, mellis, n: honey, sweet things
magis: greater, more so
magister, magistri, m: master, teacher, chief, head
magistra, ae, f: directress, etc. [feminine of above]
magnus, a, um: great, large
maiestas, atis, f: majesty
manifesto, manifestare, manifestavi, manifestatum: manifest, make
appear
manus, us, f: hand
mater, matris, f: mother
matrimonium, i, n: marriage, wedlock
maritus, i, m: husband
meditor, meditari, meditatus sum: contemplate
melius: better
memoriter: by heart
meretrix, icis, f: harlot
merces, edis, f: pay, wages
metuo, metuere, metui, metutum: fear
ministerium, i, n: ministry, service, attendance, busy work
miser, misera, miserum: miserable, pitiable
modus, i, m: mode, way
modo: only, just; now
mollis, e: soft
monitum, i, n: admonition, advice, counsel
mortalis, e: mortal
mortiferus, a, um: mortal, deadly
mulier, eris, f: woman
muliercula, ae, f: little woman
mulsus, a, um: mixed with honey
mulsus, i, n: honey-wine
multitudo, multitudinis, f: multitude
multus, a, um: many, multiple, much
munusculum, i, n: little gift
mystice: mystically
nausea, ae, f: sickness, nausea
navigatio, onis, f: navigation, sailing
necessitas, atis, f: necessity
nefas: unspeakable deed, offense
nequaquam: in no way
nescio, nescire, nescivi, nescitum: not know
nitidus, a, um: clear, shining
nobilis, e: noble
nomen, inis, n: name, noun
nosco, noscere, novi, notum: know, recognize, be aquainted with
notus, a, um: known, familiar
nox, noctis, f: night
noxius, a, um: harmful, injurious
nuditas, atis, f: nudity
numquam: never
nuptiae, arum, f: marriage, intercourse
nutrex, nutricis, f: nurse
nutus, us, m: nod
occasio, onis, f: occasion, opportunity, favorable moment; pretext
offero, offere, obtuli, oblatum: offer
oleum, i, n: oil
oliva, ae, f: olives
omnis, e: all
operio, operire, operui, opertum: cover
opprimo, opprimere, oppressi, oppressus: stifle, oppress
opus, eris, n: work, task
orator, oris, m: orator
orbis, is, m: orb, globe, circle
orno, ornare, ornavi, ornatum: decorate, embellish, adorn
osculum, i, n: kiss
otiosus, a, um: otiose, lazy
pacatus, a, um: peaceful
paco (1), pacify, soothe, calm, subdue
paedagoga, ae, f: governess
paeniteo, paenitere, paenitui: regret
palliolum, i, n: shawl, mantle, cloak
paradisus, i, m: paradise, garden
parens, parentis: parent
paries, etis, m: wall
pars, partis, f: part
parumper: briefly, a little while
parvula, ae, f: little girl
pascha, atis, n: Passover feast
paulatim: little by little
peccatum, i, n: sin
pecco, peccare, peccavi, peccatum: sin
pedisequa, ae, f: handmaiden, attendant
pellis, is, f: skin, hide
pellicius, a, um: made of skins
pendeo, pendere, pependi, – : hang
periculose: dangerously, hazardously
periculum, i, n: danger
permaneo, permanere, permansi, permansum: hold out, endure, persist,
live by
persecutio, onis, f: persecution
pertimesco, pertimescere, pertimui: become very frightened
φιλόκοσμος, ον: loving ornament, wanting to look good, be decked out
placenta, ae, f: cake
plango, plangere, planxi, planctum: bemoan, lament
plurimus, a, um: very much, very many
pollex, icis, m: thumb
populus, i, m: people, nation
possum, posse, potui: be able, can
postea: afterwards
postliminium, i, n: a return to one's old condition, return
praebeo, praebere, praebui, praebitum: hold forth, offer
praecedo, praecedere, praecessi, praecessum: go before
praeclarus, a, um: famous
praemium, i, n: prize, reward
praeputium, i, n: foreskin
pretiosus, a, um: costly, precious
prius: earlier, previously, in former times
probatus, a, um: tried, tested, proven
procedo, procedere, processi, processum: advance, appear
procus, i, m: suitor
proficio, proficere, profeci, profectum: advance, progress
profundus, a, um: deep
prohibeo, prohibere, prohibui, prohibitum: prohibit, prevent
promitto, promittere, promisi, promissum: foretell, predict; promise
propheta, ae, m: prophet
propinquus, a, um: close, kindred
propono, proponere, proposui, propositum: set before
propositum, i, n: the goal, the point, intention
psalmus, i, m: psalm
psalterium, i, n: the Psalms
pubertas, atis, f: puberty
publice: in public
publicum, i, n: the public (place)
pudet, pudere, puduit: it is shameful
pudicitia, ae, f: shame, modesty
puella, ae, f: girl
puer, pueris, m: boy
pueritia, ae, f: boyhood, childhood
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum: beautiful
pullus, a, um: dark, grey, dim
pupa, ae, f: doll
purus, a, um: pure
puto, putare, putavi, putatum: think, consider
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum: seek
quam: than
quamvis: although, albeit
quantus, a, um: how great, how many, how much
quare: why
quasi: as if
quia: because
quin potius: rather, on the contrary
quocumque: whithersoever
quoque: also
rapio, rapere, rapui, raptum: seize, take
ratis, is, f: raft, bark
religio, onis, f: religion
relinquo, relinquere, reliqui, relictum: abandon, leave
repello, repellere, reppuli, repulsum: repel, push away, reject
reperio, reperire, repperi, repertum: get, obtain
repleo, replere, replevi, repletum: refill, fill, fill up, complete
reprehendo, reprehendere, reprehendi, reprehensum: reprehend, hold
back
res, rei, fs: fact, situation, thing
retineo, retinere, retinui, retentum: keep, maintain, preserve
revertor, reverti, reversus sum: return, turn back
rideo, ridere, risi, risum; laugh
rubicundus, a, um: ruddy
rudis, e: rude, crude, green, unwrought
rumpo, rumpere, rupi, ruptum: break, tear
ruo, ruere, rui, rutum: fall, collapse, go to ruin
rutilo, rutilare, rutilavi, rutilatum: be red
sacrificium, i, n: sacrifice
saeculum, i, n: age, era
saepe: often
saltim: except as, save for
sanctificatio, onis, f: sanctification
sanctus, a, um: holy
satio, satiare, satiavi, satiatum: fill, satisfy, sate
scintilla, ae, f: spark
scio, scire, scivi, scitum: know
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptum: write
scriptura, ae, f: scripture
secundum: according to
secretus, a, um: secret, apart; hidden places/things [neut. pl.]
securus, a, um: untroubled, unconcerned, insouciant; secure, not
prone to harm
sedeo, sedere, sedi, sessum: sit
semel: once and for all, in a single go
semper: always
sensus, us, m: perception, feeling, sensation, mind
sentio, sentire, sensi, sensum: to feel, perceive, discern by senses
septimus, a, um: seventh
sequor, sequi, secutus sum: follow
sermo, onis, m: speech, discourse, sermon
serpens, entis, f: serpent
servio, servire, servivi, servitum: serve, be a slave to
servulus, a, um: slave-like
servus, i, m: slave
sexus, us, m: sex, gender
sinceritas, atis, f: sincerity, honesty, integrity, purity
sino, sinere, sivi, situm: allow, permit
sinus, us, m: bosom
sobrius, sobria, sobrium: sober
societas, atis, f: society, company
soleo, solere, – , solitus sum: be wont
solus, sola, solum: only, alone
spes, spei, f: hope
spondeo, spondere, spopondi, sponsum: dedicate, pledge, vow
stamen, inis, n: thread, cloth
suavis, e: pleasant, agreeable
suavitas, atis, f: sweetness, pleasantness, agreeableness
subicio, subicere, subieci, subiectum: submit
subito: suddenly, unexpectedly, on the spur of the moment
subministro, subministrare, subministravi, subministratum: furnish,
supply
subtilis, e: subtle, thin
sum, esse, fui: be
suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum: take up, receive
sustineo, sustinere, sustenui, sustentum: sustain
sutilis, e: sewn together
syllaba, ae, f: syllable
taceo, tacere, tacui, tacitum: be silent, leave unsaid
tale quid: some such thing
tam: so
tamen: yet
tantus, a, um: so great, so much, so many
tantum: only so much
templum, i, n: temple
tempto, temptare, temptavi, temptatum: touch, feel, try
tempus, oris, n: time
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentum: have, hold
tener, era, erum: soft, tender
terra, ae, f: land, earth
testimonium, i, n: testimony, witness
thesaurus, i, m: treasure, store
timeo, timere, timui: fear, be afraid
tinnulus, a, um: shrill
titillatio, onis, f: titillation, tickling
totus, a, um: total, complete
tracto, tractare, tractavi, tractatum: treat, drag
traho, trahere, traxi, tractum: drag
tristis, e: sad
tumultus, us, m: tumult, bustle
tŭmultŭārĭus, a, um: that is done or happens in a hurry, hurried,
hasty, sudden, confused, irregular
tunica, ae, f: tunic
turibulum, i, n: censer, vessel to burn incense in
turpis, e: dirty, foul
ullus, a, um: any
umbra, ae, f: shadow
unde: whence
universus, a, um: collective, general, universal
unusquisque: each one
usque: until, up to
utor, uti, usus sum: use
uterque, utraque, utrumque: either, each
uxor, oris, f: wife
vas, vasis, n: vessel
vel: or
venenum, i, n: potion, drug, venom
verbero, verberare, verberavi, verberatum: strike
verbosus, a, um: verbose, wordy, garrulous
verbum, i, n: word
verecundus, a, um: shameful, modest
veritas, atis, f: truth
verno, vernare, vernati, vernatum: flourish, bloom
versiculus, i, m: short verse, line
verus, a, um: true
vescor, vesci: eat, make use of
vesica, ae, f: bladder
vestis, is, f: clothing
via, ae, f: road
video, videre, visi, visum: see; seem (sc. 'good') [passive]
vidua, ae, f: widow
vilis, e: vile, base
vindico, vindicare, vindicavi, vindicatum: avenge
vinum, i, n: wine
violo, violare, violavi, violatum: violate, profane, defile
vir, viri, m: man
virginitas, atis, f: virginity
virgo, inis, f: virgin
virguncula, ae, f: little maid, young girl
virtus, virtutis, f: virtue
vito, vitare, vitavi, vitatum: avoid
vocatio, onis, f: calling, vocation
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum: call
voluntas, atis, f: will
voluptas, atis, f: pleasure, satisfaction, enjoyment
vomitus, us, m: vomiting
vox, vocis, f: voice
vulgus, i, m: crowd, common people
vulnero, vulnerare, vulneravi, vulneratum: harm, wound
vultus, us, m: expression, countenance